SARONG & APRON Summer Solstice, 21 June 2015
On this the first day of summer my calabash cracks open. That is to say, the vessel of my spirit twists the knob, flings open the door and replies to years of incessant knock knock knocking inside of me. I split into fault lines that meet in the navel and reverberate before falling apart, spilling seeds and juice everywhere. The sun is shining and I am a beautiful mess.
My first chapbook of poetry, Cracked Calabash, drops today. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am a bona fide child of the sun. Still, I must confess that it has been a rugged journey to come to the place where I can stand fully in my own light. For the past 20 years, I have made a life and career of loving the written and spoken word fiercely, mostly by nurturing that passion in others. It has been one of my greatest blessings in life to teach, serving as a guide to help young people capture the world with their words. As a guide, your place is on the side. You are the vessel. The conduit. It is an honorable place to hold that requires great focus and energy. My life has transformed in major ways in the past few years. Now it seems the time has come for me to take my turn at the well. Drink instead of pour. Step into the light instead of shining it. So here we are on the first day of summer, the vessel welcoming the cracking.
This cupped handful of verse touches upon my quest to love myself the way I so effortlessly love others, full of compassion and without judgment. I arrive at this moment exhausted and overjoyed.
Why “Sarong & Apron?”…I spend most of my time wearing one or both. One day this will become a blog space by that name, but before that begins I have a few very special projects in my sights that will require my undivided attention. It’s not always easy with so many ideas vying for my attention, but portioning my attention and energy is how I take best care of my creative spirit.
The cracking of the calabash represents a new chapter in my life as a writer, cook and woman of the world. My current pursuit is to challenge my talents to play in harmony. On this, the longest day of the year, I stand in the light and marvel at the path in front of me.
Now I am off to mend these cracks with gold, to find beauty in the places where we are split, healed and whole. (This week that means the Sunday drum circle at Malcolm X Park.)
Get your copy of Cracked Calabash straight from the source, at Central Square Press! http://www.centralsquarepress.com/pegram.html