Literary Grannies Go to Washington

Zelda Fitzgerald overlaid with one of the paintings she did she was institutionalized. I think I just said a prayer to the writing goddesses, even though I am pretty sure they don’t exist except for the in the form of Writing Grannies. Maybe that is where I have gone astray.

You see, I am in the midst of planning a trip to Washington, DC which isn’t really a usual trip because I am accompanying my daughter, Emma, to a program and sort of being there so I don’t worry about her too much being three thousand miles away from Mommy. Helicopter parenting much?

Actually, most people who know me would think I am not a helicopter parent in the conventional sense, I just want my precious children to have as many opportunities as possible and I feel better if I am there with her and meanwhile Katherine can hang with Samuel back here in Bakersfield.

I have a list of literary granny sites, which is a high priority for me and perhaps strange to most people.

One literary granny site – the Phillis Wheatley YMCA has actually been changed into the Thurgood

Pencil sketch of Literary Granny Phillis Wheatley Marshall YMCA. Why does this bother me? Doesn’t Mr. Marshall have plenty of places named for him? I will go anyway, perhaps do a instagram video lamenting the fall of title for the first African American poet in the United States. In my mind literary granny Anne Bradstreet doesn’t get enough kudos, either.

Maybe an ode to literary grannies is in order?

Not a completely bad idea, is it?

Perhaps one of my most important solid decisions about my trip is which single book will accompany me on the trip. Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s most recent collection of letters and journals, Against the Wind and Tide, holds that honor. I adore her so much. In the first six pages I tumbled into the “she was so ahead of her time!” treasure chest which is a place I imagine I will inhabit for much of my trip.

So for now, dear readers, I am going to promise you to report in from Washington, DC with photos, tweets, videos and hopefully somewhat coherent blog posts. I hope to visit grave sites, cool bookstores, little known former residences and other word-nerd resources along the way.

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Writing poetry on powell st