two poets more

my first experience as a fashionista went well. my feet are killing me, but it was to be expected. i remember last time i had a retail job (circa 1995), my feet hurt just thinking about it.

but tonight was fun. all ladies. some men (all spoken for). if you haven't seen the valentines nighties that just came out, humenah humenah. they are lovely.

i think what makes this job so easy for me is i love the product. i wear the product. it's not hard to sell things that really work. these clothes are flattering on big girls and it's easy to sell something that is actually nice. it was a joy.

the people i work with seem nice. i got kind of nervous when i began because there is a big deal made of the numbers. sales numbers. and i am not into sales. but after tonight's double (i got a second unexpected shift, which is great, except for my throbbing feet, the more money the better, i say).

we were incredibly busy nearly the whole time and that makes the work shift go by really fast. which i am grateful for. though while i was there, i met two more poets.

i noticed a bag that had the pegasus from Poetry Magazine on it. it is tangerine orange. i recognized this bag because my daughter begged me to get her one. when i worked on literary row at the dodge poetry festival, the POETRY mag folks were just two booths down. beside me, american academy of poets, three booths down, american association of poets (poetry.org). then more and more over the weekend.

anyway, i spot this bag and say,

are you a poet?

yeah, so is my girl friend.

awesome! i'm having my first read in NYC at bluestockings on jan. 30.

that is one of our favorite venues, we've both read there. i'd love to come and see you.

i'd love to be seen!

i said, arms outstreched walking away.

we exchanged digits and wouldn't you know, they know a poet i know from dallas. a poet whom i LOVE. joaquin zijatanejo.

you know joaquin, i featured him at my broolyn venue!

he's awesome, i could listen to him all day.

he turns to his girlfriend who just walked up,

she knows joaquin.

well, i have his chapbooks and went to a few of his reads, but i don't really know him. i love his work though.

yeah.

that made my night kids. such a small, small world. and i am in the middle of a poetic vortex. come all the way to dallas to find souls who know and love the same poets i do. isn't it something?