As never before, poets everywhere now have access to other poets’ work from every corner and thoroughfare of the past and present.

Amid the tidal wave of poetry, certain mainstay poets keep speaking to me, through the years.

Apropos of that, here’s a well-honed passage from “Instead of a Forward,” the introductory essay to a book titled “Passing Through: The Later Poems, New and Selected” by Stanley Kunitz:

“It disturbs me that twentieth century American poets seem largely reconciled to being relegated to the classroom — practically the only habitat in which most of us are conditioned to feel secure. It would be healthier if we could locate ourselves in the thick of life, at every intersection where values and meanings cross, caught in the dangerous traffic between self and universe.
“Poets are always ready to talk about the difficulties of their art. I want to say something about its rewards and joys. The poem comes in the form of a blessing — “like rapture breaking on the mind,” as I tried to phrase it in my youth. Through the years I have found this gift of poetry to be life-sustaining, life-enhancing, and absolutely unpredictable. Does one live, therefore, for the sake of poetry? No, the reverse is true: poetry is for the sake of life.”

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So you’ve heard of the Page 69 test now for longer books, where you try that page to see if you’d like to buy the book.

Poetry sometimes has a tougher standard. I read the following jewel on a poetic line workshop description by Dick Allen — a notion I’ve heard throughout most of my adult life, and I do and don’t believe it more now than ever, so my ambivalence endures:

“Dirty little secret:  for most editors, the poem’s first line determines whether or not they toss the poem or read on.”

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Poet and translator Peg Boyers will read from her two poetry collections, “Hard Bread” and “Honey with Tobacco,” on Nov. 12, 2008, at the International Poetry Forum in Pittsburgh, Pa. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Poetry Forum online.

The Fall 2008 issue of the Virginia Quarterly Review, on Iraq War veterans, includes a conversation with poet Brian Turner. For the Web exclusive, click here.

Two Frank X. Walker election poems rolled in through Appalnet somehow. Turns out, they’re from Jeff Biggers’ blog on The Huffington Post. Biggers is the award-winning author of The United States of Appalachia, among other books. For more information on his work, visit: www.jeffbiggers.com.  I don’t think Frank would mind my posting these poems here, since this IS election day. This is fine work from the Lannan Award-winning poet and editor of the Affrilachian (African American Appalachian) magazine Pluck:
OBAMA SHUFFLE

by Frank X. Walker

To the seasoned black women in line behind me when I went to early vote

we move as if chained together, we move like we are
pacing out the complex steps to the new line dance

thank you for taking off work today, for standing
outside in the cold on sore feet for so long
bundled in winter scarves, long skirts, leather coats,
faux fur, bandanas, fatigues, sweats and jeans
clutching designer purses, book bags and paper sacks

to the right, to the right, to the right, to the right
thank you for clearing your throat
when anybody forgot to move the line

thank you for leaning on your canes
for looking over your reading glasses

to the left, to the left, to the left, to the left
for casting a watchful eye at the poll workers
and at me and at everybody within squinting distance

for wearing my mother’s nose on your faces, for wearing
her shoes, for standing with your hands on your hips too

now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick
now move as if chained together, now move like we are
pacing out the complex steps to the new line dance

now walk it by yourself, now walk it by yourself

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 Last year I received a poem flawlessly presented on paper by a friend, Joan Wyrick Ellison.  She has written more than one or two books, including “Lyrics of Love: An Introspection” (2005). The poem “Is Anybody Home?” seems somehow both restrained and unrestrained in view of her husband’s serious illness at the time. He is the Rev. A.D. Ellison, and has since largely recovered.

IS ANYBODY HOME?

I leave my door half-open
for you may pass this way,
I listen for your footstep
and hope to hear you say,
    “Is anybody home?”

I leave my door half-open,
sit quietly and muse,
hoping your pleasant voice
will call out,
    “What’s the news?”

I push my mind wide open
for truth may pass this way,
I listen for its inklings
in every word you say
    because

The time we spend together
highlights my lonely day.
I’m glad my door is open
so I can hear you say,
    “Is anybody home?”

— Joan Wyrick Ellison

This was recorded on one of those little home Webcams, quickly and just in time for Halloween.

Any interest out there in a filmed W.Va. poetry theater? If you are a published poet or spoken word artist and would be interested in such a thing, call me at (304) 348-5184 and leave your contact information and a brief pitch on my voicemail. I won’t publish your number, but I’ll call you back. If you just want to let me know what you think, reply in the blog comment line. I’d appreciate it. Each of these little films would be about 1 or 2 minutes long, and they’d be higher quality audio and video than the Shakespeare poem. We’d use a real high-definition camcorder.

I’ve heard that back in ‘62, in “The Gutenberg Galaxy,” Marshall McLuhan gave us the acid test for long books. He said to turn to Page 69, and if you like that page, buy the book.

A lot of good prose doesn’t really get going until you’re in about 100 pages, and some great poetry books don’t even have 69 pages, but try the Page 69 Test sometime. Go to your library or bookstore or Google books and turn to Page 69 a few times. What do you think?

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Poetry & Politics
Covenant House,
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008,
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
600 Shrewsbury Street (parking in rear of building)

A lively open mic in downtown Charleston, W.Va., coming up this Tuesday will feature Kanawha Valley emerging poets, singers, musicians, spoken word artists and activists.

“True artists, writers and performers.” — Amy Weintraub, Covenant House director

Hosting the event will be Covenant House assistant director and well-known poetry organizer Crystal Goodwoman Nazario and Randy Elsea, Drop In Center coordinator and notorious comic.

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I think the preceding video explaining what people do with blogs is worth watching. With the hope that I’ll connect with kindred spirits out here in the blogosphere, I spend a lot of time writing MountainWord. Remember, though — a blog is a fine place for you to comment. Add your thoughts, a poem, a story, a link to content elsewhere on the web, a how-to, news of events, anything relevant.

Your comments on this blog are just as important as what I write.

Add your signature to your comment, and remember that I don’t heavily moderate comments. Spam and clearly negative and unrelated things are quickly deleted, but most of the time, the door is completely open. Just click on that little comment link just below each blog post, and start writing.

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