Listening to Keb' Mo' and not thinking about the writing projects I'm not working on and the guitar I'm not wrestling with.  Happy to be listening to Keb' Mo'.  Happy that I just read the first couple of poems in Rae Armantrout's new book Just Saying.  

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This morning I printed out a copy of Punti Evanescenti di Somiglianza, Anny Ballardini's translation into Italian of my chapbook Vanishing Points of Resemblance (VPoR).

VPoR was originally published by John Byrum's Generator Press in 2004.  Later it was included in my selected poems: Unprotected Texts.

VPoR  was an absolutely pivotal text for me.  The writing of it and the publishing of it were visceral experiences.  The writing because it helped me to make sense of and walk away from a near suicidal state of mind.  The publication because it confirmed for me that this writing, however ragged, was capable of provoking engagement with others.  Which I needed desperately.

Anny's translation was moving to me on a number of levels--particularly as an act of friendship and  of critical response.  My nickname for Anny is La Bella, the beautiful one.  And I mean that in every possible way.  She is one of the bloggers I would most love to sit down with in the real world.

I studied Italian  in college. It was both a serious passion and a path not taken. I took all the courses in Italian offered at Kent State.  My professor wanted me to go to grad school and be his TA, teach intro courses.  I just couldn't see myself as a teacher.  I didn't feel like I knew enough to teach anything.  And I wanted to do something to better the world.  Ha!  What if, I wonder sometimes.

I still can't read Canto 5 of Dante's Inferno without shivering as I think about how Dr. B. read it to our class.

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I've switched from Keb' Mo' over to Jeff Beck.

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Virtually every day I wonder if this is the time to end this blog.  And virtually every day I think that if I do that's the end of blogging for me.  So...onward...