Wyoming Arts Council

Jackson launches Valentine's Day week Feb. 9 with reading by six local poets


From the Teton County Public Library in Jackson:

Six local poets will kick of Valentine’s week with an evening of literary fireworks as they read original works – from narrative to rhyme, from the comedic to the sublime. The audience will be encouraged to ask questions following the reading, titled Shooting Stars, Falling Objects, on Monday, Feb. 9, 6-7:30 p.m., in Teton County Library’s Auditorium B. Co-sponsored by the library and Jackson Hole Writers, the reading will include a reception with Valentine cookies, coffee and teas.

“We are fairly excited by the writing we foster in our Jackson Hole Writers poetry group,” explained Connie Wieneke. “We just thought it would be a lovely gift to share our wide range of poetry with the community in which we live.”

Although Wyoming seems isolated from the happening places for poetry, writers here benefit from the Library’s and the Writers’ ability to draw critically respected poets for workshops throughout the year. On April 22, the Library will present poet Claudia Rankine, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle awards for the best books of 2014 for her book of poetry, “Citizen: An American Lyric.” In June, the Writers’ Conference will bring poets Joe Wilkins and Eric Paul Shaffer to Jackson. “So there is plenty of opportunity to hone our craft,” Wieneke noted.

For February’s reading, Shooting Stars, Falling Objects, here’s what the poets say about themselves and the poetry they write:

Susan Austin lives in Felt, Idaho with her partner and dog Lulu. In her poetry, she is currently intrigued by orogeny, from the perspective of how over time things fold together.

Matt Daly discovered he could make more headway on a poem than a novel during an infant’s nap after his son was born. He has been writing poetry ever since, even though nap time disappeared some time ago. Matt teaches in Wyoming and elsewhere.

Cassandra Lee is an enthusiastic observer of social dynamics. She is not an Introvert. She is not an Extravert. She is just a Vert. She ungulates between calmly enjoying the chaos and apocalyptic crises. She likes words because they echo our universal joys and wounds.

Susan Marsh has been writing poetry since the late 1960s when she was in high school, always in an attempt to dive into the inner nut of experience and emotions, with one foot well planted in the world outside herself. Her poems have been published in various journals and formats, and she is working on a collection.

Brian Nystrom is a contractor and poet, a builder of homes and poems. He believes that every home should be lived in, and that every poem is a love poem.

Connie Wieneke has been writing poetry since she was a teenager. She is happy to say that her post-menopausal writing is better than her pubescent musings. Her poems have been published in literary journals, but she continues to keep her various day jobs for a time.

You can find Teton County Library online at www.tclib.org, call us at 307.733.2164 or visit us at 125 Virginian Lane, Jackson WY, 83001.


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