Poetry Month, April 2009, Done Ventura County Style

Wow! One of my most favorite subjects, ever. Poetry! Hearing about National Poetry Month, 2009, coming in April 2009, just brought back a flood of memories to me. Imagine, a whole month of poetry celebrations to honor those who dare to bare their souls, or sense of humor, to the world. I look forward to seeing what Ventura County has to offer to celebrate National Poetry Month, 2009. You might ask why I am so enthusiastic about poetry, so as briefly as I am able, here's how I fell in love with poetry and writing.

I started writing poetry in 4th grade. I attended El Marino Elementary School, in Culver City, CA. Mrs. Marshall, our teacher, used to let us go out to recess, then after recess, she brought the class back into our class room. We all sat in our chairs, still glistening with the dew of children's play, the smell of fresh air clinging to our skin and clothes. Mrs. Marshal would ask us to lay our heads down on our crossed arms, on the top of our desks, close our eyes, and just listen.

She would turn off the over head lights, and the room was neither hot nor cold. Then she read from her book of choice, with just the natural sunlight streaming indirectly from our huge wall to wall windows. And in her special reading voice, she would begin.

It was one of my most favorite times in school. She is probably one of the most instrumental, of all the people in my life, to give me the tools of fantasy, imagination, inner imagery, and the art of reading between the lines. I truly consider these some of the best and most important tools I had, to allow me to live, to survive, and grow up out of my childhood, less damaged, than if I have never received these tools at all.

I'm sorry I never got to tell Mrs. Marshall what she meant to me, what she did for, or how she was part of my survival. She is one of the few teachers I can still remember details of her clothing, her hair, or her ways. I was a little scared of her. I never knew who I could trust a 100% when I was a child. She was strict and structured, but loving and I think that confused me.

Mrs. introduced me to books like "Island of the Blue Dolphin," by Scot O'Dell (1960). She also introduced us to "Brighty of the Grand Canyon" by Marguerite Henry, and illustrated by Wesley Dennis (Originally published in 1953, this is a classic story based on real-life adventures of a burro living at the Grand Canyon approximately from 1892 to 1922). http://www.longitudebooks.com/find/p/14106/mcms.html. She read a lot of great books to us.

She also took us to the little library on campus and got all of us in her 4th grade class, library cards. For what ever reason my mother had, she signed the release for me to be able to read, what ever I chose. I would read a book a day in the summer book reading club. I was voracious to gobble up other people's lives and see the world from behind their eyes. I read some poetry, but it was not the thrust of my first readings. I wanted to read about far-away and magical places and poetry did not last long enough. Unless of course a poem like the "The Raven," from the poetry collection of Edgar Allen Poe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe.

Edgar Allen Poe did not limit himself to just poetry. Another favorite of mine is the "The Tell-Tale Heart." It's All Good, here at AC, gives a great review, which basically starts by telling you that it's All Good "felt drawn into the passion of the madness while being horrified at the coldness of the individual planning this murder." http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/291864/poes_the_telltale_heart.html?cat=38

It is a riveting and scary story.

Mrs. Marshall also challenged us to do our own creating writing and that opened a whole new world to me. When the people I lived with were being outlandishly unkind to each other, when demons invaded my space and tore at my child's soul, if I did not have a book to read, I could write poetry. I actually grew up with the reputation of being able to write some really good poetry on any subject, upon request, and usually within an hour or less.

I wrote a poem once that sounded like it was from one lover to another. It was actually from a son far from home and fighting a war, and written to his Mother. It was the Viet Nam era in my life. I wrote of love I had never experienced, or seen in our home. But I guess I just thought of how I thought it should be. I thought of what a son might say to his mother, if he was trying to express gratitude for her undying love, and how he missed her. And I guess I wrote it in third person between mother and son, because I could never fathom that kind of relationship between mother and daughter. Even that was beyond my imagination back then.

When I read it to my Mother, she paused, and looked at me, and asked me how I could ever even think to write something like that? How did I know of such things? Those questions showed me in one moment, how my mother had limited me to less in her assessment of her own daughter. How do you explain that for writers, most of the time, writing is as natural as breathing air. But a special kind of air that lifts you up, and takes you from where you are, to where you think you need to be today, to witness for human kind what needs to be said today.

That's how I got started in writing, at a very young age. I started at 8 years of age. And have written almost 50 years since. I have lost a lot of my best work, just due to my life and how it was. Most good writers often know that our best writing we produce is because of, or an attempt to escape from, the pain writers know and/or share, which makes us put pen to paper - to try to expel the demons and pain in our hearts and souls.

Knowing all of that, I can appreciate the smallest sort of writing from Haiku (not as simple as it seems!), to meaningful or funny cards, to short stories, and even to murals (thanks to MB Hanrahan, Artist, Ventura, CA), and of course to books I have read and loved. One of my favorite books right now is a book called "TRAPpED", by Lori Stephens (http://www.writerservices.net/trapped.htm).

I can share this with you, to tell you how much writing means to me. It has given me solace, made me laugh when I should be crying, comforted when I was alone in my bed, taken my mind off of worrisome things that would not let me rest... I love writing. I love poetry.

And I am appreciative of the fact that people got together to create a National Poetry Month, with poetry month events, and celebrations to give recognition to all who engage in the love of poetry. It's no small task.

You can order a really nice poster announcing National Poetry Month 2009, for classrooms, groups, etc, by visiting: http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/get-your-free-national-poetry-month-2009-poster/. I always like to share good news. Then look around your neck of the woods, and see what's happening.

In Ventura County:

National Poetry Month, April, 2009, at Oxnard College, will be included in a series of Wednesday events, at 12:45, in LS 8, the Clock Tower Auditorium. Pushcart Prize Winning, Poet Elena Karina Byrne, will be reading from her books The Flammable Bird, MASQUE and upcoming works and collections. This Fable Language and Voyeur Hour are sponsored by Oxnard College with additional support by Poets & Writers, through a James Irvine grant. For more information, call 805-986-5800, ext. 1951. http://www.vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/in_brief/6642/

Bell Arts Factory will be having an open mic night April 25, in honor of National Poetry Month 2009 and in conjunction with the local Art Walk. Bell Arts Factory is one of the best places to be! 7:30pm, 432 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001. Contact: Bell Arts Factory: www.bellartsfactory.com

Stop by and check out what will be happening at The Artists' Union Gallery, 330 California Street, Ventura, April 14, 7:30, when The Tuesday Night Poets welcomes readings by Joyce LaMers, an open mic and host Roe Estep. That gig puts you right in the heart of downtown Ventura. There are sure to be a lot of celebrations you only know about, by attending.

There are plenty of good places to eat, lots of good music to hear, and many poets at heart, will be out and about enjoying Ventura County's April Weather!