12 June 2002 - 10:12 a.m.

Today, for various reasons, I am thinking a lot about poetry. You are going to have to bear with me.

First, there was her entry requesting suggestions for contemporary poets she might like. Well, then. I came up with a short list, but never finished typing them into her guestbook, because of the common thread between them: they were all people I know, or have at least met.

First of all, I am pretentious. But you already knew that.

Second of all, I'm just not that big a fan of poetry anymore. I wish I knew why. I used to be all over that shit. I used to write that shit (and let me stress that it was indeed shit), but at least I cared. I can't even think of what would have made me stop caring about poetry. Maybe it was screenwriting, which I really think may have sucked my soul out of me for good.

Or maybe it was my dream of becoming a wedding planner. I think when I saw how many crappy poems go into toasts, wedding cards, attendant gifts, etc., I got turned off poetry. Note to poets: when choosing a day job, stay away from wedding planning.

Now that I've decided that the Ivory Tower is more interesting than the ivory tiers of tasteless wedding cake, I'm in a bit of a panic about my lack of interest in poetry. Poetry is important in academia. In fact, academia is probably the only place in which poetry carries any kind of importance, and I'm planning to stay there. So that's one cause for concern.

The other is that I need to teach poetry in a couple of weeks.

Remember how I got that job teaching drama? Well, I don't have that job anymore. Instead, I have a job teaching creative writing. I'm not really sure why this is, but since it all happened realy abruptly, and since I think a family member of the woman who runs the camp used to teach CW, I can only assume that some shit went down. I didn't ask too many questions.

Now, I'm not any less qualified to teach CW than I am to teach drama, but teaching writing makes me far more nervous than teaching acting. For one thing, those who can't do, teach. Well, seeing as how I can't act, I thought I was home free. But I can write. So what happens if I can't teach? Or if I can teach, only to discover that I can no longer do? And how the hell do I cover the poetry units, when, these days, poetry seems as foreign to me as chemistry?

On a lighter, but still poetic note, please go to Potatoelf's profile NOW and read the limerick she wrote about me. It is poetry at it's best - clear, concise, and 100% true. Go you Huskies!

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