I’ve written a little already on the issue of spiritual poetry, including hints and whether and what religion has or hasn’t to do with it. The latter issue isn’t settled and maybe it isn’t even very important. What’s important is that every person have at their disposal the wherewithal to provide themselves a spiritual experience in times when they’re feeling a little thin in that department. I’ve had one today.
I’ve been uploading clips of poets reading on the 1st day of the first of two Walla Walla Poetry Parties that Charles Potts organized in ’03 and ’05. I wasn’t there, but when I recently received tapes of the events that my son made for me from the DVDs, I started capturing and uploading the movies to YouTube. These two events were the culmination of a series that began in ’91.
Some time back, Potts selected as the thematic basis of his artistic activities, which occur in and around the old Masonic Temple that he rescued from almost certain destruction and made his cultural headquarters sometime last century,
“Spiritual solutions to political problems through artistic means”
The Walla Walla Poetry Party poets give an extraordinary account of themselves and their art as this pastiche of short takes from the Day One program demonstrates clearly. I hope everyone who looks at these and enjoys them will encourage others to follow suit. It would be a sour individual indeed who can’t be moved by what they hear in the voices of these accomplished poets. And when you listen to them, remember that, while they were alive, only lovers of poetry knew the names Shelley or Yeats or Whitman. I have tried not fall into the famous names trap when I’m looking for art to enjoy. These living voices are as thrilling as any found in dusty tomes. Don’t take my word for it, though…..
The Familographer 