Day one

First full day at Teaching Drum
a warm welcome:
the wood stove burning bright and warmed
my feet as I descended the stairs.

We pretended we were tall trees--
bad, ugly gossiper of a tree--
struck by lightning
for a morning warm-up.

Breakfast of cayenne
and apples
and set up my desk in the office.
Jaz, Leah, Cubbs all helping in their own ways.

Started in on a project already--
the Teaching Guide for "Whispers of the Ancients"
a job that has supposedly passed from hand to hand
but if I can, I will hold it for some time
before letting it go back
to Tamarack's hands to complete the circle.

Lunchtime
in the Staff Cabin--
at the stove with Jaz (a generous spirit!)
stir-fried broccoli and baked sweet potatoes,
and two slices of Swedish Rye Bread
which was a much-sought-after treat,
compliments to the chef.

More "work"
which I am allowed to say out loud
is fun and challenging
but the day was so beautiful outside
that I had to go out and sit,
and play ball with the boys,
and take a walk/skip/run/dance
in the falling forest.

Dinner
at the arbor-
the greatest challenge of my day
ground bear meat meets bear fat
and vegetable stew of cabbage and chard and carrot
and some other things I couldn't distinguish
and then, smoked bass which I knew I should try
and I did
but then remembered I never have really been a fish-eater.

The walk home--dark and cold
knowing how much time I spend using my eyes
and how unreliable they are
thinking of Kevin
and hoping he no longer must wait in the dark
to know his future...
and me, too, perhaps.
Is this the place for me?
Now I feel full of life, but not so full of fish
and I'm sorry for not finishing supper
but can I have a snack before bed?

I look forward to bed--
last night was warm, cozy--but new.
Dreamt of sleeping on a tall, tall pillow
out in a meadow,
and it swayed in the wind
and was sniffed, mid-night, by a bear.

Tonight I have my own sheets and a fleece warmy,
and a blanket of stars to look up to
through a rectangular skylight.