State of the Art

One of the few “jobs” left in this large country of ours that is recession proof remains in the hands and minds of us poets. Because we rarely get paid for anything we do and only the rare individual listens to us, we are like monks—free to create our art.

In 2009, The Word Works will celebrate its 35th anniversary of helping poets realize their potential. Take, for example, our Café Muse Literary Salon, which began its 10th year of monthly programs in January when Brian Brodeur and Kathi Wolfe were our featured readers. And typically we have begun our programs with the live music, most often featuring the classical guitar concerts of poet Michael Davis.





Today, February 1, 2009, The Word Works holds its annual meeting. While our nonprofit charter requires this meeting, it is a meeting that typically goes to dreams of our future. Why not make this year your year to join with The Word Works to promote American poetry? Consider becoming a volunteer. We have a lot of jobs and projects and while volunteering does little for one’s pocketbook, it does a lot for your mortal soul.

Contact Karren at editor@wordworksdc.com if you would like to be a co-director with Adele Stein at Café Muse helping to run this program, or a co-director with Kathi Morrison-Taylor at the Joaquin Miller Cabin summer poetry series, an archivist working with our archive at George Washington University, our quarterly newsletter editor, our chief publicist, our web master. We have room for your energy and we would like you to become a part of our family.

Don't forget to join us in Friendship Heights February 2nd for Cafe Muse when we present Brandel France de Bravo and Wendell Hawken.

All in the Family

So much for August being a slow month when nothing happens!

Kwame Alexander brought poets published in Family Pictures: Poems and Photographs Celebrating Our Loved Ones to Cafe Muse and the place was jumping with an audience of 30 plus.
Readers included Roberta Beary (noted for her award-winning haikus), Maritza Rivera Cohen (former impresario of the Mariposa Poetry Series), and Deana Nikaido (a Baltimore poet). The book is a beauty with photographs and contributions from such other poets as Grace Cavalieri and Barbara Crooker who Word Works audience heard from recently in our Cafe Muse and Miller Cabin forums.

The evening was also special because it was Katherine Young's last time as host. She is moving on to an MFA program at the University of Maryland. Our new co-hosts Adele Steiner and Marie Pavelicek-Wehrli were present and working to make the August program seamless. In fact, Katherine, Adele and Marie met before the usual dinner at the Meiwah to discuss the transfer of duties. Also working behind the scenes is Hailey Leithauser.

Next program is September 15 (make a note of this since this is not our usual first Monday of the month time slot) when we will have Sandra Beasley and Jon Pineda.