For half a year, Jannie Dresser appeared daily on my computer screen in the form of a prompt. Each night I scratched my head until I wrote a poem and posted it on her internet classroom.
We finally met in early July, when Jannie began a poetry appreciation workshop in North Berkeley. It was an informal gathering. We sat in a circle and read poems that have been published in journals and magazines, then discussed our likes and dislikes. Much of the time the advanced language and expressions made me feel like I was diving into a deep pool of water and struggling not to get drowned. I have a long way to go with comprehension.
One of my college professors once said he learned to read German by staring at it. I had a similar experience. I learned to read classical Chinese by staring at a novel until the sentences began to make sense. It’s all intention. If you stare at something long and hard enough it’ll have to come alive. I’ll keep staring at Jannie’s workshop.
