"Surround yourself with people who are so good they scare you."

II by Ted Berrigan

Dear Margie, hello. It is 5:15 a.m

dear Berrigan. He died
Back to books. I read
It's 8:30 p.m. in New York and I've been running around all day
old come-all-ye's streel into the streets. Yes, it is now,
How Much Longer Shall I Be Able To Inhabit the Divine
and the day a bright gray turning green
feminine marvelous and tough
watching the sun come up over the Navy Yard
to write scotch-tape body in a notebook
had 17 and 1/2 milligrams
Dear Margie, hello. It is 5:15 a.m.
fucked til 7 now she's late to work and I'm
18 so why are my hands shaking I should know better


I'd like to be more communicative with my writing friends or I'd like to establish a better working relationship with them. My process is that of a maverick as opposed to a shooting guard. I love my friends' writing. I think a lot of it is really great. There is something wonderful about being pushed by the successes of others. It's competition to a certain degree and I think we'd all be better off for it should we call it what it is. I want to be better than all of my writing friends at writing, but know that would be impossible because of their talents along with my envy and self doubt. But what would better be? We are all good and could be great if we push things the way they need to be pushed. Tact and compassion are necessary but I want to be kicked into the street sometimes. I want to pick up the pieces of my poems with a pen and recast them in a way that make my friends smile and want to be better themselves because of it. I'd like to re-establish writer's group but focus it more. Maybe focus is the wrong word. I'd like to get together with the writers I love and hash out freely and laugh and laugh and laugh.