Today someone asked me when my next book is coming out.
I didn’t know whether to get stabby or fall over laughing.
I haven’t written even one single poem in almost three months, even though my to-do list has, in the number two spot, the title “evacuation” followed by the imperative “WRITE IT!!”
It’s not a lack of words that’s the problem, you see. It’s a lack of time. As I told the aforementioned someone, “I have a six month old baby! I’m lucky to put my shoes on the right feet in the morning.”
So then, the follow-up went, “Well, what keeps you so busy? You know, besides the baby?”
(Warning: Impending rant. Take a deep breath and duck.)
Besides the baby? What do I do all day? Other than working 40+ hours a week at one job and landing myself a brand shiny new job and commuting back and forth and coming home and doing laundry and dishes and diapers and feeding the baby and dressing the baby and feeding and dressing myself and sometimes even brushing my hair? What else?
Well, there’s the cinepoems that get entered in film festivals and there’s the etsy store orders to fulfill and there are irises in my backyard that desperately need repotting. And once in awhile I try to exercise. And get a manicure. And even a pedicure, if I’m feeling really cheeky.
Wow. Ok. Bitter, party of one!! I shouldn’t get stabby about the question, I know.
Because I do remember what it was like to be bored. To have oodles of hours to fill. To lie late in bed and luxuriate in the question of “What should I do today?”
But that was eons ago in a time before Boy and Baby and video poems.
Today I’m just wallowing in guilt over letting another month nearly slip past with nary a blog post.
And the trouble is, I can’t promise to get better! Life is just a blur these days. And so am I.
But for my own sake, i swear, I will trap some of these words on a page. And then, if I deem them worthy enough, I’ll share them with you.
It’s not a new book, no, not at all. But it’s something.
-Lo, who hounds her own favorite authors for their next works and knows that really, all this means is that she should be flattered.
LaDonnaWitmer 