Writers

I just came back from a "read around" that concluded the two-week Young Writer's Institute for high school students, hosted by the creative writing department at Pitt. About 20 or so high school students, and several of their teachers (local grad students and high school teachers) read poems, prose, non-fiction -- whatever turned them on. There was fantastic, energizing slam poetry.

This has nothing to do with Pittsburgh, per se; the Young Writers Institute is a national program that happens to be sponsored locally by the Western Pennsylvania Writers Project. But watching and hearing a bunch of high school students get that ramped up about the arts is a fabulous thing. I appreciate it like I appreciate my favorite part of a well-trained marching band: the drumline and, where I live, its cousin, the amazing drum ensemble.

And with that, I ammmmmm outta here. For three weeks. See you in mid-August.