Are You The Next Poet Laureate of Tacoma?
When I think of all the awards, titles, and people that have emerged in our cityscape over the last few years, Tacoma’s Poet Laureate is one that seems to have burst onto the scene and filled a missing intellectual gap in our community. In the one year that Kupinse has had the title, he went from somebody we’d never heard of to somebody we seem to see or hear quite regularly.
It’s now time to pick a new Poet Laureate. Do you have what it takes?
Applicants must submit two poems and the completed application which includes questions about why the applicant believes poetry is important and what he or she would like to accomplish as Poet Laureate of Tacoma.
The Urban Grace Poet Laureate will hold the title for a period of one year from May 2009 to April 2010, and receive a cash prize of $1,000.00. He or she will further provide, on behalf of Urban Grace and Broadway Center, two workshops during the year relating to poetry and spirituality, recite his or her original work once per month at Urban Grace services on themes that serve as liturgical, social, or spiritual commentary, and work to creatively raise the status of poetry in our community.
Current Poet Laureate of Tacoma William Kupinse will host an event with poet Hans Ostrom in conjunction with National Poetry Month on April 30th, 2009, at the University of Puget Sound to announce the winner of the competition.
The Poet Laureate of Tacoma is sponsored by Urban Grace and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts.
Applications are online at urbangracetacoma.org.
Application and Entries Deadline: MARCH 27, 2009
Poet Laureate Announced: April 30th, 2009
Tenure: May 2009 – April 2010.
Filed under: Arts, General
9 comments
T Thorax O'Tool March 14, 2009
I’m afraid I don’t have what it takes. I’m more of a novel writer, not a poet (though I do immensely enjoy Pablo Neruda).
Why isn’t the position of Poet Laureate more known? I’d wager that of the 203,000 people in our Fair City, about 200,000 of them don’t even know we have a Poet Laureate.
The city and local arts people/organizations as well as the media, businesses and the like should be promoting this to the moon and back. The Poet Laureate should be treated like a celebrity. Now that’s the kind of city I want to live in: where the arts and the people who create are as popular, respected treated as good as (or better than) pro athletes.
You know, in ancient Greece (notably Athens), philosophers, sculptors and poets were on even par with athletes, the mental and creative endeavors were regarded as highly as the physical. We need that again.
R RR Anderson March 14, 2009
The Night was Dark
The Sky was Blue
And through the sky TACOMA flew,
A Scream was heard,
A man was Hit!
Tacoma died from too much grit.
AMEN
T Thorax O'Tool March 14, 2009
Out from the Abyss, I creep at night
alone in this world I tread;
finding no one who shares my plight.
The air is awash with cold drafts,
shadows linger in the gray moonlight.
I walk these empty streets beneath sullen trees;
the darkness hides their color from my sight.
My few poems litter my path where I once passed;
my own self-misgivings I have to fight.
The broken emotions I try to express have no meaning.
I cannot write.
T Thorax O'Tool March 14, 2009
it sounded so good
she said she loved me
like how I loved her
we talked like lovers
we kissed like lovers
we loved like lovers
things change
people change
she changed or I did
she tore my heart out
in one swift moment
I didn’t feel it
I already had bled to death
A altered Chords March 14, 2009
C’mon guys. I need better lyrics than that for my new hit album.
RR – too Tacoma specific.
Thorax – I need a love song not a “somebody done somebody wrong” song.
And don’t say “I’m not gonna write you a love song. Because you need one”
Somebody already did that.
You 2 need to come over and have a glass of whiskey. Turn into raging alcoholics, go to rehab etc.
That’s just poem writing 101.
No, I’m not going to post a poem.
I’m not a poet and I know it.
T Thorax O'Tool March 14, 2009
unfortunately, the second one was about my ex fiancée. Luckily my dislike of alcohol is what kept me from becoming an alcoholic during that time.
It still hurts sometimes and I was feeling it late last night. Sorry, AC, but painful memories and thoughts of the darkness often pollute my imagination; you’ll need to look elsewhere for a love song.
A altered Chords March 14, 2009
Don’t be sorry. I think we all have that. Writing lyrics has been extremely therepeutic for me over the past few monts as well. I can relate to what you went through last night. Sometimes it seems like we’re past it and there it is again. Please keep writing and channeling your pain into your art.
If we ever meet, I’ll lock up the whiskey and serve coffee.
Maybe even and alteredchordsachino. D
A altered Chords March 14, 2009
None of the lyrics I’ve written qualify me to be Tacoma’s Poet Laureate.
PS – the ending letter “D” in my prior post has no significance and is not to be miscontrued as “poetry”
(random fat finger syndrome)
A Adam Ydstie March 16, 2009
Last years Poet Laureate competition was widely covered by local news sources and the mayor of the city announced the winner at the Billy Collins’ reading at the Pantages.
I agree with you though TO’T… I wish that it would grow into more of a prestigious award. Although Kupinse has done a wonderful job of creating some very large shoes for the next Poet Laureate to fill.
You may as well enter the running…