Looking Forward

to Friday. I'll be traveling to Russellville, AR, to help Arkansas Tech University kick off National Poetry Month. I'll be meeting with two different creative writing classes and giving a public reading in the evening. One of my favorite things to do is talk to students in creative writing classes. Don't get me wrong -- I love to read, but the discussions with the students are special in a different way. I remember vividly the visits that published writers made to my undergraduate creative writing classes. Each writer took the time to answer student questions with care and patience. Each one treated us as writers not as "students" in the traditional sense. I hope I can connect with the writers at ATU in the same way.