Support the movement: Washington State Poet Laureate

Recent Poetry News...

TO:       WA Poets Association Members, Friends, and Subscribers
SUBJECT:  Poet Laureate bill clears first hurdle!
 
Following much planning and energy by the partnering bill pushers, Substitute
House Bill 1279, establishing a poet larueate position for Washington State,
has passed out of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs committee
with 8 ayes.   
 
The House committee heard testimony from three state Representatives: prime 
sponsor Mary Skinner, Lynn Kessler, and Pat Lantz.  Representing the partnership 
was Kris Tucker (WA State Arts Commission), Karen Bonaudi and Ed Stover (WA
Poets Association), and Ted Lord (Humanities Washington).  Additional testimony
was heard from Michael Weigers (Copper Canyon Press), Jeffrey Youde (Quilcene
HS) and Paul Nelson (WPA).
 
This is as far as a poet laureate bill has gotten (in the last 10 years at least), and
our eyes now turn to the Senate, where the companion bill SB 5649 was dropped
(i.e. birthed) Jan. 26.  That bill needs to pass out of its committee of origin,
Government Operations and Elections, by Feb. 28 to stay alive. We are hoping it
will happen a lot sooner than that.  Passing legislation is a huge, timed
steeplechase, where you have to clear certain hurdles within certain times or the
bill dies.  Companion bills give you two horses in the race in case one stumbles.
 
We are hoping the poet laureate effort will present a do-good opportunity for the
legislature, where they can do something positive with bi-partisan accord--and do it
quickly before the pressures of heavy issues start to pile up.  The $30,000 we are
asking in start-up funds will not break the budget.

Below are the Representatives and Senators who sponsored the respective bills. 
If any of them are from your district or you know them personally, shoot them an
email thanking them for their support. We'll keep you posted.

Representatives Skinner, Kessler, Lantz, Hasegawa, Dickerson, Haler, McIntire,
Conway, Newhouse, Kenney

Senators Tom, Honeyford, Kohl-Welles, Hatfield, Pridemore, Clements, 
Jacobsen, Kline

--by Karen Bonaudi

Tiffany, Tim and other public school teachers (bless your dear souls!)

Teachers' Deduction - Take note of this tax break!

Spokane and girls in short, sparkly skirts

Spokane is a busy place right now.

Intriguing passage with a key quote from an ice skater: (bold emphasis is mine)
[Johnny] Weir had a high-collared black coat and a fuzzy wrap around his waist. Weir recently posed for photos in BlackBook Magazine in provocative, shirtless poses and wearing high heels.

Weir, 22, has always been unapologetic about his personality. And he said that he and Lysacek do get along, outside of events like this.

“At competitions, we’re not friends,” Weir said. “I have my objective and he has his objective and that’s healthy. I wouldn’t want to have a friend sitting next to me in the locker room talking about American Idol and curling each other’s hair.”

I think "WTF" is an apt response from any reader.

Rather than watch the thrilling long program Saturday night, I'm going to see the funniest comedian in Spokane! Here's a sneak peek. And more proof how funny Dan Cummins is...his Starbucks jokes! (We heard him on New Year's Eve for the first time..HA-larious!)

TAP your brakes!!!

Idiots.

Most drivers in Spokane, however, do okay. Especially my husband! (and me, although with some trepidation.)

Most interesting news story I've read today

Key quote: "Sakinah Booker, who had been attending Bates College with the hope of running a Starbucks store one day, said she and her boys have lived a somewhat nomadic life. She said Semaj is clever and suspects he learned to drive by playing video games."

9-year-old caught flights back to Texas because "he hated it here"

THIS...is sad (but still has a "happy" ending)

A 12th Dallas Convict Is Exonerated by DNA

By RALPH BLUMENTHAL

Published: January 18, 2007

The 12 overturned convictions in Dallas County are more than have occurred anywhere else except the entire states of New York and Illinois.

My cool skier husband (@ Schweitzer Mt.)

Willow Springs latest issue

So I'm a bit slow in realizing the debut of the fall issue, but now I know that Sherman and Jess are in it...cool.


Currently reading:
Fiction - Citizen Vince by Jess Walter
Poetry - The Best American Poetry 2006 edition (a Christmas gift from my father-in-law!)
Magazine - Poets & Writers Magazine, Jan/Feb 2007 issue

My metaphorical flavor of Frappuccino...and you?

White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

One of a kind and forward looking, you're the first to introduce a wacky new trend to your friends. And even if your ideas seem weird, they get adopted pretty quickly.

What Flavor Frappuccino Are You?

