Maya is the 10th Sonoma County Poet Laureate, and today I attended a reception at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts welcoming her to her new role. It was a lovely event.
Some of our previous Poets Laureate were there, as well, of course: Terry Ehret, Gwynn O'Gara, Bill Vartnow and, retiring from the job after an intense term, Iris Dunkle. They each read, and honored as well those who could not be there.
I know I've said it before, but we are so fortunate in the quality and quantity of poets in Sonoma. I appreciate hearing them read, and I appreciate as well the opportunity to read now and then as part of the poetry community.
I have been invited to open for WordTemple in May as a local poet, prior to readings from guests Paul Hoover and Melissa Stein. I have heard Paul Hoover read before, at a previous WordTemple event. He is phenomenal. I'm also greatly looking forward to meeting and hearing Melissa Stein, having been impressed by what I've read of her work. Both poets, I feel, share a strong talent for chains of sound and brash honesty. I am a sucker for such things.
The event is May 12th. No doubt I shall spend the time between then and now fussing over what I could read that might possibly rise to the level of the feature poets' work. Ah, well. We grow by stretching.
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