A reading by Michael Martone, author of “Racing in Place: Collages, Fragments, Postcards, Ruins” and many other books, will be presented 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, Gold Ballroom, WVU Mountainlair, Morgantown, W.Va. Hosted by The Department of English, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the event is free and open to the public. Reception and book signing to follow.
Even knowing we’re already on January 2 now, it’s not too late: Have you made any resolutions for 2009? I’m determined to walk more this year. To me, this is directly related to writing better poetry, getting closer to the world around me. I also intend to make MountainWord more fun somehow. Any ideas?
“Walking is the great adventure, the first meditation, a practice of heartiness and soul primary to humankind. Walking is the exact balance of spirit and humility.”
– Gary Snyder, “The Practice of the Wild: Essays”
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Interesting explanation of Webster’s New World Dictionary’s 2008 “word of the year”:
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Here’s a quote for the road, especially if you’re walking:
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
– William Butler Yeats
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Intercepted calendar event, for this Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009: LADY D FUNDRAISER: Noon to 6 p.m. Donations accepted. Lady D and other musicians. Area singer-songwriter Lady D won a contest to perform at an Obama inaugural event. This is one of several shows to raise money for travel costs. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Blvd. W. Call 304-590-1042.
Elizabeth Alexander has been chosen Barack Obama’s inaugural poet. Her poems are relaxed, “lazy” she said once, relatively brief, big enough, though, to hold Nat Turner, Mick Jagger; strong with memory and strong with the now. Her poems are confessional at times, sometimes from dreams, a fresh look at the world, poems that are luminous, compact carriers of light. Born in New York in 1962, she grew up in Washington, D.C. Now she is a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard. She has a very impressive resume, including being a Pulitzer Prize finalist with her book “American Sublime” in 2005. Google her name.Visit her Web page.
Barrelhouse Bonni just sent some fantastic news: West Virginia’s first lady of soul — Lady D — won the Obama inaugural song contest with “Go Higher.”
To see the victory announcement and to hear the song, click here!
Lady D says:
Thanks to everyone who voted for my song, “Go Higher” for the Obama inaugural song. I just got the word and I’m so excited! I couldn’t have done it if you all hadn’t gotten behind this. Thanks again for your support and I’ll keep you updated on what’s happening. It’s not guaranteed at this point that I can actually perform at the inauguration itself but I’ve been told that I will be at one of the inaugural balls. I’m just happy for the opportunity. Thanks again to all of you! LOVE YA!Doris A. Fields
Lady D
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Rudy Panucci reminded me the last time I wrote about the contest that you can see Lady D performing “Go Higher” on Episode 37 of Radio Free Charleston. Click here for details.
Many times books have a very low resale value, but poetry prices skyrocket sometimes without the poets knowing much about it.
For example, how about two books I happen to be familiar with? They were published years ago and are picking up value in the stacks available from miscellaneous booksellers.
Jodi Hsu smiles during a sound check before being interviewed by her niece at the StoryCorp studio in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008. AP photo
I’ve always suspected that we don’t know each other as well as we could or should — even those we think we know.
This Friday, a day when people are often around friends and family, has been designated a National Day of Listening, a day when we are encouraged to share life stories, short or long. Click here to visit the StoryCorp site for valuable how-to directions for recording stories.
I wish I had even a couple of sentences that one or another beloved family member had said. You may feel that way too. So, it’s good to focus on the people who are still around and their stories — you’ll be amazed — maybe one good story you’ve never heard.
Here’s a YouTube video about the day of listening:
Carol Muske-Dukes was appointed California’s poet laureate this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. She is a University of Southern California English professor and founder of the school’s graduate program in literature and creative writing. She has published several books of poems and novels. She replaces poet laureate Al Young.
Click here for more biographical information and poems available at the Poetry Foundation. She’s been an advocate for poetry, and she even founded a creative writing program for women incarcerated at Riker’s Island in New York.
West Virginia Division of Culture and History has announced the statewide “Poetry Out Loud” competition. High School competitions must be completed by February 3, 2009. Click here for information.
This note just rolled in about writing classes coming up in January and February…. Here it is word for word:
Karin Fuller, Sunday Gazette-Mail columnist, and her husband, Geoff, an experienced writing teacher and award-winning author and editor, are teaming up to present Short Takes: Writing from Life. Students will learn how to turn their personal experiences into stories that move, amuse, and inspire their readers.
Poet W.D. Snodgrass, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960, tells us how he found the answer to that question, the whole question of what to write about. 
Lady D — won the Obama inaugural song contest with “Go Higher.”
Carol Muske-Dukes was appointed California’s poet laureate this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. She is a University of Southern California English professor and founder of the school’s graduate program in literature and creative writing. She has published several books of poems and novels. She replaces poet laureate Al Young.