hmmm, yes, I feel like Yoda . . .

Dear Nick,

Omar here. I hope you and Denise are doing well. It was a crazy year for me.
I moved to Pennsylvania, started working @ the Asian Arts Initiative, left
the Initiative, and now am in the process of moving back to NYC. Despite
2003 being one of my highest profile "reading" years, I ended up, for the
most part, ignoring my writing.

I've started submitting work to magazines, but I must admit that I'm feeling
very lost poetically. I'm having a bit of a poetry mid-life crisis or
something. I've considered the idea of going off to an MFA. The idea fills
me with dread. I don©ˆt know that there's anything a workshop can offer me
that I haven't gotten from the gazillion workshops I've had in the past.

And I've got to thinking about the idea of mentors. How that's a way a lot
of aspiring artists learn how to be masters. Anyway, I guess this is my
rambling way of asking that if you have the inclination and time, would you
consider mentoring me?

I'm *not* necessarily looking for a word by word critique of my writing
(though I would not shy away from it). I'm mainly looking for overall
direction in what I'm doing or should be doing.

I know that it's very presumptuous that I am even asking something like this
of you. And believe me, I would totally understand if you did not want to do
it. And I would also understand that it could be an uncomfortable thing to
say no to. So if you don't respond, I'll just assume that it's a no and I
won't ask about it again, okay?

I guess I should explain that I decided to approach you because I really
enjoy your work and would like to learn from you.

Thanks,
Omar