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
Paul w/ Carletta & 2 other poets @ Margin Shift
It is easily the most adventurous reading series in Seattle. Margin Shift happens now at the funky Common Area Maintenance in Belltown, essentially kitty corner (or do you say katty corner) from the...
Miles & Quincy Troupe & Coltrane
Delighted to be part of a stellar weekend of Jazz and Poetry in Taos, New Mexico, April 7 and 8 with featured poet Quincy Troupe! Two nights of Jazz and Poetry, the second of which I'll emcee and...
Paul Reads at Jackson St. Jazzwalk
Jackson Street was once the epicenter of Jazz in Seattle. Not sure there is one anymore, but you can hear live Jazz in town at places like Tula's, Jazz Alley, the Royal Room and other venues. On...
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...
Poetics as Cosmology Workshops in Des Moines
I am grateful to 4Culture and the Des Moines Arts Commission for the support of three free workshops next month. Poetics as Cosmology is the title of a workshop I have been facilitating online for...
Interview with Claudia Castro Luna in Poetry NW
I'm delighted to have a version of my June 2022 interview with Claudia Castro Luna published in Poetry NW. Thank you Bill Carty. Here is an excerpt: There’s war raging in Ukraine, a general feeling...
Upcoming Readings and Workshops All Free
MONDAY I'm delighted to be reading for Raul Sanchez Monday night at HeartSpace in Lake City. I've known Raul from the local poetry community going back almost 30 years. (1994, at Auburn's Best Café...
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.