Weekend backpacking trip to Hub Lake, Montana (Bitterroot Mts)

dead bodies as art

NPR has had fascinating stories on Body Worlds for two days in a row. I'm intrigued enough to want to fly to an exhibit in Boston, St. Paul, Houston or Vancouver, B.C. My health care worker husband would be totally into it.

Check it out: Cadaver Exhibits Are Part Science, Part Sideshow . . . freaky. ew. cool.

renegrade writers

I read the book, but it was only today that I found The Renegrade Writer blog. Cool.

I've also read some of Linda Formichelli's articles in Writer's Digest magazine (library copies, of course).

I'm the first to admit that my freelance writing (queries and otherwise) has been pretty spartan this summer. Although I sent off a completed article last night, the previous last assignments were completed in June. However, my great excuse is that my new magazine editor/writer job has been keeping me busy. Which is true. And now that issue number two (for the bi-monthly mag I manage) was sent to the printer today, I'm wondering how I can keep up my energy and creativity for freelance writing at home, while still working maintaining positive and productive energy and creativity for the daily 9-5 p.m. staff position.

One thing about freelance writing: it sure is nice to have absolute and unlimited control over the writing topics -- of course, limited only by ability to research, find sources, etc. Of course, the easy part is always thinking of ideas. The hard work is finding a venue for publication and getting the pitch accepted. Oh, and the actual writing.

As an editor (who's also the primary writer for the 52-page magazine), I still have a wide range of creative license within the scope of the editorial content. With the tons I've learned so far (editing articles for succintness, word count constraints, readibility, style, headline writing, fact checking, etc.) my writing has improved immensely. It's a daily learning process, I believe. It's easy to write in a dull manner. And sometimes that's sort of what a first draft tends to be when there isn't a passionate, first-hand connection with the topic. (Just get down the facts and basic structure. Then breathe life into it later after some further research and reflection.)

Anyway, it's my goal to make time to create queries for regional (non-Spokane...like Seattle) and national publications, spinning off ideas from the Spokane magazines I write for.

P.S. Was this a boring post? It feels like it. Sorry.

gritty underbelly = poetry ideas

Quote of the Day:

"Spokane is not the first place in Washington you would expect to find literary types. But there has been a lively writing scene here for years, drawn by university programs, cheap housing and a gritty underbelly that provides plenty of fodder for writers."

- from the PI article, "There's no mystery to this Spokane author's success"

I'm still alive

It's just that I have a full-time writing job now at a local magazine, and had a few freelance assignments in June. This doesn't leave much time for blogging...or poetry writing, either. (I'm currently average one new poem a month. Hmmm.)

And summer time has been busy with backpacking, water skiing, cherry picking, voracious magazine reading, yard work, and dog walking. I also just finished reading The World is Flat. (If you've read it, you understand that there's a lot of information to digest. A combination of awe and sheepish admission that I only knew a small iota of this stuff, along with many "uh huh" moments because Friedman's ideas--especially why the Middle East is so bent on unflattening the global community--are understandable and right on.)

Hopefully, you who are reading this have had your own engaging, intellectual, fruitful summer time, as well.

Most importantly, what are you reading? Your comments are enthusiastically welcome.

7th grade moustache

Yes, I saw a 7th grader with a moustache this week. Faint, but visible. Little wispy hairs, not enough to shave, but enough to make him seem cool to the other boys. Plus, he was like 5'7" tall...which, if you've been around middle school kids much, you know that is really quite tall. The average 7th grade boy is maybe five feet tall, with arms and wrists like spring branches reaching out to touch anything kinesthetically interesting. I subbed for a science class where the student-teacher did everything. I was just the legal certified adult in the room, a back-up (which, there was a fight, initiated by an unwanted wet-willy, during one period--but it was like over in 20 seconds). It was a very fascinating three hours of human observation. There is an amazing amount of variety in a random sampling of twelve-year-olds. Body shape, size, work ethic, classroom behavior. Which makes the fact that someone found my blog from this search string even more humorous: "how to help students realize value of education". Hmmm, not sure I have the answer for that one.

Eight of the last ten substitute teaching days have been at a middle school...4 of which were consecutive days for the same teacher. I met a future comedian who, everyday, had a funny story to tell about his iguana and poop. Now the next three days, I have another extended assignment. The crazy thing about this week is that the weather is blazing hot here...like 90 degrees, if you can believe that. So these old schools have no AC, poor insulation, horrible ventilation, and it's a sweaty, smelly, sleep-inducing, irritating school day experience for the kids by the end of the day (and their teachers!). Somehow we all make it, but is it uncomfortable! Try putting a business CEO in that kind of work environment for 7 hours and see how he/she feels! These Spokane kids do unbelievably well, actually. They bring water bottles, wear sleeveless shirts. I told one class of 8th graders today, "Everytime you talk, you release 98.6 degree air into the room. It'll get cooler if you don't talk." They believed me, which I'm not sure that statement is false--I just don't have proof. One girl even said to me, "You should be a science teacher." I think they thought I was super-smart for knowing the body's core temperature was 98.6.

