My Birthday

Today is my birthday... a year closer to perfection!

I got a copy of Ariel Restored, a Burkowski book, another book on Plath and a couple pairs of new slacks! Yeah!

My daughter in Phoenix just called to wish me Happy Birthday... so nice to hear her voice this morning. She said as soon as all the football stuff is gone and the spring baseball stuff is out I can look for some San Francisco Giants apparel or something. (warm smile)

Saturday night I went to a reading and book signing at the Writers Place for Drew Dorsey who just released Breaking Bones With Pencil Tips. It was very well attended. It had been billed as work that Burkowski, Plath, and Ginsberg fans would find inspiration in. I guess I'd have to say that while it was enjoyable, I think comparison with those three poets is a bit of a stretch.

Sunday afternoon - Northland writers met. My awesome wife was nice enough to provide an ice cream cake to celebrate my birthday a day early with these writing friends. I read a couple new drafts of some work. There were like thirteen of us so it was well attended.

Ivy had a quote from Ginsberg over on her blog that I have to repeat here. It really struck me because birthdays always remind me of mortality and to me writing is often about trying to beat mortality. I love this quote and today was the first time I had ever seen it....

"A poem is like a radio that can broadcast continuously for thousands of years." -Allen Ginsberg