Some Kind of Lucky

I will be the first to admit I'm a complainer. You name it, I can think of a reason to complain about it. (Well, mostly. I mean chocolate is kind of hard to complain about, except when there isn't enough or it isn't the kind I really like.) See what I mean? Anyway, this afternoon I did NOT want to complain. I felt incredibly lucky. I was at an elementary school for their Poet's Tea celebrations. I recently worked with the third grade, and today was the day we invited their families to hear them read a poem aloud and enjoy punch and cookies. I visited each class (5 in this case) and saw parents, grandparents and shining-proud children. And I was struck by how lucky I am to be immersed in such goodness. Yes, goodness. There's no other way to say it. The children were so proud of what they'd written, and I and their teachers and families were proud of them too. A few individuals were too shy, but the vast majority of children shared a poem and themselves through it. It amazes me that I get to help hundreds of children write poems every year. And I've been doing this for nearly 15 years. That's a lot of children and poems and proud families! I am so thankful to be able to go into classrooms and share different ways to write poems. I'm so thankful for the teachers who fill out the grant applications, but I'm even more thankful to the children who try new things and discover and reveal themselves through their poems. I'm continually impressed with their bravery and willingness to leap into the unfamiliar. They are such good teachers.
Today one of them made up this saying: Life gave you a spotlight, now do your dance.
Yes, dance, dance, dance.

Poems are Meant to be Heard, a podcast and a few dates

A week ago today, Sam and I were part of a wonderful event at The Pratt Library. Joined by another married poet couple, Jane Satterfield and Ned Balbo, we each read a few poems and answered questions from the audience about being poets and being poets married to poets. It was a really lovely evening, but don't feel too bad that you didn't make it, because they've produced a podcast of it! You can listen to the whole event here:

http://www.prattlibrary.org/booksmedia/podcasts/index2.aspx?ID=72710

And I hope you will. And if you're so inclined, you could come say hello at these other events:

Friday, March 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sam Schmidt and Virginia Crawford
read. The Poet Experience.  Zü Coffee.  934 Bay Ridge Rd. Annapolis,
MD.

Friday, April 6, 6pm. The Ragged Edge Coffeehouse. 110  Chambersburg
Street. Gettysburg, PA.  Sam Schmidt and Virginia Crawford.

Saturday, April  7, 5 p.m. Publication party, reading, and signing for
Suburban Myths.  Minás Gallery and Boutique.  815 W. 36th St.
Baltimore, MD.

Saturday, April 14, 12 noon. CityLit Festival (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). Sam
will be part of Inner and Outer Space: Poets and the Importance of
Place. Readings by Michael Fallon (The Great Before and After), Sam
Schmidt (Suburban Myths), and Jennifer Wallace (It Can Be Solved By
Walking). Moderated by Stephen Reichert, Editor, Smartish Pace. Enoch
Pratt Central Library. 400 Cathedral Street. Baltimore, MD.

Happy Reading and Writing. Hope to see you soon!

March & April Events, Touch and Suburban Myths

Hi!
Something a little freaky: my book and my husband's book came out in the same week but a year apart. Suburban Myths has arrived! I'm so looking forward to hearing Sam read from it. Yes, I know the poems already, but seeing him hold and read from this thing he's wanted for so long, that will be magical. His book is beautiful as well as great! I hope you will come and enjoy it with us. And there are many chances for you to hear for yourself. The first is this week. We'll be reading and talking with another married poet couple, Jane Satterfield and Ned Balbo:

Weds, March 14th, 6:30 at The Pratt Library, Central Branch, Baltimore, here's a link:

http://www.prattlibrary.org/calendar/atpratt.aspx?id=71550
 
Or come say hi at these other locations. (Except for the CityLit Fest, you can assume I will also be reading.) 

March 17th, Birdies Cafe in Westminster, MD,
March 23rd in Annapolis, location TBA,
April 6, 6pm, Ragged Edge, Gettysburg, PA
April 7, Minas Gallery, Baltimore
April 14th CityLit Fest, Pratt Central Baltimore branch

Happy reading and writing,
Virginia