The Man with the Beret

Biarritz. Hard to believe I’ve reached
this fabrication by the sea
where kings and empresses once held sway
and Picasso’s brushes
cut bathers into triangles.
        Sitting on a rock and watching
families, well-coiffed dogs, grand-dames
in white shorts and sandals, old couples
holding hands as they walk the quay,
I feel more invisible than air

more foreign than a phantom from the days
of Napoleon III who might at any moment
alight from the Rock of the Virgin.
I want to go home, as much as I first
wished to come here; begin to walk away
just as a man with a battered beret passes by,
as if part of an old cartoon.
Voila! I welcome the joy of cliches
that relieve by returning the familiar,
like a Picasso so often viewed

its angles now form another cartoon,
demanding no more effort than a ritual
performed over and over, reassuring
as rhymes, those predictable and
recollected sounds from earlier lines.
        I think about earlier times,
foreign as the landscapes
of memories,
as La Belle Époque
before the wars and fires.

--Biarritz, France

Barbara F. Lefcowitz has published nine books of poetry as well as fiction, essays, and poems in over 500 journals. She has won fellowships and prizes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Maryland Arts Council, among others.

Upcoming Wanderlust Class In Seattle

What does it mean to tell a travel story? How do we write meaningfully and imaginatively about place, culture and ourselves? We can take our travel stories to the next level by understanding how we sift through our "data" to uncover true moments of insight--whether our travels are across the street or across the globe. In addition to a trusty pen and a passport, travel writing combines journalism, poetry, drama, and memoir. In this intensive workshop led by Matthew Ebnet, longtime journalist, editor, and traveler, we will learn how to put our experiences down on paper and how to bring the reader with us. We'll explore the fundamentals of what makes a piece work, including narrative structure, dialogue and characterization, with special attention to voice. You're invited to bring at least one example of your work, whether it's a collection of napkin notes, photographs, or a rough piece of writing. Join us as we read travel essays, craft new stories, and connect with other writers of all levels. We'll explore the art of the travel story so you'll be on your way toward crafting your own. After this class, students will have an opportunity to have their work published in Wanderlust, an online journal of travel.

When: May 28 - 30, 2009 // 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Where: Richard Hugo House, Winslow Classroom, 1634 11th Avenue, Seattle (link)
Cost: Free!

For questions and to RSVP please write Matthew directly at matthewebnet@yahoo.com.

30th Street Station

Jim Previti is a photographer who has shot for weddings, sports, and small business advertising.