June 2, 2010

“I SEND MY WORDS THROUGH TIME AND SPACE TO GREET YOU. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND.”  James Elroy Flecker (1884-1915)

Yesterday, these lines from “To a Poet a Thousand Years Hence,” came to me as I opened my blog and found that I’d had visitors. Unlike Flecker who imagines a future reader will find his work and feel a connection, 1000 years didn’t have to pass for me. “L” and Tom in Burbank sent me their words though time and space in a way the poet couldn’t have imagined. I want them to know I do understand.  

And what a revelation they’ve given me. Till yesterday, I thought of my blog as a diary.  Each morning I’d rise and stare into a blank computer screen, ready to begin a conversation with myself. Now my party of one had become a part of three.   

I don’t know whether “L” and Tom in Burbank will stay with me for a day or two or more, but I want to thank them for their visit. They helped me to see that a blog is a community. I am one player.

I hope this community will grow. Part of my life was lived as a teacher and I love to share ideas. If my experiences give others a glimpse into the world of a writer, I’m happy. If my toil encourages others to pursue their dreams, that too would be good.  

To “L” and Tom and anyone else who stumbles into my web, I make a promise:  my words will be true and from the heart. I trust yours will be the same.