Crystal Good talks about acclaimed poet Jessica Care Moore Poole, the poetry slam described below and reads two poems in the podcast link above. I also asked Good to share a couple of her own short poems: one called “Walking in the Zoo” from her archive, and “Poette,” a more recent one. If you hear children in the background of the podcast, know that she brought her three sons when she came to talk with me.

Internationally acclaimed spoken-word artist Jessica Care Moore Poole will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers St.

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Don’t forget to attend all or part of the seventh annual West Virginia Book Festival,
Oct. 13 & 14 at the Charleston Civic Center. It’s free and has programs of interest to
book lovers of all ages. Organizers note that the festival has “authors, publishers, book vendors, the Festival Marketplace, a special section just for children, a used book sale, meet the author events, workshops and panel discussions.” See a pdf of the whole program here.

Check out the festival’s web site here. See you there.

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Sometimes a poet steps out of his dream long enough to make a bunch of money and attract millions of fans. Brad Paisley, for example. Country singer? Certainly. Poet? More poet than literary purists might allow.

The Saturday Gazette-Mail front page today has a story about Brad Paisley returning to his hometown of Glen Dale to film a movie. Here’s a guy who loves West Virginia and knows how important place can be to poetry. He knows that however country the song is, it delivers poetry, and poetry depends on details.

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W.Va. International Film Festival’s Splice It Up! series offers several opportunities to see three films this week at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street, Charleston.

“You Kill Me,” starring Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina, Sept. 13 , 7 p.m., Sept. 14, 9 p.m., and Sept. 15, 7 p.m.

“Talk to Me,” starring Don Cheadle, Mike Epps, Martin Sheen, Cedric the Entertainer, Sept. 13, 9 p.m., Sept. 14, 7 p.m., and Sept. 15, 9 p.m. Admission is $7 per person/per film (WVSU students free w/valid ID).

“SlamNation,” will screen once on Sept. 15, 2:30 p.m.; admission is free for this documentary about the world of slam poetry.

For more details, visit www.wviff.org or call the box office at (304) 342-6522.

Dear friends and colleagues of Armand Singer,

A celebration of a life well-lived has been planned to honor Armand Singer, at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, 2007, at Brooks Hall, WVU Main Campus, Morgantown, W.Va. We hope you will be able to join us to remember, reflect on, and reminisce about Dr. Singer’s multifaceted life. There are stories to be told and memories to be shared, and we hope to see you there.

Janice Spleth
Department of Foreign Languages
West Virginia University

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Check out earlier, related blog. 

ABZ, a magazine of poetry based in Huntington, W.Va., will soon be reading submissions for a third issue planned for May 2008. Click here for information about this and the 2008 ABZ Poetry Prize.