splab archive blog

Info on the tribute reading for Koon Woon, Seattle poet and publisher who is fighting stage four pancreatic cancer. C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136.

Spokane Memorial for Renee Nicole Good organized by Greg Bem

You’d expect poetry to be part of an event inaugurating such a figure and that the poem offered for the occasion would be bland, written by a committee, or full of platitudes, but the poem delivered yesterday matched perfectly the tone of a campaign that appears to be built on mutual respect, vision, human rights and empathy.

When I said that what’s good for general society is also good for poets, I’m talking about a series of cultural opportunities where a much wider stretch of people are allowed to take the opportunity to become writers. I came back from a conference last week where I presented some research on the demographic aspects of the New American poets. The poets that were born and came to maturity in the early to mid-20th century were beneficiaries of broad national scale longevity gains. This [includes] things like pushbacks against tuberculosis, against polio, against poor nutrition and infant mortality. These are gains that were made by the medical and scientific institutions, but also by general prosperity, by making more food available to more people and making that food shelf stable for longer. So, when you talk about what might make it possible for poor people to do more creative work, you could start by saying well we should just give people more money, but the fact of the matter is that plenty of people already have the wealth they need, they just don’t actually have any time.

Audio from February 4 2025 Winter in America (Again at Seattle U with Jason Wirth, Paul E Nelson, Catalina Cantú, Stacey Jones, Zach Charles, Terran Campbell, Deborah Bacharach, Matt Trease, Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs.

In the call, we stated: “We are looking for words that come from thoughtful reflection and compassion for the loss we feel for ourselves and this country. (Please no screeds.)” Still, we got many poems that were filled with righteous anger, on which we passed. The book features many poems that offer suggestions, pathways and even self-care tips for the new Winter in America. That very phrase “Winter in America” comes from Gil Scott-Heron, and was used by the editors as a sort-of invocation to Gil’s spirit and legacy. I

Harold Rhenisch interviewed by Paul E Nelson about The Salmon Shanties: A Cascadian Song Cycle.

Jane Falk and Mary Paniccia Carden are co-editors of the anthology Joanne Kyger: A Poet in Place and Time, a new book of essays examining the work of the longtime Bolinas, California resident poet. Conducted October 5, 2024.