I was just sitting here writing, or rather staring at the screen with a case of (fiction) writer's block, and decided to look through my notes from lit fest for inspiration. Instead of finding fiction inspiration, I wrote a poem about Rita Dove's lecture. Whatever works!

From the Mouths of Doves
By: Kacy Thacker Lovelace

“Act to serve,” “romance
That stone,” girl. “No Excuses” from the mouths
Of birds, of Doves. “Pull
Meaning out” and “Be
Receptive:” to the words,
To the tones, to the subtle
Shift of mood.

“Use your pitfalls,” “your
Roadblocks,” Send “I”
To the shadows, though
It lurks, waits, to spring
Upon the mind,
Doors open wide to take
It all in: the words,
The tones, the shifting
Atmosphere of us.