New Poet Laureate

Kudos to Sonoma County's new Poet Laureate, Katherine Hastings, founder of Word Temple. She's the 8th to hold that title and at her reception in Sebastopol Sunday she was joined by those (still living) who have been thus honored before her.

It was wonderful to be in a room with so many poets and lovers of poetry, and to hear their visions put beautifully in words. I found myself spellbound listening to the offerings presented, and I was reminded again of the bridge poetry builds between self and self, self and others, self and the world. It's always good to hear poets read their work instead of just seeing those words on a page, especially when a poet seems to transcend the unavoidable limits set on us as mortal, fallible creatures.

I'm looking forward to seeing Katherine's Poet Laureate project blossom in the next couple of years, and I hope in some way to take part in it.