“I love this workshop. You can hear yourself think!” introduction Recently, a member of the ASCNYC Creative Writing Workshop spoke with deep enthusiasm about the importance of finding a sanctuary where he could be with his thoughts and emotions in a quiet, focused way. His comment illuminates the valuable contribution the Creative Writing Workshop makes to the process of healing, recovery, and health maintenance: the opportunity to give our inner selves a chance to speak and to calmly concentrate on important matters that are sometimes pushed to the side in the face of more pressing demands. As you’ll see throughout this issue of Situations, these “important matters” cover a lot of ground—learning to set healthy priorities; letting go of secrets and the damaging patterns they bring; coping with HIV in the context of an aging body; wrestling with addiction; confronting discrimination with courage; and facing loss with grace. These poems are also joyous celebrations—of finding delight in everyday things, creating community, cultivating compassion for self and others, overcoming mental and physical barriers of all kinds, and growing clearer about what really matters in life. Writing poetry is, in a very direct sense, a way of “hearing yourself think.” I’m sure, as you explore the work of the 22 excellent poets represented here, you’ll agree these are thoughts well worth sharing and holding on to.
Gerry Gomez Pearlberg Workshop Leader
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