Author Archives: Margaret McKeon
on happiness
I’m not sure I believe in happiness as it implies to me a singularity of state of being. It feels maybe like happiness doesn’t permit alongside nervousness or mourning or having a sore foot. And that somehow it isn’t worth as much if it doesn’t last, that it is less for being fleeting as all experience is.
I prefer joy. Joy that bubbles up from any corner at all. Joy that might invade community weaving themselves together for a beloved daughter’s funeral or burst from a song deeply attended to that leaves nothing the same. Joy that stumbles from an encounter of penetrating recognition of shared humanity in the eyes of a stranger, student or loved one. Or from freshly washed dishes and a clean counter after a big meal.
Watching birds bathe gives me joy. Have you ever watched, wade in past the knees, glance furtively about, duck the head, and rise. Water slivers cool down the back, repeat! In, out, beat the wings. Water splashes everywhere! Oh yes, joy at watching birds bathe.
At a conference once, a colleague opened our conversation, so are you happy? For me, I might prefer, what weights you and how does joy find you?
ABR writing group invitation/details
As I mentioned in class, here is the invitation for the Arts Based Research writing group. We meet on Thursdays. It’s a small and varying group. Do feel free to come regularly or to drop if you find yourself available. If you would like to be on the group email list (important re: possible room and time changes) contact me at margaret.mckeon@gmail.com.
Margaret
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An invitation: the ABR writing group will be next meeting Thursday, January 26 at 2pm in room 3144 of Pond Commons.
Feel free but not obligated to bring snacks to share. Bring your lunch if you like. We spend time writing together and then sharing and discussing each other’s work (something from the writing time or anything else ongoing that you wish to share).
ps. please feel free to extend this invitation to others who are not included here, but you think would like to join.
With best wishes,
Margaret
alongside Janice and Kyle
some words collected at dawn
wake dark dawn
wake sound, power
light, humming surrender
hum spells, leaning
lean humming, spell
surrender, cradle pools
mist clouds worship,
tunes sails, mist
curtains bright dawn
Margaret – Self Parody
Here is my attempt!
The Worm Survives
I am a worm, dirt eating
air crawling, I am earth
and heaven’s chewed path
I am a body, each luscious
segment seized by soup,
waters that will not
be parted or breathed
I am a poem, lost
in operatic aria
on sidewalk’s tight,
illusional stones’ gaps,
re-entry impossible
I am a worm exiled
by ghastly flood,
to exaggerate, a request
for self-parody