Preparing for the Creative Nonfiction Workshop in Oxford next weekend (September 29) led by Lee Gutkind, I'm reading essays from In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction. These words, penned by Diane Ackerman in her essay, "Language at Play," struck me powerfully:

 When we create with words, in the literary arts, we raise the stakes. THen we stare straight at our inherently poetic version of life, make it even more vigrous and resourceful. Poetry, for example, speaks to everyone, but it cries out to people in the throes of vertiginous passions, or people grappling with knotty emotions, or people trying to construe the mysteries of existence.

 Good stuff.

 Have a great weekend, everyone! I'll miss you all tomorrow ... it will always feel like Saturdays are supposed to be spent up on the balcony at Square Books! - love to all, Susan