Sunday, April 13, 2008

Live Free or Die

I went and read in New Hampshire. I've decided I really like New Hampshire in April. They still had snow in the shady spots, and then it got up to 70 degrees. I had not been there before. So now I have, and I'd like to go back. I always wish I were staying longer when I go somewhere, but the New Hampshire people were especially nice. Live Free or Die, indeed.

I really like traveling. There's so much to see. Maybe I could travel to where you are? I'd like that. I'm a very easy guest and airports are everywhere.
Jennifer Militello (left) invited me. She has a book coming out from Tupelo next year (I've seen it, and it's very, very good. More on that in several months.). And look, one of my favorite poets in the world was there as well: Paige Ackerson-Kiely. I've been talking about, and reading, and thinking about, In No One's Land quite a bit over the last year. It was wonderful to see her and meet her dog and talk a bit.
Speaking about meeting people, I met none of these people in the Manchester airport. But something about the lighting, and my love of Brian Eno's Music for Airports (to which I was listening [a little snippet of it is below, from youtube]) made for a nice wait. I love airports.
And the chance symmetries of the airport. The logic of the seating. The uniformity of travel clothing. The various signs with arrows. I sat there listening to Brian Eno, reading Ashbery's Girls on the Run, and looking up every now and then. How pleasant it all was.

3 Comments:

At 4/14/2008 8:08 AM, Blogger marybid said...

We're all totally excited about your visit to UA this fall, John. I hope Akron is even cooler than New Hampshire.

 
At 4/14/2008 8:33 AM, Blogger John Gallaher said...

I'll bring my camera, but it'll be difficult to beat "Live Free or Die" . . .

 
At 4/14/2008 9:38 AM, Blogger Leslie said...

I grew up in New Hampshire—the same region you were in. It does rock.

Glad the trip was good.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home