Memoirous

In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells] Lord Alfred Tennyson , 1809 - 1892 Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,    The flying cloud, the frosty light:    The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.   Ring out the old, ring in the new,    Ring, happy bells, across the snow:    The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.   Ring out the grief that saps the mind    For those that here we see no more;    Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind.   Ring out a slowly dying cause,    And ancient forms of party strife;    Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws.   Ring out the want, the care, the sin,    The faithless coldness of the times;    Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes But ring the f...

 I’m writing this a bit bleary eyed this morning. Last night was truly special. And, I’m not even a hard-core fan. But call it a life-changing moment, that second when the world turns, and you feel a shift. That glimpse when suddenly hope swells and you feel like you are standing on the edge of eternity. It only lasts but a flicker and is gone. Except imagine everyone around you is experiencing the same thing—and it continues to roll over you, like a memory, that you are, indeed, a winner, that all your hard work has been recognized and your prayers heard. I know there are people out there trying to stop a pipeline, promises broken to the poor and homeless, and just earlier this week, a young man I watched grow up was killed on his bike out in LA. Yeah, there’s still all that, but now this too. This series (like the election) has showed up the differences in some families. Someone was going to get their heart stomped on. Someone was going to walk away the winner and ...

Maybe it's spring, the scent of new in the air or maybe it's my daughter coming home for a few days before continuing on to her job in Yellowstone. Or maybe it's about change. The trees changing, buds budding, the fact that the sun is shining. The last few years here in Chicago I've had a mentor I'll call Esther and she is terrific. In fact this is one of her most-used words. She's had a steadily growing career as a writer, writing coach, and writing instructor. Though she's reminded me that it hasn't all been up, there have been downs too. but one thing she told me that has stayed with me is that hope is good. So maybe what I'm feeling is spring hope. I just recently sent out a new round of stories to literary mags and my agent--the one I went back to, despite some concerns--is taking my ms around to different editors. It always makes me think something is just around the corner when my stuff is out there, circulating in the universe, just lik...