But back to the million dollar question, how do you help students realize the value of education? Show them the money! Or at least tell them about the money. Education = choices = money.

With education (and the corresponding knowledge and skills), they have more opportunities and a greater array of choices. Choices for college. Choices for jobs, careers. The choice to not live with their parents until they're thirty! And with choices for higher education and jobs, comes money (i.e., fast food server vs. engineer--as one extreme example). And with money comes more choices--where to live, what to drive, how to dress, what to eat, how one lives, etc.

If kids can see that connection, the long-term benefits of education, then maybe there's a chance.

Did I forget to tell you Yusef came to town?

Spokane's annual Get Lit! festival was a few weeks ago. Yusef Komunyakaa's poetry reading (April 21 in Cheney) was amazing. His deep, resonating voice was mesmerizing . . . which if you don't get turned on by poetry, you won't really understand what I mean.

Fun fact question: what do Yusef and I both have in common, besides a love of reading and writing poetry? We both had the same creative writing professor. Christopher Howell was Yusef's teacher at Colorado State long ago...now Chris teaches in the MFA program at Eastern. Chris's Lynx House Press also published Yusef's first book of poems, Lost in the Bonewheel Factory.

I also heard Julie Gamberg read poems from her new (and first) book, The Museum of Natural History. I highly recommend it if you enjoy lyrical poetry--you can buy it direct from EWU Press. She opened up for Nancy Pearl, who was very witty and engaging. Then Saturday night there was a late-night poetry reading at The Davenport Hotel. And then...the following Tuesday, Donald Hall (yes, Donald Hall!) gave a poetry reading at Whitworth College! Man, it was poetry heaven in Spokane! All my favorite poet/writer friends were in attendance and I shook Donald's hand, he signed my two books (Without and his book of essays), and was such an enjoyable man. Because of his age (Robert Frost was his teacher at Bread Loaf...he's almost 80 years old), I suspect he may not be giving too many more poetry readings outside of his general hometown area. So I felt very honored to have heard him read his work, plus his witty transitionary banter between his poems. (Here's a neat interview with Donald Hall.)

And to give you a taste of Julie's style, here are some of my favorite lines:

"I am not a twin and have never felt part of something larger. When I look up I do not contemplate the universe and feel tiny. I am always wide open. I am enormous."

- the last section "Pepper Shaker" from a prose (?) poem called "From the House (I)"

* * *

"The sky looms heavy as steel-toed boots.
Some years smear into the ones before and since.
A decade constructed out of smudged coffee grounds,
yellow nicotine stain, red wine spills everywhere.

It's so cold today, the sky
crammed beneath my skin."

- from "Fast Forward. Rewind. Repeat."

lines from Jack Gilbert

We find out the heart only by dismantling what
the heart knows. By redefining the morning,
we find a morning that comes just after darkness.
We can break through marriage into marriage.
By insisting on love we spoil it, get beyond
affection and wade mouth-deep into love.
We must unlearn the constellations to see the stars.

- Jack Gilbert, from his poem "Tear it Down" (The Great Fires)

His bio does not include that he was a visiting professor some years ago for Eastern's MFA program. After he left, Jonathan Johnson took over that office...and I've sat in there many times. Good vibes there. Now Nance has that office and Jonathan, now Program Director, gets one next to the main office...in case you were wondering.

halfway over

...so it's National Poetry Month, the "official" celebration that happens every April. Though some of us breathe and live poetry all the time through a combination of reading it, writing it, thinking about it. Even when I'm reading a great novel or book of non-fiction, I'm still considering the lyricism of the author's language, figurative language, what kind of spin-off image or poem could occur.

The past few nights I've had some really lucid images in my mind while drifting off to sleep. The first time it happened, a really strange and beautiful image came to me in an entire line. I remember feeling really cool I had thought of it, and that I should write it down. But I was so cozy. The bed was warm, my husband was in a deep sleep and I was only a few seconds behind him. I didn't disturb my sleep to write it down. I actually said in my head, "This is so good, I won't forget this line." Zzzzzzzzz.....Zzzzzzzz.....

