October 1, 2007

Return from Europe


Dear dear poets,
My trip to Macedonia and Slovenia was truly extraordinary, in the company of poets from all over the world (here pictured with Tsead Bruinja of the Netherlands and Stanley Onjeani Kenani of Malawi), my books published in Macedonian and Albanian, giving readings accompanied by fireworks and lighted torches, music and boats, from a bridge on the river, with thousands of people along the banks. All over Macedonia it was that way: readings in town squares attended by what seemed the whole town, with speakers such as one would see at a rock concert. And then Vilenica, where by coincidence I stayed at the very Lipicanci (Lippenzanner) horse farm where my grandfather worked as a young man, training horses. Ljubljana is a most beautiful city! And I had a wonderful time with Tomas Transtromer, his wife Monica, and a very good young Slovenian poet, Ales Streger. I have so much to tell you in the coming weeks about all of this. But during October I will be at Hedgebrook a writers' colony for women on Whidbey Island (near Seattle), hoping to finish my memoir, which is due by Christmas! So I may not be online during that time. I wanted to tell you also that there are three places left in my workshop in Mexico January 4th - 12th. If you are interesting in coming, I would love to have you there. go to www.underthevolcano.org
The workshop takes place in Tetoztlan, a beautiful town about an hour and a half from Mexico City.
With abundant affection to all of you,
Carolyn

2 comments:

veg*nation said...

just to think of all these interesting things going on, all around the world :) thank you for sharing!

the pacific northwest sounds like such a lovely place to be. i'm really hoping we can convene there next summer.

i'm so intrigued by earth first and the tree-sitters, i told someone just yesterday that washington state is to me what i imagine rome is to catholics . . .

anyway, next weekend i am going on a SILENT zen retreat in southern minnesota. it sounds very rustic and lovely. the SILENT part should be interesting!

blussier said...

A memoir! That is exciting news!

Transtromer's work is *amazing*...I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during your time with him.