Revision Versus Writing

I am definitely in revision mode. I've been revising every big project I've written while I'm here, except for BOOK OF LIGHT AND SHADOWS. And that I'm thinking of giving a new title: To Dive Before Falling. I haven't made up my mind yet. I've had people say they like the other title fine how it is, I'm just not sure if it would have a lot to do with the story unless you are the author and know the original idea. Maybe that's what makes it work on some level, I don't know.
When I'm in revision mode it feels like I can't compose anything new. My attempts at writing new stuff while I'm here have been somewhat thwarted by the editor who's turned on in my brain. There's a certain mode I'm in when I'm on the creative roll of writing, and that doesn't seem to be where I am right now. I tried to write something about my year in Germany today. It didn't seem to touch the experience, just scratch the surface. It was such an important time in my life, such a turning point, and a turning point for the world, too, as the Wall came down. Very rich material if I can tap into something underneath.

I gave four poems to Pete Fairchild today; we're going to talk about them tomorrow. He said, "Will I need Wikipedia for them?" I said no. I didn't want to "bother" him again, but I thought, what the hell, he's here, I'm here, he's a poet, I need some feedback. When I told him I didn't want to take up too much of his time he said, "That's what I'm here for." So that was nice. I gave him "The Trade," "Tiger Attack, "Personal Troy," and one other I can't remember. Maybe "Tristan and Iseult Set Free." They're all poems I'm pretty happy with, so it will be interesting to see what he thinks of something I think is my stronger work. I never had a poet read one of my poems until a couple of weeks ago when Harryette read "New Year's Eve, Berlin, 1989." Other than that, nada. So the poet point of view will be very valuable. It's been wonderful to be exposed to all the poets here and read their work (those who put it in the Open Studio folder). Rhyming is not common. Too nursery school? Many of my poems rhyme. I love the sound of it, also the adventure of finding words that tune. I wonder what Pete will think of that aspect. We meet at 2 tomorrow at Mason Library.

Nader, the Persian painter, asked me if I wanted to have a glass of wine with him tomorrow night. He looks on wine as the nectar of the gods, I think. He wrote a book about Omar Khayyam, who wrote hundreds of poems about wine. Nader paints lovely large colorful paintings. His colors are very pure. They sing. I covet one of his paintings to put on my wall. He traveled from Iran to London in the 1960's, then emigrated to the United States two years later. He said making small talk tires him. He likes to talk about the big things. I like that too so we get along.

I'm working on PHOTO revisions right now. It's such a massive, unwieldy thing. It's like trying to parallel park a Buick revising that thing.