Ray Bradbury Returns

My wife and I moved recently, on Christmas Eve of all things. In geographical distance, the move was less than a mile. But it was still a lot of work and there’s always more stuff to pack than you realize and more challenges setting up a new home than you remember.

But we’re pretty well settled in now. We’ve thrown away some old things, purchased a few new ones, and have finally managed to find a place for everything else. One thing I’m excited about is my new work studio, where I’ve been able to combine all of my creative doings in one place.

You may have noticed some of the art on the walls, which I’ve finally been able to hang in one place. I’ll talk about the photos on the right in a future post, but I wanted to give you a better look at the broadside now hanging over my desk. It’s a poem by Ray Bradbury, entitled THE POET CONSIDERS HIS RESOURCES. I purchased this particular piece just before I graduated from UCLA back in 1982.

My last year in college, I worked at Houle Rare Books & Autographs, a bookshop on the west side of Los Angeles (somewhere near Westwood Blvd and West Pico for you Angelenos). True to its name, the owner specialized in first editions, signed editions, monographs and other collectible volumes of literature. The Ray Bradbury piece was one of the items he had in the shop. I was a Bradbury fan, so when I knew I’d be graduating and moving back to San Diego I offered to buy it. The owner gave me a special deal on the piece. If memory serves, the store’s price was $125 and I got it for $75, but that was a long time ago.

Once I’d settled back in my hometown, I gave the piece to my Mom, as a thank you for helping me get through college (I paid my living expenses; she helped with tuition). I was a big Bradbury fan and he’d actually visited my Mom’s house once for some kind of book club event (sadly I wasn’t there, but I’ve seen the photos).

When Mom passed a few years ago, I took possession of the piece again. And now I’ve found a perfect place for it. I can review it every day when I sit down to write in my new studio. As you’ll see if you read below, it’s a perfect bit of inspiration for us scribblers. Did I mention I got my B.A. in Creative Writing/Poetry?