Day 7 of my 2nd year teaching poetry for Freeing the Muse on the island of Kefalonia, Greece! A morning trip to Myrtos Beach, lunch at Avithos Preview Taverna at Avithos Beach (the grilled prawns!?!), a Greek praying mantis greets us on our apartment door, a sunset trip to the top of Mount Ainos, complete with a herd of musical goats, then dinner at the Ionian Center for the Arts followed by an awesome reading by the awesome participants! What a full day!!!
Day 6 of my 2nd year teaching poetry for Freeing the Muse on the island of Kefalonia, Greece! Teaching my poetry class on Tactile Imagery with Polyphemus the cyclops just outside the classroom door. Evening drinks and appetizers with my fellow faculty at the cliffside restaurant the Sea Salt. Then faculty readings after dinner at the Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture.
Day 5 of my 2nd year teaching poetry for Freeing the Muse on the island of Kefalonia, Greece! A morning rowboat trip to Zeus Island off the coast. 139 steps to the top! A church there now. In the past a temple to Zeus, before that Aphrodite. Then a swim at a beach only accessible by boat. Then evening martinis at the wonderful Lilly’s Cafe Bar on the mountain beside the Castle of St George. Sigh. Kefalonia your charms keep coming!
Day 4 of my 2nd year teaching poetry for Freeing the Muse on the island of Kefalonia, Greece! Reading our poems in a library/museum in Lixouri with Greek poets! An amazing fish lunch; when we asked for the menu he showed us two trays of freshly caught fish (that was the menu) which were then cooked for us with fries and a salad…just amazing! Taking a boat to Fteri Beach (which is only accessible by boat) for an afternoon of swimming. Tomorrow back to classes!
Day 2 of my 2nd year teaching poetry for Freeing the Muse on the island of Kefalonia, Greece! No teaching! Instead a full day sightseeing before classes begin, 2 caves, Myrtos Beach from above, Swimming at Emplysi Beach, and visiting Fiskardo!
Day 1 of teaching for Freeing the Muse at the Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture on Kefalonia, Greece! 16 hours of sleep to get over my jet lag, a swim at one of my favorite beaches, Avithos Beach, evening sunlight on Mount Ainos, my first Greece cat sighting of this trip (outside the Arts Center), my first goat sighting (in the refrigerator at Lidl supermarket), ending with the joyous opening night celebration dinner cooked by the wonderful Sophie!
And just like that, 1 week after completing teaching at the September session of the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, I jump on a plane, travel 12 hours (without sleeping a wink) and here I am on the Greek Ionian island of Kefalonia to teach poetry for my second year for Freeing the Muse at the Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture. From one island to another…
I’ve loved each of the 14 years I’ve been teaching for the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. This just finished September session was one of the very best! Thank you to my fellow faculty and to all the poets and writers who came and made it such an inspiring time!
Day 6 of the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing! The final day! I taught The Intersections of Writing & Publishing, paneled about The Writing Life, then enjoyed the final night of participant readings. Such a heart-filling week. Thank you to everyone for making it so special!
28 days after starting Journal 123 it’s time to say goodbye. Hello Journal 124! Also, a squirrel with a black walnut in its face stepped on my big toe while I was writing. So another reason to feel thankful.