Further thoughts while working...

1. I have been extremely lucky in the support I've received from my program, both while I was there and since graduation. I had the pleasure of studying with 4 really terrific teachers, who without exception have been encouraging & helpful, sometimes even hiring me, recommending me, publishing me, etc. I know this is not the case for everybody, even people in my class, so I'm awfully grateful for their kindness and interest. I do my best to deserve them.



2. Perhaps because I was an older student (not old! but not right out of college) when I went to get my MFA, my experience was more positive than negative. I spent those 2 years reconnecting to people who write. I never stopped writing poetry, but didn't know many people who also did when I enrolled, though lots of my friends have creative pursuits on parallel. I'd also already worked at Random House for a couple of years--years that went such a long way toward my disillusionment re: publishing and the business side of writing. What a long drop that first one is! Yikes.



3. As my darling collaborator Shafer Hall pointed out to me this morning, I have been blessed with (and sought to make) many "poetry friends" who teach me more about poetry everyday. And they come cheap!