Kagean Bioregional Knowledge Center
We envision a literary arts/bioregional knowledge center in Mossyrock, Washington. Kagean would be an unofficial Cascadia Headquarters, would aid bioregional researchers and poetry scholars by creating a library focused on Cascadia topics and poetry, and would honor the spirit, work, and life of Sam Hamill, the late Founder of Copper Canyon Press. Sam was a poet, translator and friend of the organization who built his home outside of Port Townsend and named it “Shadow Hermitage” or “Kagean.” This iteration of Kagean would give a physical space to carry out the organization’s mission, including literary education, writing skill development, eco-poetics and ecological literacy. As poetry writing is a skill that enhances all other writing skills, we feel this will be of enormous value to the community, especially in an age of increasing dependence on Artificial Intelligence.
The educational aspect includes an effort to connect urban poets, authors, and students with rural residents, and translating eco-poetics and related areas of study to younger generations of poets, scholars and ecologists. We envision workshops, collaboration with local school districts, community colleges, authors in residence, community readings and events and access for urban poets and students to a rural Washington setting.
The project is envisioned as a bioregional knowledge center, a place for extended workshops and events sympathetic to the CPL mission of “Empowering people to practice poetry & build community in ways that deepen connection to place, self & the present moment.”
We were humbled and delighted to receive the poetry collection of Richard Osler, a B.C. poet, workshop facilitator and participant in the Poetry Postcard Fest. 97 bankers boxes full of poetry books were successfully put in storage on October 28, 2024. We are grateful to Richard and his estate for this gift. It is the seed of our Kagean library. Hear Richard talk at AWP-Seattle about the Poetry Postcard Fest here.
For more on the name Kagean, click here.
Born in 1943, Sam Hamill was raised in Utah, attended the University of California–Santa Barbara, where he served as editor of the university’s literary magazine. In 1972, with money awarded for editorial excellence, he co-founded Copper Canyon Press. Sam wrote numerous books of poetry, four books of literary prose, edited several volumes of poetry and published several books of translations. Editor of Copper Canyon Press for 34 years, he founded Poets Against the War, a movement of poets protesting the invasion of Iraq. Sam received numerous honors and awards, including fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the NEA, and the U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission, as well as the First Amendment Award from PEN USA, and two Washington Governor’s Arts Awards. He died in Anacortes, Washington, on April 14, 2018.
Sam Hamill Photographed by Ian Boyden