Uncategorized | September 4, 2009
Wyomingarts, in the forms of WAC staffers Mike Shay, Linda Coatney and Marirose Morris, traveled to Laramie Wednesday evening to attend a memorial service for poet, UW writing professor and WAC roster artist Craig Arnold.
The memorial was held in the UW Art Museum lobby. Banners with some of Craig’s poems flanked the podium. A long buffet table featured some dishes that even a gourmet cook such as Craig Arnold would have found intriguing.
The 41-year-old Craig disappeared during an inspirational quest for volcano poems. In April, he was hiking a rugged volcano on a remote Japanese island. Traces of his passage were discovered by search teams, but the body was not recovered.
At UW on Wednesday, we celebrated the life of a man. Poetry was obviously the best way to do this.
Several of the speakers read Craig’s poems, and the rest used lines from his work. Russell Swenson from Houston, a former student of Craig’s at University of Utah, read several selections, including the title poem from Craig’s most recent collection from Ausable Press, “Made Flesh.” Fiction writer Alyson Hagy and one of Craig’s colleagues in the UW creative writing program, read “Asunder.” English Department Chair Peter Parolin wrapped up the presentations with the poem “A Ubiquity of Sparrows,” which was published in the summer 2009 issue of The Paris Review (read “Sparrows” and one other poem by Craig at http://www.theparisreview.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5922).
For a change of pace, Janice Harris read a “food remembrance” of Craig, celebrating another of the poet’s passions. Janice’s reading including a recipe for eggplant caponata — she thoughtfully provided copies included with Craig’s remarks and directions.
It was a somber yet celebratory occasion. Craig’s father spoke of the incredible outpouring of support the family received from all over the world, but particularly from the University of Wyoming (Pres. Buchanan was in the audience) and from the state’s Congressional delegation. Although Sen. Enzi, Sen. Barrasso and Rep. Lummis could not attend, all three sent staff members — and Sen. Enzi sent a personal letter that was read aloud by Peter Parolin at the beginning of the evening.
Mr. Arnold spoke of all the letters and e-mails that came in from people they didn’t know, people who had been influenced by Craig’s work and teaching. He admitted that he and his wife had been a bit startled as they learned of their quiet son’s influential life. He was a bit startled that the shy boy they knew, the one who wrote his first book at eight years old, would be the same one who urged other quiet boys and girls to come up and perform their work at poetry slams. As Peter said earlier, many of them would never have found their voice with Craig. “He gave those young people a gift,” he said.
The ceremony ended with a wine toast to Craig.
Farewell, poet.
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.
