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PAUL E NELSON

One of the big joys of poetry is to go to festivals, maybe have a chance to read, but certainly have a chance to be in the company of other living poets and talking shop, craft and opportunities. But COVID-19 has had its way with poetry festivals like our Cascadia Poetry Festival, postponed from May 2020 to May 2021 and the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival, which happened in a virtual way this year. The good news is that I was able to participate from the comfort of my own home, Casa del Colibrí on the edge of Lake Washington, SPLAB World Headquarters.

Here is my virtual contribution:

And my spiritual community’s own Zoom poetry series, Zoomuse, featured me last Friday and it is one of the best readings I have ever given, despite the virtual nature of it. When someone is initiated into Subud they are “opened” and I have a penchant for Open Form and even an open batting stance in baseball/softball, so there are a lot of affinities with the open. Here is my May 22, 2020, Zoomuse reading: