Poet laureate of North Carolina

 I was thrilled to listen to Jaki Shelton Green read some of her poetry for the Black Mountain Library the other evening. 

After her presentation some of her books were for sale...here she's dedicating the one I purchased.

I used to not read poetry. Now I do. It's musical, colorful, and a lot of my emotions are replicated in the words of these talented artists.

After enjoying the hour long presentation with a friend, we decided to go out for a glass of wine, and who should come in but Ms Green and two others. Wish I knew more about the food because she asked, but it was our first visit and we weren’t particularly interested in more than an appetizer of fried green tomatoes with bacon bits, cheese, and sauce.

I can also mention we were seated next to a couple who I knew from being part of the pottery community studio for many years. Small world!

The restaurant was a bit pricey, but good for a celebration. You know, real linens on the table! Que Sera was the name, in case you're interested (friend blogger Dave might be!) It's directly connected to Taloe's Oyster Bar. If I'd eaten any dinner before the program at 6, I might have just gone to the bar for a glass of wine...but then there'd be two elderly ladies not quite sober enough to drive home!

I hadn't stayed out until dark (nor had that glass of wine too) since forever. I was careful driving, and glad I'd eaten also...but I definitely felt it was a special occasion! It's not every day a free reading is offered by a Poet Laureate. Don't people know that? Well, the reading was very well attended, but not standing room only. And our sweet little town didn't have any blacks in attendance. There are a minority of blacks who live here...but perhaps not poetry lovers.

And here are a few lines of one of her poems I liked....not the whole thing.

"i go into rooms with rumi

i wear new faces into rooms

i've never gone into before; faces

stitched by hands of grandmothers

whose skin is clay

whose clan is wind

awakening from earth's sleep"

Jaki Shelton Green, in "breath of the song, NEW AND SELECTED POEMS"

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And for a laugh perhaps...

Yesterday I found out that a friend had to cancel our annual trip with the two others of us who planned to go to the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. She's one of our trio who's married and reported her husband just tested positive for COVID. So though her test was negative, she can't very well isolate from him, and might still catch it for a second time. So my dear friend who I had lunch with today was willing to fill in for her, just because it's leaf peeping season. It's such a beautiful time to drive slowly on the Parkway and see wherever there might be some color. It may not be that great this year, we've heard...from dry weather. But this is a test of our friendship as well as her wallet...the menu is right up there in quality and price, and she's unemployed (not by choice.)