Saturday, March 03, 2007
A Love Note to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (155 days to go...)
Dearest Michfest -
You are the most long-lasting love of my life.
You are my long distance lover, my annual affair, my magical muse.
I made a promise to you that night. Do you remember? It was post fest 89. The moon was the only witness to our vows. The workers were burning the wooden parts of the ramps that couldn't be used again in a huge bonfire (wasn't it at Daystage?) Your tradition offered me a chance to throw a piece in for all of the women who couldn't be with you that year. I threw in pieces for my mother who was so sick, for my baby that I had just buried, for my friends back home who had no idea about you. I promised to return to your womb every year for the rest of my life if there was any way possible. The world needs us to be reborn through you. I knew it then when I was a young woman and I know it now in my 40s even more. And you promised to always be a safe home.
I realize that I am not perfect and that I agonized over certain years - missing you like missing my very own skin. But I have returned most years, haven't I? I have been attentive and loyal, consistant and caring.
Non-monogomy is so easy with you! I want to share you with as many women as possible. I want to raise all the babies with you. I want to watch us all grow old together.
I dream of you more often than I dream of anything or anyone else. You are the one I picture when I need an anchor to keep me sane. You are the one who belives in my art and nurtures my talents in every way. You have taught me all I know of how to be good, to do good, to KNOW goodness.
Your music rings in my ears - jazzy vocals and whispering winds - early morning bird calls and late night love noises...You are the hope and rage and striving of a nation - a nation of women with wings.
I count the days until we can be together again - and you know as well as I do that this year will be painful. You will say good bye to our love child who will leave the boy tribe. We have raised him together since he was an infant and I think we have done a fine job of showing him powerful women who build an Eden strong enough to change the world.
I know you will miss him and the way he runs into your long grass arms every year - not even waiting for the shuttle to gas up again...You will miss the way he climbs your trees and laughs into the stars...the way he stomps into your puddles and throws the sand into the air, making clouds of dust like fireworks.
We have this one last time as a full family. Let's make it memorable, OK? How about a shooting star? Or a brilliant thunder storm (where no one gets hit by lightening, OK?) How about some fire flies or - like last year - a flock of dragonflies? How about a blue racer or another family of mice in the cubbies?
You'll know what to do - you always do.
It'll be perfect.
Until I roll up your dusty roads that are the annual benchmark for my life...all my love and more..
V
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wow v, that made me cry! how beautifully you captured everything that michigan is.
i'm so grateful to have you in my life, even if it is peripherally, and i would not have you if it weren't for festival!
-lisa
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i'm so grateful to have you in my life, even if it is peripherally, and i would not have you if it weren't for festival!
-lisa
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