Some SPLAB Testimonials

Aunt Mama

Paul,

Please forward this to Judith, Carolyn Wright and whomever else was responsible. I am sure that includes Meredith, the grand dame of hosts.

The 100K Poets for Change reading at SPLAB this past Saturday was a fabulous event. Each reader’s voice, culture, experience and craft were well worth the time and so much more than the donation. The readers represent this city and the great diversity we celebrate yet often, do not see. We saw, we heard and were well blessed by this active community of poets.

SPLAB consistently raises politics to the level of art and creates art that transforms time. We obviously need change around the world and these voices help all of us understand why and feed our souls for the continuing struggle of justice for all. It was ironically fitting that a tribute to waste was among the readings and it made me proud of the City of Seattle, the Public Utilities and the artist. Everything recycles and in the end, we are waste again.

The sponsors of this event are to be commended and the curators lauded.

To all of you who brought such excellence to Seattle, thank you so very much.

In appreciation

Mary Anne Moorman

Auntmama.com

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22 November 2005
Rice Hall 11
Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH  44074

U.S.A.

To Whom It May Concern:

I met Paul Nelson in the fall of 2004, when we were among the artists in residence at Centrum.  Because of his outgoing, engaging personality, I have clear memories of our conversations; I also attended a poetry workshop he gave that drew about 15 people from the community.

Paul is a remarkable teacher.  His knowledge extends beyond poetry and poets to music, art, and culture in general.  His enthusiasm and energy can transform a group of strangers into something like a community in a matter of minutes.  At the same time, however, he is extremely well-prepared.  In the workshop I attended he struck a fine balance between structure and spontaneity.  Comments I heard from other participants after the workshop were very positive.

Fortunately for us all, Paul is a leader in local, regional and Internet arts organizations.  I recommend him highly for teaching in person or through any of the media:  he has a gift for connecting with people, and connecting with them to the excitement of language.

Sincerely,

Pamela Alexander

Associate Professor
Creative Writing Program

Eastlake High School
400 228^th Ave. N.E.
Sammamish, WA 98074

bschuessler@lwsd.org

SPLAB!
The Cliche Cafe, 16 E. Main
Auburn, WA

To Whom It May Concern:

Paul Nelson created the best lesson my students have experienced this year. He brought two poets to school who competed in a poetry bout in front of a group of three hundred teenagers here at Eastlake. Afterward Paul, Aundria and David presented a work shop that inspired the students to create their own poetry competition. Three weeks later Paul returned with Andrea to facilitate a bout among twelve students in front of their class mates.

The whole thing was electric. There were no grades to motivate the students, but they listened with intensity and respect to each participant’s poetry. Afterward many students came up to me individually to tell me that the experience had been motivating and inspiring. Several students have shown me poems they wrote last night on their own after the bout.

One of my students, Kellee Captain, talked about how she cried after Brian Byersdorf’s first poem. She said the readings were really fun; in fact, she said she would like to do it every month or at least every quarter. It would motivate her, she said, to write more. Another student, Kevin Radley, said it was cool. He said that it really made you look at different perspectives. Erin Horvath, a senior, said poetry allows you to open up your mind rather than a text book. She said it was intriguing. When I asked my classes, everyone agreed that the whole process had been exciting and worth while. I have not seen my students so enthusiastic all year.

Having Aundria and David read poetry that clearly affected them deeply helped students truly appreciate poetry. Something Advance Placement studies too easily ignores is that poetry is so much more than the identification of metaphor, imagery and point of view. It is creativity inside the awareness of our weaknesses and our dreams. It is the tension between our sense of fate and destiny – it is words taking us beyond words – beyond space and time. My students today understand this now (on a level I can’t describe) because of your work.

If any other teachers are considering contacting Paul Nelson as a way of bringing poetry alive for students, I encourage them to do so. His work is appropriate and it is magical. He made the lesson a great success.

Sincerely yours

Brian Schuessler

Paul,

I spoke to Shannon and to Desiree (school superintendent)
and both were very pleased with the experience.
Teen comments were almost entirely positive, the one
(slightly) negative comment came as an afterthought –
a younger teen (6th grade) said he “didn’t understand
a couple of the poems”. Most were excited and pleased –
the buzz lasted for several days.

One memorable comment from a teen whose mom
came to pick him up early for a doctor’s appointment:
“Why do you always have to take me out when we’re
doing something **good**?”

Kirsten

“Infantem dormientem non movere”

Hi Paul!

Your program last Thursday was so cool.  Here are some comments-- I hope

they are helpful in promoting this outstanding program.

"The Splab-on-the-road workshop was a blast!  Paul and David are the

Real Thing--seasoned performers and true artists who deliver a

consistently top-notch program.  Their "death match" performance was

inspiring, hilarious, thought provoking, and highly entertaining.  The

poetry writing games seemed to draw out the poet in everyone.  They were

fun & engaging for the advanced poet but not too hard or intimidating

for the beginner.  Paul is such a great presenter and facilitator that

he kept the program moving along and had us all laughing, thinking,

learning, and having great fun throughout the entire program.  I wish we

could make this an ongoing weekly program at our library."

I hope I have a chance to recommend your program to other librarians and

literacy folk.  It was a real treat having you here.  Best of luck to

you, Dave and Charley--

Ruth Griffith
Sno-Isle Libraries
15429 Bothell-Everett Hwy,
Mill Creek, WA  98012
(425) 337-4822, ext 13

rgriffith@sno-isle.org