I still can't remember that damn good line. But last night, it happened again. "White ducks lined up like mannequin heads"...or something like that, at least that's how it started. I was half-asleep, but still able to think: "Ok, the lucid lines are starting to come. Let them." And then words started building into complete lines! I didn't want to turn on the light. I didn't want to move at all. I wished for a dictaphone to appear on my nightstand. I'm such a slave to my art, to my calling...obviously.

But I didn't want to miss the chance of writing that one really great poem that would be "the one" to first get published in a national literary magazine. (Oh, the ambitious hope I have!)

So I did it--turned on the light, grabbed the ballpoint pen by my clock, and scribbled on the back of a library check-out receipt until I had no more room.

What I read in the morning was a little...well, odd. I still need to sort it out. The World's Greatest Line of Poetry Conceived While Half-Asleep is not going to premiere today.

So sad.

But do read a great poem today.

we all know one, don't we?

(I couldn't wait for another day to post this.)

"Regurgimailer: people who forward to everyone they know everything that lands in their in-boxes. Warnings about techniques that rapists use in parking lots; photos of adorable missing children; heart-warming lists of why women and their friendships are so wonderful; jokes about, well, everything. The fact that most of the items either have been traveling the Internet for years or turn out not to be true, or both, does not stop them. A word to regurgimailers — check Snopes.com before you forward, please." - from LISA BELKIN's article

True finding: People from North Dakota are especially prone to this, as I usually get everything they send to my mom--another ND native.

drinking coffee in Spokane

Today: Hung out with "Wide-Eyed" today for some good coffee, a walk through the park, and stimulating conversation. Colorado is lucky to have her. Rebecca for Poet Laureate in 2021!

New in the book-bag this week:

• Anne Lamott's Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
• ZZ Packer's Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
• 100 Essential Modern Poems, an anthology created by Joseph Parisi
• The Best American Poetry 2005
• Denise Levertov's New & Selected Essays
• The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing
• Handbook for Freelance Writing, by Michael Perry

This afternoon: I read (quite loudly) some Yusef Komunyakaa poems on the corner of Main and Washington in front of Auntie's Bookstore while standing on top of a milk crate, as part of the Milk Crate Readings for Get Lit! In addition, I helped pass out festival programs to pedestrians (and a few drivers) with two other poets.

If you live near Spokane, Wash., you should go to at least one event--some are free or low-cost, others are worth the ticket price. Embrace a spirit of literacy! This is, like, one of the coolest things that happens every year in Spokane. Last year I met Rita Dove, Robert Bly, and David Sedaris at Get Lit! This year I'm attending the Yusef reading and Nancy Pearl event.

Writing Biz:
An interesting NYT's article, "This Boring Headline is Written for Google", about how headlines are used to generate internet traffic via search engine listings.

* * *
And finally, here's my list of recommended places to drink coffee (while writing) in Spokane:

1. Rockwood Bakery - Excellent lattes every time; delicious baked goods with half-price deals for day-old muffins and scones; great people-watching opportunities; free parking; a plethora of tables; friendly staff. Kids love coming here, too, because of their huge chocolate chip cookies and decorated seasonal cupcakes! A relaxing place to get some writing done. Their drip coffee is only $1.35 with 25-cent refills. I'm not sure if they exclusively sell Craven's Coffee

2. Starbucks - Like most major cities, there are very many locations to choose from. Some stores are not big enough to handle the number of people who want to linger for hours and write on a laptop or do homework. Sometimes fellow patrons can be fairly loud, and the crowded stores can be too chatty for reading/writing--rather than a dull background noise, it can sound like a sporadic conversational party. Great for stealing dialogue if you can pick out specific comments.

3. The Empyrean Coffeehouse - Hosts poetry readings,concerts, mini art gallery, serves individualized French Press coffee, as well as alcohol and good food. Lots of space to hang out, which seems to attract a large adolescent crowd to this downtown venue. I'm glad kids have a cool place to go, but they can be a little too rowdy for an otherwise laid-back coffeehouse culture--especially when Saturday evening poetry readings are taking place. Finding nearby parking can be difficult. Meters free after 6pm and all day Sunday.

4. Lindaman's - Delicious lattes, gourmet food, and it's okay to just get a coffee and hang out for awhile and write. The barista man creates really neat designs in your milk foam.

...But then again, you could make your own coffee at home and write at your table. That sounds like a good deal, especially when a coffee shop owner says this: “...the profit margins are the highest in the food industry. You can make a 16-ounce cup of mocha for 55 cents and sell it for $3.25 or $3.50.” - Okay then...who wants to go to the new Coffee Deluxe.