Lit Biz Busy Day....

Canada Council grant application is due Tuesday. I think the manuscript -- twenty-five pages from Seal up the Thunder -- is as good as it's going to get.

But the "describe your writing project" bit is a pain. At this stage, the best draft reads, in its entirety: "I'm reading the Bible. It turns out to be powerful, but weird."

Second place: "Oh, just read the poems, for God's sake..."
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The reading at Word on the Street today was great, but I did start to cry in the middle of reading "Purple Heart."


          Purple Heart
          Hospital Ship, English Channel – March 1945

          The medal-pinners came to Dover
          to meet the ship. I remember, we were supposed
          to lie at attention. A man could die
          and they’d only say
          how fine his attention

                                              Never put my name
          on anything, would you, Erin?


Odd, it's not anywhere close to the best poem. I guess I hadn't read it in a long time and it surprised me. But I was almost done, anyway.

Sold a half-dozen books, and am now sold out of my personal stock. Will have to order some more. I thank WLU press for hosting the signing at their booth. Lovely hospitable folks.