Skip to content

Tag: community

“Poetry Has a New Name”

 “Salem’s art scene is untapped. Portland—forget about it. It’s like elbowing into a crowded sardine can. But not here. This is a river you can leap into, and create a great literary scene.” Henry Hughes, in an interview with the Salem Weekly Click here to read my recent article in the Salem Weekly‘s Art section, discussing our local poetry community. The article weaves through an insightful interview with the ever gracious poet and author, Henry Hughes, who has just released a new collection of poetry, Bunch of Animals, as well as a memoir, Back Seat with Fish. Hughes’ writing continues to capture his ongoing love affair with fishing,…

Coffee with a Cop

What an incredible event. The Salem Police Department hosted their first‪ #‎CoffeeWithACop‬ at Broadway Coffeehouse this morning. I couldn’t help but have a glad heart to see our community come together to support our local law enforcement…what a perfect way to foster healthy relationships between our officers and the people of ‪#‎SalemOR‬. Thank you to everyone who had a hand in planning this event, and to all who came to pack the house! ❤ ‪#‎PopUpPoetry‬ by ‪#‎RhetoricalRedhead‬ of ‪#‎SalemOregon  

Community

CDay 3 – “C” as in “Community”

Community–the word has numerous definitions, but generally speaking, a community is a group of people with something in common, be it geographical, social, economical, professional, or a matter of general interest(s). Without question, our lives are filled with people, in general, yes? And those people make up our collective “communities” that influence us and help us through this grand scheme of Life. Whether your “people” are from school, church, work, social settings, friend groups, family, etc, each person contributes to each unique Community you have.

When it comes to poets and writers, I wholeheartedly believe that our individual Poetry (or Writing) Community is not only extremely valuable to our writing process, but also very practical and conducive to our overall well-being as Creatives. I see our peers and colleagues as a bonus to our Self. Sure, our family members and day-to-day friends (important and wonderful people!) are typically kind enough to support our poetic endeavors, but, just like any niche or obscure profession, nine times out of 10 they are prone to missing the mark when it comes to understanding our needs as poets…and that’s okay! That deep-thinking, musing, confusingly creative side of us is simply tough to comprehend if you’re not also a poet. But on the flip side, it is incredibly comforting and healthy to find yourself a handful of like-minded writers with whom to collaborate creatively. Here’s my thinking…

Pop Up Poetry Event: Artists’ Reception at Broadway Coffeehouse

I had the pleasure of being invited to do #PopUpPoetry this Thursday for Broadway Coffeehouse‘s Artists’ Reception, featuring the Friday Artists (showing off their paintings and artwork currently displayed at Broadway) and Branches Company (a local acoustic musician).

This was my first live gig, and can I just say how how humbled and awed I am by how my city is welcoming me with open arms?! Thank you, Salem! It was incredible; the evening had a slow, laid-back pace (rather than the rapid pace I’m used to), but I was grateful for it–I had the opportunity to engage in deeper conversations with the people asking me for custom poetry. We laughed and networked and exchanged stories and business cards. Now this…this is what life should be about–being intentional and authentic with the people around you. Busking is hard, SO hard, but now that I know what I know…I don’t think I can stop. Thank you to everyone who made Thursday night such a wonderful evening for me and for supporting your local artists. Thank you to my dear, dear husband for being the best personal assistant! You made this night seamless for me! See y’all on the streets! (And a special thank you to Eddie Cabbage. I’m the luckiest jedi-in-training in the world!)

Images of Pop Up Poetry pieces are below!

%d bloggers like this: