A Conversation with Joan Baez (continued)

JB: Oh, well, how do I answer that? I have attempted things that I know I love to do, some of them. Like I know I love sleeping in a tree because it's close to the birds. Things I want to do, they're all very personal things. I think I didn't spend enough time with my mom, and I'm lucky enough that she's still alive. She's 90 and she just came on tour with us for 10 days. [laughs]

PM: Oh, my.

JB: She's unbelievable.

PM: You're so lucky.

JB: Yep, I am. And so we moved her in with me on my property. About six of us live there.

PM: You're still out in Carmel somewhere?

JB: No. I'm up near San Francisco.

PM: Ah.

JB: And we've sort of, all of us, well, my niece and a couple of friends and a couple caretakers, we sort of got it in time that mother is the elder on the property, and she deserves to be treated a certain way. And she has to learn that too. She doesn't have to worry about sleeping too long. She doesn't have to do her dishes anymore.

PM: [laughs]

JB: We're going to do it the Buddhist way, we're going to--I just don't want that revolting western approach to death.

PM: Right.

JB: So things like that. I mean, they're more personal things that I want to sort of be with. Also I have probably about three books worth of poetry ready, and I just haven't gotten it together to put them out. So there are things like that.

PM: You know, I often ask that kind of a question in an interview, what people might like to attempt, and I think you're the first person who really answered it in a very personal realm.

JB: Uh-huh.

PM: Everyone else wants to talk you about their career. But what you said makes more sense to me.

JB: Well, I've had a long, long career.

PM: Yeah.

JB: And I've done heaps of things, so it does make sense, that yeah--

PM: Yeah, been there, done that.

JB: Go back to the roots.

PM: I've been listening a lot to these tapes of Pema Chodron. Do you like her?

JB: Oh yes, I'm acquainted with her words. When Mimi died, her boyfriend was listening to those, and they got him through a lot.

PM: I'm listening to one now called The Places That Scare You.

JB: Oh, lovely. I'll check that out.

PM: I'm very respectful of your time, and I've taken all that I was allotted.

JB: [laughs] Well, thank you.

PM: And it's a joy to speak with you today.

JB: It was my pleasure speaking with you, I must say.

PM: We'll run the interview this coming month. A lot of our readers will be overjoyed to see you on the cover.

JB: Well, thank you, Frank. Thanks very much.

PM: Take care, Joan.

JB: Okay. Bye-bye.

PM: Bye-bye.

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