The Poetry Sampler - Dodge Poetry Festival

This was held during the afternoon on Day 2; Friday, October 1. The sampler was over two hours of the "signature" poets reading 1, 2 or 3 of their poems. Each poet was introduced by Jim Haba, the Director of the Dodge Poetry Festival. He spoke briefly and extemporaneously providing some background on the poet and something on the essence of each poet’s gift to the world of poetry. Then you sat back and listened to the breath and depth of the stories, images, and spoken words. What I have recaptured here is the listing of the poets and the poems they read. I think I only missed a few where either they did not announce the title or if they did, I was distracted and did not capture it. For the most part, you could re-enact this event if you had the library at hand. Three of the poets that read did so in their native language and were assisted by another poet acting as a translator. For these three, I have listed them first, followed by their translator. For more information on each poet, you can visit the Dodge Poetry Festival web site.


Benjamin Bagby
The opening of Beowulf

Coleman Barks
Car trips
Return of Professor Dumbwhistle

Marilyn Chin
How I got that name
Blues on Yellow

Sandra Cisneros
Original Sin

Lucille Clifton
Here yet be dragons
Yetti poet returns to tell his story
Blessing the boats

Adonis/Khalid Mattawa
name of poem not recorded

Mark Doty
Letter to God

Stephen Dunn
Circular
Land of the Salamander

Marilyn Hacker
For Cataya B???

Donald Hall
The Ox Cart Man
Old Timers Day
Summer Kitchen

Edward Hirsch
Self Portrait
The History of My Stupidity, Vol. 3, Chap. 5

Jane Hirshfield
Theology
Manners, Rwanda
Tree

Venus Khoury-Ghata/Marilyn Hacker
name of poem not recorded

Galway Kinnell
Olivewood Fire
Black Bear

Yusef Komunyakaa
Venus of Willendorf
Euphemy
Ode to the Maggot

Phillip Levine
Gospel
Genius

Paul Muldoon
The House of Poetry
At least they weren’t speaking French
Hedge school

Sharon Olds
Jockey Ode
The Worker

Aharon Shabtai/Peter Cole
To My Friend

C.K. Williams
Storm
The Hearth

Franz Wright
East Boston 1986