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
Joanne Kyger 1934-2017
It was with great sadness yesterday that I learned, from a brief Facebook post by Michael Rothenberg, that Joanne Kyger had died at her Bolinas home on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. No other details...
In Search of Color Everywhere
My planned 12N presentation for World Poetry Day was In Search of Color Everywhere and other African-American poetry. This title comes from an anthology edited by Ethelbert Miller. I had the honor...
World Poetry Day (Seriality)
At the 11am presentation as part of my World Poetry Day/Free Coffee celebration at Caffé Umbria (Tutta Bella), I talked about seriality. In my interview with Nate Mackey 5 or so years ago, he said...
#IdesofTrump Report
On March 15, 2017, people gathered around the United States to write postcards to the 45th President of the United States, El Caudillo Analfabetico, SCROTUS and let him know what they thought of his...
World Poetry
Any self-respecting World Poetry Day would not be complete without poetry from around the world, so in the second hour, I read from Poems for the Millennium: Russia's Anna Akhmatova (from "Poem...
Cinquains
SO, World Poetry Day is under way and my 8am lecture is in the bag. We had an inspired participant who took on the task of writing a Cinquain, a five line poem with a syllable structure of...
Paul Interviewed by Ethelbert Miller
I was delighted to be interviewed today by legendary poet, literary organizer and radio host E. Ethelbert Miller for his On The Margin show on Washington, DC's WPFW. You can hear the interview here...
Free Cup of Coffee
Did you know March 21 is World Poetry Day? Yeah, UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations decided that in 1999. Julius Meinl, a European coffee-roasting company upped the ante a few years ago...
RIP Darius Brusaferro
I was fortunate enough to meet Darius Brusaferro, a long-time Subud member, at one of the first Subud Menucha gatherings I attended, perhaps 2009 or 2010. I learned today on Facebook that he died in...
Resist Much/Obey Little
I am thinking of it as the most important anthology of political poetry since Sam Hamill's "Poets Against The War." "Resist Much Obey Little: Inaugural Poems to the Resistance" is a 738 page virtual...
Poetics As Cosmology in West Seattle
Thanks to the support of 4Culture, I am presenting a workshop I have been developing for a few years in West Seattle starting this Friday. 1pm, Oct 7, 21 & 28, 2022. There will be discussion,...
In Person and Online Workshops
It has become part of an annual rhythm thanks to the pandemic and the emergence of Zoom. Coming after the Poetry Postcard Fest is the workshop season. For two years it has only been online. While...
9.28.2022 @ Underbelly
Once I survived the promotional photo shoot for the Underbelly reading, I was ready for the event. I'll be part of a reading in Pioneer Square with: underbelly every last Wednesday ...
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.