I came home from California after midnight on Monday and woke up to find several tents dotting the backyard. The Warrior Writers had arrived on Sunday evening for their weeklong retreat at the Old Oak Dojo, and by the time I was up, they were already assembled at the long picnic tables for a writing workshop. Throughout the week, about 30 veterans gathered to explore writing as a healing practice.

At the end of the week, they hosted an Open Mic at the Dojo to share their poetry, prose and stories. Several of the veterans read from their new book, the fourth anthology of their writings (pictured above). The evening was tender, funny, moving and loving. I can’t wait to welcome them back next year.