Anam Cara, Day Two

Late morning outside my window

So here I am with the cows and gorgeous village of Eyeries in the distance. What would a visit to Ireland be without the rain? And perhaps the mist is why the houses in Eyeries are painted in bright colors -- all gold and purple and blue. This little village (one tearoom, one restaurant) is currently hosting a gallery show. Sue Booth-Forbes (proprietress extraordinaire of Anam Cara) recently organized a comprehensive show of artists and somehow arranged for every storefront and home on the main road to participate. In one window, three generations of local artists have hung their work. Some of the paintings are for sale, but many are works the artists do for themselves.

My work goes slowly, but I have (nearly) finished a poem that had been hanging around my computer files for a couple of years. I almost like it. And for me, that's pretty good.

The jet lag is playing strange games with my head. After three hours of deep sleep, I woke up and spent from 2 am until 6 am wide awake. A good time to read and write. One Irish poet I've just discovered is Leanne O'Sullivan author of Waiting for my Clothes. As Billy Collins says "A teenage Virgil, she guides us down some of the more hellish corridors of adolescence with a voice that's strong and true." By the age of twenty-one she had won most of the top prizes in Ireland and is also featured in Billy Collin's Poetry 180.

Returning to a country for the third time has all the potency of a third date. Will the relationship go further? Is this the one for me? How will my love be returned? Yes, yes, and we'll see.