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19-year-old "poet prodigy" speaks at Casper College Literary Conference Oct. 17-19

Uncategorized | September 18, 2007

The Casper College Literary Conference presents “Spiritual Warriors” Oct. 17-19 on the CC campus. Professional writers from across the globe will present readings and workshops. Here’s a profile of one of those presenters:

Ekiwah Adler-Beléndez is a 19-year old poet prodigy who has captivated Mexico’s literary scene. Raised in the small village of Amatlan, Mexico, Ekiwah began writing poems and stories at the age of 10. Two years later, Ekiwah published his first collection of poetry, Soy (I Am). When he presented his newly published book to an audience at the Jardín Borda in Cuernavaca, he became an immediate literary sensation. By age 16, he had published two additional collections, Palabras Inagotables (Never-ending Words) and Weave (his first book in English).

Elena Poniatowska, one of Mexico’s finest writers and journalists, has hailed Ekiwah “a young Prometheus unchained.” In addition to receiving honorable mention for the Premio Nacional de la Juventud (National Prize for the Youth) by the Governor of the State of Morelos, Ekiwah has also been granted scholarships by FONCA (the National Institute for Support of the Arts.) Bi-lingual and of dual citizenship, Ekiwah is currently studying in the U.S., as well as speaking and reading his poems at universities, high schools, and conferences both in the U.S. and Mexico.

Ekiwah — which means Warrior in the language of the Purepecha – is an appropriate title, given that he has battled cerebral palsy since a premature birth. Ekiwah writes, “I think that what poets do is decipher silence.”

if you attempt to trace me,

do not speak to me
speak to what makes me hungry
follow the tracks of what I love
(From “Coyotes Trace”)

Click here to register for Ekiwah’s workshop.

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The Wyoming Arts Council believes that experiencing the arts should be accessible for all, including people with mental and/or physical disabilities, older adults, military/veterans, people living in institutions and those who lack access to the arts due to geographic isolation, cultural difference and economic hardship.

Governor Mark Gordon
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