Would I like to go to the James Welch literary festival?
Yes, I would, because many years ago my attendance at the University of Montana wasn’t for journalism, it was for creative writing, specifically poetry.
But, when I read about the locations where events for this festival would be held, the reality of my ankle accessory set in.
This year, there will be panels and workshops on poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art. Jones is well known enough that he’ll have a moderated talk to himself at MCT, since he has a dedicated fan base.
“Wherever he is, they kind of show up in droves,” HolyWhiteMountain said.
Heather Cahoon, a poet and professor at UM, will give a keynote address.
At a reception at Radius Gallery, Lois Welch will give a talk about “Riding the Earthboy 40” and Welch’s poetry as a whole.
Sze has taught at the Institute for American Indian Arts for years and will speak on a panel with some of his former students.
“Many, if not most of the major Native poets working right now were all his students,” HolyWhiteMountain said.
For those keeping track of how local authorities are tracking me, this Travis Exclusion Zone (TEZ) is the NEW version, slightly reduced to allow me access to Interstate 90 and Orange Street, so when Mommy drives me home she can take the most direct route–a real gas saver! THANKS LOCAL AUTHORITIES!
Part of the voluminous documentation heaped upon my poor Public Defender this week is a poem I wrote and published this spring (a link may be illegal, so find it yourself), and the poem was entered into evidence as an actual exhibit because, it was claimed, the imagery of Jesus and the “juice box” was evidence that violence was imminent.
Despite explaining to the judge that “juice box” was code for zealous members of a certain faith who are currently bathed in the blood of a Holy War, the decision did NOT go my way. That’s why it’s up to the Montana Supreme Court now to be more discerning readers my criminally-awesome writing skills.
For evidence of how deeply I once invested in my love of poetry, here’s an image of a signed copy of James Welch’s first book of poems, titled Earthboy 40, which I’m the proud owner of:
And here’s the poem that concludes this 1971 publication:
This is a FANTASTIC poem, and one I will be using in a lengthy piece of writing I’m wrapping up that connects Missoula’s controversial academic, Leslie Fiedler to Ira Einhorn (more on him later), and this connection comes through a poet I am now thoroughly disgusted by–the likely sexual predator and possible abuser of Leslie Fiedler’s own kid, Allen Ginsberg.
Before I share MY poem, let me be clear with this disclaimer that the spider, and the spider’s plan, is NOT a reference that should be interpreted as part of a nefarious plot, by me, to do anything harmful in meat space, where I am currently monitored by jester-maxxers.
Are we ready?
THERE'S A SPIDER ON MY BUDDHA
there's a spider on my buddha
strand by strand it builds
call the porch light Lucifer
for moths, the softest kill
breath held deep for several seconds
Lynch, he was a fan
humble like a Polish rabbit
Lynch could sell 'em crayons!
don't forget to exhale
don't forget the role
a spider on a buddha
does not scheme for souls
watch it, yes, you watch it closely
tucked beneath its cloud
light is not the fight, my son, it's
bait before the shroud!
WAIT!
words they walk on breath and
breath is tiny wind
now the strands will vibrate and
now the plan begins...
but don't be rude to buddha
that attitude is wrong
peaceful as the spider wraps you...
buddha hums a song:
dawn will break to take you
to see another world
forget the porch light of your mind
and give in to the twirl...
or spawn another avatar if
your spark plug has that itch
to learn and learn again...
karma is a bitch!
Tomorrow I have a post ready to go about a Missoula power-couple, along with a detail I caught in an article about the NON-lethal stabbing reported at the same time as the lethal stabbing hit the headlines. It’s the kind of article that, were the writer/reader roles reversed, I might be inspired to give a donation for.
That said, stay tuned and THANKS FOR READING!!!
