The poetry scene in the greater Nashville area is incredible. I'm convinced a poetry addict can find an event or two to attend almost every night of the week. But you know what else can be incredible? Nashville area traffic. For those of us who live outside Davidson County, getting to and from events in Nashville is an exercise in unpredictability. One day you can do it in 35 minutes; … [Read more...]
Books, gifts, spirit: the shop at Scarritt-Bennett
July 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Scarritt-Bennett Center has been one of my favorite places in Nashville for a while. First of all, it's the home of Poet's Corner, a monthly reading series where several of my dear poet friends sometimes read, and where Kelsey and I will be appearing on September 27. Second of all, it's a lovely campus that's great for programs, workshops, retreats, and special events. Its chapel is a popular site for weddings. But now I have a new reason to love SBC: its lovely Gifts and Books shop, now … [Read more...]
Your Sun, Manny: A Prose Poem Memoir (and Book Giveaway)
April 15, 2012 By 10 Comments
They first saw him on TV as "Wednesday's Child," a feature on the Boston news. They had already raised two boys - her sons from a previous relationship - when they invited Manny into their lives. "The story of any boy's fourteen years should tumble and trip over dogs and cousins and best friends, baseball gloves and birthday parties, hand-me-down bicycles, stuffed animals, crayoned drawings stuck to refrigerators with alphabet magnets, sports posters and lacy valentines from Guess Who," Marie … [Read more...]
Tennessee Joltwagon: Words & Music in Knoxville (and Beyond)
February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
After a great trip to Knoxville back in December, Kelsey and I are delighted to be invited back so soon for a new collaboration. Along with poets Dawn Coppock and Susan Underwood, we'll be appearing as the group Tennessee Joltwagon and celebrating our Appalachian roots in words and music for two unique performances in one weekend: At noon on Saturday, February 18th, we'll be on the WDVX Blue Plate Special. The one-hour show broadcasts live before a studio audience at noon EST from the … [Read more...]
Cameo: Art, History, War, Beauty (and a Poetry Book Giveaway)
December 7, 2011 By 9 Comments
I take it to be a shortcoming of my suburban sensibilities, but I frequently have trouble with the concept of beauty existing in war, violence, death and destruction, and other seemingly tragic events throughout history. Evidently I'm not alone, as this recent article by Yeuran Zhang in Duke University's The Chronicle suggests. In it, Lt. Col. Peter Kilmer, assistant professor at the United States Military Academy, says: ...because the public generally views war only as violent, soldiers can … [Read more...]
