This poet is tired, y’all. My husband and I did some travelling this past weekend.

Friday, we went to Canton and performed for Writing Knights, the  publishing company of three of my books. The editor, Azriel, runs a couple of different shows in the area, and it’s always a pleasure to stop up that way and perform.

Here’s a photo from that event:

Saturday was a blessed day of rest, though the hubs and I did enjoy an afternoon at the Oddities and Curiositites Expo in Columbus. It was most definitely odd and curious.

Sunday took us all the way to Toledo for Uncloisetered Poetry. It was my first time there at that particular event, and I admit, I was nervous about this performance. I had an old friend whom I hadn’t seen in six years that was going to be there. I had two new friends who I had yet to meet who were going to be there. Couple that with the fact that one of that couple, Stuart,  is a professional comedian/ performer and his wife, Shirley, is a successful writer on her own, and my nerves were on edge. All I could do was put together my strongest set possible, take a breath, and do my thing.

And do it, I did.

I was incredibly proud of this performance. I performed pieces from I Speak Hick  and  Fully Formed. I really enjoyed performing pieces from both of these books, though, I do admit, the pieces from I Speak Hick lend themselves better to performance. I really let loose during my set, and the audience really seemed to be into it.

The crowning moment, though? When the professional performer and writer complimented me on how tight my writing is. I damn near wanted to cry. That is always something I worry about as a poet. It was nice to hear those kind words come from them. I’ll carry that with me for a good, long, time.

Here are a couple of pictures from Uncloistered Poetry:

After this past weekend, I thought my May was over. I was fully intent on preparing for Columbus Arts Festival in June. My, oh, my, how things change. I received a message from a show I’ve been hoping to feature at for quite some time, asking me if I’d fill in as feature on the 29th. So, it looks like I’ll be road-tripping to Cincinnati to perform at Word Is Mouth. I’m excited for the new show and seeing a whole slew of new poets.

This little poet is tired, but I’ll not have it any other way.