Street Retreat

By Eileen Myles

In the week or so before the retreat I found myself looking more closely at the lines of people around Tompkins Sq. Park waiting to get their plate of food from a truck. It was always religious it seemed. Faith based initiative, a phrase from the Bush years instantly lodged inside my head. I will be standing there next week I thought. The Bowery Mission was a few doors down from the New Museum. I entered the retreat the same way I enter everything. Selflessly and full of self.