A state of recovery

 

(above: Know Nothing by Sharon Olds, Ecstasy by Sharon Olds)

Saturday, July 18, 2015 - Every morning, I like to call my 5th alarm a form of divine intervention. My belief is that the man upstairs, watching me in my peaceful slumber, demands me to have 'ten more minutes'  if I am to survive the hours of my day ahead. Usually, when the 'ten minutes' are up, an epiphany happens. What? An epiphany every morning? Yes, an epiphany. That once again, I am running late and time, as much as we want it to, will stop for no one.

I arrived at the ADFA Building at 10:15AM, 15 minutes before the Writer-in-Residence session. I took my seat, soy latte in hand, definitely regretting the "10 minutes" I slept in.

Waiting patiently for the session to begin, I see a woman holding a book I'm sure I had seen before. The cover was red with a photo of a woman in black and white. Ah yes, another epiphany. "Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt" was none other than Tracy Farr's debut novel. I am finally awake and my latte had finally done it's job in lifting my eyelids to face reality.

With a cover to match her hair, Tracy Farr's vibrant and alluring red locks caught my attention. I had done my research on her before the festival and read the first few chapters in her novel. Just like her locks, her written words drew me in from the minute I laid my eyes on them.

"It is my darling and I play it like a lover I cannot touch."

This was one of Tracy Farr's alluring lines from her novel that had me flipping through the first chapter without hesitation. Although I only had a small taste of Tracy through her written work, her session gave me more than a satisfying spoonful.

Just like past loves are past lives, Tracy was an aspiring scientist before she had written her novel. "I respond as a scientist. I write down my observations. But it's still wonderful to take things where you want it to go", describing how her past self intersects with her creative vision.

When Tracy's session came to a finish, we were sent to the Mildura Brewery for a short break that assisted my brain in recharging for the day ahead. The other students and I sat above the main floor where the writers and a majority of the audience at Tracy's talk were seated for lunch. Above are the photos of the brewery machines that I could not help but admire, as they stood in such metallic elegance. I pulled out my freshly bought "Selected Poems by Sharon Olds" to get away from the chaos of the day.

I sat in silence, lounging away from the world with a piece of wisdom from Tracy that I will cling on to in my most tumultuous days: "I'm always recovering, everyone is constantly in a state of recovery"