APRIL 19, 2018 // 9
ONE WOMAN’S ‘NINE
HUNDRED MOON JOURNEY’
Mary Lou McAuley publishes her
second book of poetry, gives
reading April 20 at WineKraft
By HEATHER DOUGLAS
FOR COAST WEEKEND
A
storia poet Mary Lou McAuley, 70, has expe-
rienced at least 900 revolutions of the moon
around the earth in her lifetime. In a nod to her
epic lunar journey, McAuley titled her newest
book “Nine Hundred Moon Journey: Poems and En-
counters.”
The book is a collection of more than 100 poems
that range from inward encounters with her own
thoughts and revelations, to interactions with others,
to visions McAuley has had throughout her lifetime,
viewing the world through a poet’s lens.
She will read from the book 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, April
20, at WineKraft in Astoria.
McAuley conceived the title on the Astoria River-
walk one day, when she began to wonder how many
moons a lifetime is. After her walk, she pulled out a
calculator.
“I like the idea of measuring time this way,” she
said. “Is the passage of time just weekday to weekend,
payday to payday, or are we really part of the natural
rhythm of travel throughout our lives?”
Creative integrity
A major part of McAuley’s process is simply writing
down what she “sees.”
“What happens to me is that I see something or hear
something, and a metaphor will drop down; I will write
that down. I have notebooks of things that I’ve thought
or dreamt, and eventually things surface. Some are
instant and on the mark. I wrote the poem ‘Susie’ just
standing there. It’s pretty spontaneous, but some poems
need more time to percolate,” she said.
McAuley emphasizes what she calls “creative in-
tegrity,” or sticking with an idea and seeing it through.
“It’s taken me years to have more confidence in the gift
of creativity. I think so many times we think we can’t
do something, but really you’re not doing it, you’re
simply allowing it. Make friends with an idea and walk
with it — trust in the process,” McAuley said.
Continued on Page 15
Above: Mary Lou McAuley in the
Flag Room of the Astoria Library.
Local author Mary Lou McAuley
has a new book of poetry out
called ‘Nine Hundred Moon
Journey: Poems & Encounters.’
Her first book is ‘The Other Door:
Poems & Glimpses.’
COLIN MURPHEY PHOTOS