Tayari's Blog: Summer Report: The Cave Canem Song
Posted by TayariJones on August 1, 2007 07:58 PM
Filed under
Guest Bloggers
, The Writing Life
by Guest Blogger, NICOLE SEALEY
In 2004, I applied and was accepted to Cave Canem’s (CC) New York regional poetry workshop with Patricia Smith and, as my mother would say, “[began] to smell myself” soon after. In other words, I got cocky. I just knew I was a shoe-in for the summer retreat that same year. I mean, I got into Patricia’s workshop, and she’s an award winning stage and page poet. How hard could it be? So, I decided to apply for—and get into—the summer retreat, and wear the coveted title of “fellow” humbly. All that to say, I did not get in that year…or the next.
Though I’ve been writing creatively since I was eight (even won an essay contest in 3rd grade for my letter to Santa), I wasn’t quite ready to be a poetry fellow. CC knew this and demanded more of me and my work. Come to think of it, I am grateful for that time and the opportunity that followed. Rejection gave me the time needed to ready myself and my writing. In 2006, I was accepted. The third time was definitely my charm.
To prepare I began thinking about subjects I want to write about, writing in different forms and reading, reading, reading. I thought a lot about women in prison and teen-aged mothers. I tried my hand at Sonnets and Villanelles (my favorite form). I read Tyehimba Jess’ Leadbelly, Terrance Hayes’ Hip Logic, Patricia Smith’s Teahouse of the Almighty and others. And, after all that, I was still felt unprepared and anxious—not at all knowing what to expect or what they expected of me. This was just the prep, the warm-up…CC would be the intensive, and I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.
Each year CC fellows would return to their respective cities from the week-long summer retreat speechless or singing the same ambiguous song, “It was a life-changing experience.” What does that mean? Theses responses—though not very helpful in easing anxiety—are to be expected, as the experience (I later learned) is surreal and truly inexplicable. Even now, I can hardly recount or fully describe the extent of the journey—or the logistics of it—at length. But, here goes.
Our daily regimen was rigorous and included four major happenings: new poems due each morning and special workshops taught by fellows 
immediately followed, workshops taught by established poets were conducted in the late afternoon, and readings by faculty or fellows concluded the day and lasted well into the evening. In spite of (and a testament to) this schedule, we wrote amazing poetry—and found a few hours a day to maybe sleep and eat, and occasionally play some spades and/or dominoes. (Shout-out to my spades partner, Dwayne Betts, and my cheerleader, Hallie Hobson).
It wasn’t easy, but it was perfect. We created and sculpted poetry as well as friendships knowing that it was an honor to have been invited. I haven’t known many experiences to be, at once, challenging and stunning—this certainly was. I got an opportunity to study, workshop and just chill with some of the most awesome poets. If you were invited, you had to come with it. We came with it. Everyone was official, everyone’s work was official. No one half-stepped with poems or critiques, and the exchange between CC fellows, faculty and staff was so organic it felt like I had known them (and their work) my whole life—especially those who I spent the most time with, those in my workshop group.
The moral of this story is: No need get discouraged if you don’t get accepted on the first, second or third try, and if you don’t know about CC, you better ask somebody—ask a fellow. But, don’t be surprised if they’re unable to express themselves in much detail (or at all). It is, indeed, a life-changing experience.
Before I sign off, I must give credit where it is due: Special shout-out to group “D,” C.M. Archer, James Cagney, Billy Coakely, Myronn Hardy, Francine Harris, Bettina Judd, Randall Horton and Johnathan Moody, who provided me with wise criticism and hearty laughs, and the amazing faculty, Erica Hunt, Yusef Komunyakaa, Carl Phillips, Patricia Smith and, of course, the co-founders of CC, Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady. Also, big-ups to CC staff, Alison Meyers and Dante Micheaux who I exhaust with weekly visits to their SoHo office.
To apply, visit the CC site for more information. The application deadline for the 2008 summer retreat is in March.
Photos--
top: The 2007 Cave Canem Class
botton (r,l): Nicole Sealey (the author) and Hallie Hobson
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