Homage to Jay Meek, Part Two--Jane Varley
The second installment of the notes from our 2015 AWP memorial panel, honoring the late poet, novelist, teacher and editor, Jay Meek , comes from Jane Varley. Jane teaches writing and chairs the English department at Muskingum University. She is the author of a book of creative nonfiction, Flood Stage and Rising ; a chapbook of poetry, Sketches at the Naesti Ba r; and co-author of the coaching memoir, Y ou Must Play to Win! with Donna Newberry. Jane was a student of Jay's in the creative writing program at the University of North Dakota. I put a lot of time and thought into this panel presentation—and it is such a paradox, the more I was thinking and writing, the more I cut from the text. It is because I care so much and this is so meaningful for me. Words don’t do justice to my feelings. Also I get a little jittery because of the egocentrism and self-referencing of so many writers. I’m not above it—my first stop is often speaking of my own experiences. But with Jay Meek, I