She sat right in front of me, as we waited to begin.
I knew, before I went...I've known for over ten years, actually...what I would say to her.
I walked up, bold as brass, and knelt at eye level in front of her.
I said, I'm low income and disabled. Several times in my life, I've faced traumas I didn't know whether or not I could live through. I've often been homeless.
I own three books that I take with me, where ever I live. If I get too confused, scared or desperate, I read one, or all, for emergencies.
One is "Always Coming Home."
She laughed heartily, head back, eyes squinted shut, throat full of mirth. She looked me straight in the eye and said, "oh, thank you for telling me that!"
The Chilean poet she has translated is ...and I know I'll spell this wrong... Gabriella Mistral.
I was in tears during several of the poems. She wrote my life!
Ursula is a tiny woman. I looked at the back of her head and marveled:
HOW can so MUCH brilliant writing come out of such a TINY head????
I'm SO glad I went!
I thought of Marianna, Kate, Bettina, Adrienne Rich ... I just thought and thought and thought....
And FELT SO MUCH!
I met a playwrite tonight, outside, while smoking. She just moved here. She is interested in Radio Theatre. I have her phone and email. She has offered to help me organize my script!
I'm going to invite her over for lunch.
