第24部分(第4/7 页)

　to　read；　write；　and　talk

about　reading　and　writing；　and　maybe　drink　a　little　Chianti　or　whatever。　Consider　the　following

statements/questions。　We？ll　read　every　response　closely　and　then　send　invitations　to　our　inaugural

meeting　to　a　carefully　handpicked　group　of　discerning　New　Yorkers。

1。　Poetry　deserves　a　more　central　role　in　the　culture　today。　There　should　be　an　American　Poet

Idol　show。　Agree　or　disagree？

2。　What　is　your　favorite　word？　What　is　your　least　favorite　word？　Write　a　sentence　using　both　at

the　same　time。　Example：　Mayhem。　Snack。　Sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　iridescent…brown　cockroach

mayhem；　Bonita　ate　a　snack　of　butterfly　wings。

Interested　participants　should　attach　a　photograph。　We　need　to　make　sure　you？re　not　12。　Or　112。

Looking　forward　to　some　inspiring　conversation！　（BYOB！）

n？s　great　escape

？There　you　are！？

Babs　Michaels　stood　at　the　cheap　Formica　counter　of　her　ramshackle　kitchen；　artfully　arranging

slices　of　cantaloupe　on　a　plate　of　scrambled　eggs　and　buttery　toast。　Nate　rubbed　at　his　bloodshot

eyes　with　the　heel　of　his　hand　and　yawned？　for　a　second　the　sight　of　a　very　tanned　woman

preparing　breakfast　gave　him　a　weird　flashback　to　when　he　was　a　kid。　He　used　to　stumble

downstairs　to　the　kitchen　of　his　Upper　East　Side　town　house　to　find　Cecille；　his　parents？

Barbadian　chef；　preparing　cinnamon　wheat　toast　or　a　bowl　of　Irish　oatmeal　for　him　before　he

headed　off　to　St。　Jude？s　in　the　morning。

But　he　wasn？t　a　kid；　he　didn？t　have　to　go　to　school　any…more；　and　Babs；　in　her　tissue…thin　pale

purple　robe；　with　her　tight；　leathery　skin；　was　definitely　not　Cecille。　Besides；　he？d　already　eaten

two　strawberry　froste