Readings, gatherings

A couple of events listed below (I used to teach and take classes at EMU in case you were wondering how I came across this). Annie Horvath runs a local writer's group in Plymouth that meets at a coffee house there. She has attended a couple of events here at the library to support our efforts and would love to have any of the Westland writers come to their events. Steven Dolgin, editor of The MacGuffin at Schoolcraft College, is their featured writer in March (not sure about February listed below).

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Please join us in welcoming Nicole Brossard to EMU Creative Writing Program's

BathHouse Events

NICOLE BROSSARD
March 2, 5:30 PM
Carillon Room, Halle Library
Eastern University

NICOLE BROSSARD was born in Montreal (Quebec). A poet, novelist and essayist, she published her first book in 1965. In 1965 she co-founded the influential literary magazine La Barre du Jour and in 1976 she co-directed the film Some American Feminists. She has published eight novels including Picture Theory, Mauve Desert, Baroque at Dawn, an essay "The Aerial Letter" and many books of poetry including Daydream Mechanics, Lovhers, Typhon dru, Installations, Musee de l'os et de l'eau. She has won the Governor General award twice for her poetry (1974, 1984) and Le Grand Prix de Poesie de la Foundation les Forges (1989 , 1999). Le Prix Athanase-David, which is for a lifetime of literary achievement, was attributed to her in 1991. That same year she received the The Harbour front Festival Prize. In 1994, she was made a member of L'Academie des Lettres du Quebec. Her work has been widely translated and anthologized. In 1998 she published a bilingual edition of an auto- fiction essay titled She would be the first sentence of my new novel/Elle serait la premiere phrase de mon prochain roman(1998).

Links to her work can be found here:
http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/brossard

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Title:	A Gathering of Writers at the Plymouth Coffee Bean
Date:	February 19, 2009
Description:	A Gathering of Writers meets on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:30p.m. at the Plymouth Coffee Bean. Director Ann..."e" Horvath, Co-hosts: Lisa Rye, with selected guest hosts. Monthly features and an OPEN MIC. All are welcome. There is no charge. Email questions to Ann..."e" Horvath at poetanne40@aol.com
Address:	884 Penniman Avenue Plymouth, MI 48170

February 2nd (Groundhog day) meeting

Well, we keep drawing new folks to our poetry event, adding our first two "Johns" to the list, but we only had one of our regulars show up. Perhaps because we had it in a new room (Meeting Room C) and I did not have a chance to call others with all our programs going on during African American History Month. It's even taking me almost 2 weeks to post minutes to the meeting, so I apologize for that (but the AA History Month programs have been great!).

John and John (not related, but both musicians) brought some new perspectives to our poetry group. John (or "Juan") the percussionist gave us some great Native American vision quest poems written is his favorite form (not a sestina, but if you come to the next meeting you can ask him yourself). They both have a lively musical quality to them as well as excellent natural and, sometimes, supernatural images. John the singer/songwriter, who is more of a novelist than a poet but wanted to get some perspective on the poems he has written, showed us a couple of his poems. One depicted an ancient hex on a sailor in a dark and disturbing way; the other showed a loving, melancholy longing for youth and the times he had. Great efforts all around, guys!

Diane, our lone regular, brought a couple of her poems including one about a rascally squirrel and her bird lady neighbor. She's always finding characters to write about and bring to life through her rhymes and this was no small effort of hers.

Thanks to all who showed- we hope you all can make it for the Open Mic on 2/19 from 6:30-8 and our next Poetry Group on 3/2 from 7-8 p.m. Keep writing!

Valentine's poems

Hey folks, I thought i would post this link to some great, non-Hallmark type cards you could give to loved ones on Valentine's day (using, of course, quotes from famous poems or poets). Check it out:

www.poets.org/valentine

Also, I will post a recap of the last meeting in a couple of days (i.e., when I am not at home). I have been in charge of a bunch of programs at the library this month and have fallen a little behind in my blogging. :)