Wednesday, December 21, 2011
From one of her student at Sarah Lawrence,
I was in her class at Sarah Lawrence (in the 90's). We were reading our work. I just came from my night job and read mine, a little tired. She listened carefully then just said with a kind appreciative surprise "I have never seen such a transition". There was a genuine gentle appreciation and in her voice that made me realize she knew what I was talking about and she cared to asked when and how I wrote it. She always listened attentively to the students comments. After class we had a talk and there were a lot of questions. We spoke of our favorite poets and writers. She never made me feel like a student but as if I was her equal. Then just before I left she got up and reached for a book on a shelf and gave me "Writing from the Bones". I am ashamed to say I neglected to return the book. Her kind words and the way she avoided outright criticism or praise, how she just took it from there was what made her understanding and support so kind and real. I saw her again and gave her the book I wrote. Later, I realized that, discretely, she may have followed my work. It is her delicate and warm support that made her so special. But she could also be strong and not afraid to say what she thought. At a tribute reading of Poets and Writers she was openly supporting Obama (it was still early in the campaign) despite snub-nosed ush ush comments from a couple of Sarah Lawrence alumnae. I have missed her but now I know I do miss her dearly.
If I can do anything or help in something she wished for, feel free to call, if I can do something I will, If I can't I will tell you. My address is:
Madeleine Michele
79-29 68 Avenue 2F
Middle Village, NY 11379
551 482 6579
