Dead Poets Society of America

Poets Laureate Fill Museum with Passion

An article in the University Daily Kansan reviewed the reading by Ted Kooser and other State Poets Laureate which took place at the Spencer Museum of Art this past Sunday.

"An Alaskan honored the late John Haines and illustrated blue ribbon eels with neon mouths that coughed near Fiji. A western aide revisited a parasite dipping tank in Zaire. A student begged a teacher to taste the syllables of her haiku.

These speakers were three of the ten poet laureates who read for the “Poet Laureati” Sunday at the Spencer Museum of Art. A collection of poet laureates’ works, “An Endless Skyway,” was released at the event."

Poe The Action Hero

Poe The Action Hero from ChiefFallingLeaf on Vimeo.

Keats' Afterlife: Stanley Plumly Book looks A+

I just read a review (and then bought on Amazon) the Stanley Plumly book:

Posthumous Keats: A Personal Biography

Looks like a great read, and it will arrive before I head to Greece and Rome, where I will scale the heights of Mount Parnassus and then skip across the sea to the graves of Keats,  Shelley, and Corso.

200th Grave Reached!

After more than 2 years of a long, strange and wonderful journey (living on deds, Vitamin B, and caffeine), I found my 200th poet's grave yesterday-- in New Jersey, of all places. YAHOO and Praise the Lord!

it was raining, I was tired, but the life and poetry of Afred Gibbs Campbell seemed to be calling from the grave, and I just happened to drive into the entrance to a Party Store. So.....sometime around 5 PM, in ye olde Presbyterian graveyard in Mercerville, we had a happy deadday party, complete with Carvel ice cream, a top hat, shiny red beads, candles and a party popper that shot confetti into the grey, rainy sky.

Then, as the clock struck six, and the lovely old hymns came melodiously flowing from the weather-beaten steeple, we sent up to Alred  a ballon saying "Welcome Home" It was a great way to celebrate a Grand Finale to roughly 20,000 miles of good times and good friends in search of the graves of America's poets (those buried East of the Mississippi)

I would like to thank all of those fabulous people I met along the way who made dead poets come alive by your readings, and for showing me that poetry lives through your lives.

What's next? Well, since you asked....if you don't mind funding it I will lead you next summer  on a one month journey through Ireland, England, France, Italy, Poland and Austria to visit the graves of American poets buried abroad. (See, the map is already done)

A Six Grave Day!

Dedgar has been gravehoping again....this time from Maine to Jack Kerouac, to Rachel Field and Robert Johnson, both in Stockbridge, MA, then to Edna St. Vincent Millay and her mother, Cora, and finally to Anthony Hecht, who is buried in the Bard College cemetery.

What a beautiful day! Can see why people like the Millay's would move to the Berkshires. Must say that Anthony Hecht's grave was the nicest and most interesting, though it isn't fair to compare it with Millay's, as hers is unique.

Up in the morning at 5:30 to go to the grave of the poet you all know, but don't know. I'll give you a hint: he wrote a book about Christmas that has become perhaps the most-translated book in publishing history, at least in the children's book category. I would be VERY surprised if anyone guesses correctly!

America's Native Son Buried in Paris

His Grave in Paris
Originally uploaded on Flickr by noriegorie7

I stumbled upon the fascinating story of Richard Wright's last years living in Paris, where he is also buried. He became enamored with Haiku while living in self-imposed exile, and a collection of some of them them was printed as "Haiku: This Other World."

Stanley Kunitz : Strange House

Stanley Kunitz StrangeHouse
Originally uploaded by gravelight