Paul E Nelson presenting at Cascadia Poetry Festival 8, photo by Leszek Chudzinski
“Paul formally received the Mahayana precepts of Zen Buddhism in 2023, becoming a lay practitioner within the tradition, but I believe he had long lived in accord with them. His poetry, in its sensitivity, its humility, and its deep listening, embodies practice-realization — the understanding that practice and awakening are not separate. His writing was his zazen. This collection, FLEXIBLE MIND, is more than a book. It is a continuation of that practice. A testament to a man who lives by attention, who bows to language but does not cling to it, who seeks what lays beyond words by walking straight into them.”– Kosho Itagaki, Soto Zen Priest
Interview Workshop at Open Books
Interviewing as Inspiration, Research, and Documentation with Paul Nelson March 10 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Open Books, 2414 N. 45th, Seattle. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of SPLAB (Seattle...
2.20.2019 Peter Levitt Interview
What joy in the good fortune of getting to interview Peter Levitt at his Salt Spring Island (BC) home. To see Cusheon Lake frozen so solidly that Peter reports there were people playing hockey on...
Poetry Warrior
I am delighted to be part of the Dispatches from the Poetry Wars website. I have great respect and admiration for the main co-conspirators, Michael Boughn and Kent Johnson and they have me in good...
Vancouver Island Events
Please be sure to scroll down on this one, otherwise you'd think I am wanted for something: But it's a nice article by Josef Jacobson: Click on either image to see the piece. Other gigs on the...
George Lakey Interview (How We Win)
What a magnificent opportunity I had to interview George Lakey on January 11, 2019, on Capitol Hill. I had interviewed him MANY YEARS ago on non-profit development and this time it was about his...
Promoting American Prophets
Dear Blog-reader, I have several events at which I will be promoting American Prophets and I hope to see you at one or two. February 3, 3pm - Elliott Bay Book Company. 1521 Tenth Avenue Seattle....
War Elegy 2b (After William Everson)
War Elegy 2b (The Lottery, January 23, 2019) In our end time, the days of pre-casino capitalism behind us against the cultural tinnitus nursing connection to non-local mind we seek to release all...
American Prophets @ Elliott Bay Books
I am delighted to be making a presentation about my new book of transcribed interviews, American Prophets, at the legendary Elliott Bay Books, Sunday, February 3, at 3pm. I'm hoping to play some...
Make It True meets Medusario
From the introduction (by Matt Trease) of an upcoming anthology I have had a hand in bringing into the world: Some Background This anthology is the result of a collaboration between Cuban Neobarroco...
Paul E Nelson’s Interviews by Jason Wirth
It was a very humbling experience for me Friday, December 14, 2018, to hear very intelligent and considerate people talk about different aspects of SPLAB's 25 years in existence, with a special...
Sam @ 80 (w/ audio from Doe Bay reading)
Sam Hamill would have been 80 today, May 9, 2023. He has been gone 5 years now, but he is in my head daily. Anytime I drink saké, eat sushi, look at my altar and often when I am engaged in reading...
Last of the Brenda Hillman Workshops
It has been a magical 10 week ride so far, examining Brenda Hillman's new book In a Few Minutes Before Later. In the last five week workshop we'll look at the last third of the book, examine...
Heavy Lifting Art Book
I am delighted to present an interview about the art book Heavy Lifting, a collaboration by Felicia Rice of Moving Parts Press and the poet Theresa Whitehill. Recorded Friday, March 25, 2023, via...
The interview I conducted with Sam O’Hana, a Ph.D. student at CUNY, is immensely critical and immensely validating for the work we do at the Cascadia Poetics Lab. At its core, the discussion is about whether writing is for people of means, or if it can be people who have skill and something to say. It means the literary gatekeepers have failed us and have a role in perpetuating neoliberalism in North America which has paved the way for authoritarianism. The interview is available as a podcast here and as a YouTube video here. Below, I have pasted in the transcript and here is my introduction to Sam O’Hana and his topic.