May 2011 – Page 3 – Coffeehouse Junkie

Today’s Asheville Wordfest poetry events

I just returned from a spiritually energizing retreat of sorts. So, I haven’t been connected to the internet.

This is a big week for poetry in Asheville. Here’s today’s Asheville Wordfest events:

Friday May 6

4:00 p.m.
Britt Kaufman, Mendy Knott and Luke Hankins Grateful Steps Publishing House and Bookshop 159 Lexington Station.

7:00 p.m.
Landon Godfrey, Paul Guest, Holly Iglesias, Brian Turner, YMI Cultural Center

9:00 p.m .
An Evening of Translation Altamont Theater at 18 Church St. featuring Thomas Rain Crowe, Emoke B’Racz, Nan Watkins, Luke Hankins, Caleb Beissert

Having been away on a spiritual retreat, I need to get back to the grind of work. But hopefully I’ll be able to attend these Friday events. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Update: If you’re using Twitter, please use the hashtag #avlpoetry and/or #wordfest to follow social media updates.

Communicate slowly. Live / a three-dimensioned life

Wendell Berry, How To Be a Poet

The words are making me wonder about the difference reading poetry aloud makes, three-dimensioned, communicated slowly.

Found here communicate slowly – 37days

(via tellingpoems)

I thought of myself as a writer for years before I got around to writing anything.

E. L. Doctorow (via theparisreview)

What inspires your poetry?

It is a question I am often asked after a poetry reading. I usually offer a tongue-in-cheek reply, ‘Metallica, Blind Guardian, and Johnny Cash.’ The deer-in-headlights look I receive is ‘gold standard’ (as one writer puts it). I guess they expect something like ‘Whitman, Ginsberg, and Bukowski’ or some other literary trinity.

Specific books inspire me more than specific poets. During April, 32 Poems blog published poets who offer their list of five poetry books you need to read. I enjoyed reading what other poets offer as recommended poetry reading. But I often wondered if the five books chosen by the featured poets were more a literary bumper sticker proclaiming themselves serious poets or, like indie rock musicians, a list of obscure books that no one knows but should know how important they are.

So, I am not going to offer a list of five poetry books that inspire me. I’ll stick with my initial reply, ‘Metallica, Blind Guardian, and Johnny Cash.’