Wednesday March 6 2013,

Dear Readers,

I’m in writing mode.  This is how it’s going:

“How’s it going?” said Jo, a fellow regular at the coffee shop I do my work at.

Jo was talking about the poem I’m working on for the upcoming SPINLAW conference that was the focus of my last post, and is the focus of this post.

Prior to Jo’s question my neighbour Chris Moore, also a poet, sat with me as we both worked.  During his break he took the time to read my poem in progress and gave me advice.

While sitting with Chris I got an email from Laura Spaner, my contact at SPINLAW.  It was basically another “How’s it going?”

And I have the poem in progress on my laptop, and crumpled papers beside me on the table, as I write this update.

The poem is in me and all around me.

It’s going well.

Before I hit the coffee shop I talked with fellow poet, and mentor to me, Maureen Hynes. I wanted to run my ideas by her, let her know how the poem is going, and ask for advice. Our talk lasted 15 minutes; it was positive; she loved my idea and my process.

On Tuesday, fellow poet of colour Whitney French also listened to my thoughts on the poem.  We are meeting up tomorrow or Friday to work together.  She also liked my idea for the poem and offered to help out in any way she can.

Today, now, as I write this post, I am listening to poems on video on my YOUTUBE Channel.  The different voices inspire me as has a recent photo on Face Book that said, “Be a voice, not an echo.”

My fingers were ready to get back writing when I read that quote.

My poem is my voice.  I am by no means the ultimate voice on anything.  I don’t have the last say on anything.  And I’m no expert, especially since I don’t believe in experts:

all experts are proven wrong.

I’m a poet working on a poem.  I write, read, re-write, re-read, edit, think, cross out, yell, sigh, smile, breathe, break, write, read…

And I’m not doing it alone.

People are supporting me: the people at SPINLAW, people at the coffee shop, neighbours, fellow poets, friends, and you: my readers!

Thanks!

Back to the page, the poem, the people…

Peace, positivity, prayers,

Jorge Antonio Vallejos

Black Coffee Poet