Brigit Pegeen Kelly and Lucia Perillo

 

 

Friends of Writers is saddened by the passing of Lucia Perillo, who taught with us in 1999.  We are grateful for this brief tribute by Marianne Boruch:

Brigit. And now Lucia. Both who they were and no other, down to the deepest dark

matter and light. Both would hate my blathering on about them—all the usual

brilliant … our best … our luck and our treasure. I can see Lucia’s wry eye on me,

and Brigit stopping me mid-sentence, changing the subject.

 

So I did, and kept trying, doing all the small particulars the world wanted today.

Coming home an hour ago to an empty house, to the sound of—water released,

rushing somewhere…

 

We do these things, don’t we? Grief has its habits.

 

Give me a sign, I said to the air last night. Brigit, give me a sign you’re okay.

I followed that sound up the stairs to a faucet I never turned on, going full blast.

It was quiet. It was roaring.

 

Good, I said to Brigit. Now please, find Lucia.

 

Lucia Perillo reading “A Ready Made” at the January 1999 Residency.

Brigit Pegeen Kelly reading “Three Cows and the Moon” at the July 1992 Residency.