Giving, Thanks . . .

An Offering

Trace the curve of the gibbous moon

Sip slowly a cold glass of water                                                        

Taste the first bite of autumn’s apples

Breathe deeply– the air of one breath

Enter the cathedral of forever woods

Kneel between rows of the garden’s raised beds

Smell the wet earth drifting toward sleep

Hold a hand that has been left empty

Look up to the sky and wonder

If this answers what you’re waiting for.                                            

M.J.Iuppa

** First appeared in The Wild Goose Poetry Review

Susan Deer Cloud visits Rochester's Memorial Art Gallery 

Poets Walk.  Here she is next to her poem.

photo taken by Roja Singh.

 

Susan Deer Cloud's visit was  everything I had hoped for.  Her poetry is bold and honest, a voice that captures time and place and the heart of its narrative makes a listener stop and think about the daily consequences of our living.  I have been Susan's company twice and I am at ease,but also surprised by what she may say or do, which means she  isn't rehearsed but in the moment.

Her latest collection Fox Mountain  (Foothills Publishing) is a strong sequence of poems dedicated to place.                

Big Pencil Awards

at Writers and Books 

11/16/2013

 

The evening focuses on acknowledging those people and groups responsible for enriching the Rochester community through literature.

Local Honorees:

• Gregory Gerard – A teacher of adults who has inspired the creation and appreciation of literature

• Donna Marbach – A teacher of young people who has inspired the creation and appreciation of literature

• Mary Widger – An individual who has made significant contributions to Writers & Books

• Steven Huff – An individual who has made lifelong contributions to Rochester’s literary community

• Patricia Braus on behalf of Rochester Education Foundation’s program Give Back, Give Books – An organization that has made significant contrubutions to the Rochester literary community

• David Schickler – A writer who has had an impact on Rochester Readers

The evening was delightful. Congratulations to all the winners.  Well-deserved.



Today, 11/17/2013, at Books ETC in Macedon NY,  4-5:30 p.m.David Michael Nixon and I will be reading from our poetry.  David and I planned this reading as a braid of two voices.  David also promises to sing.  He has an exceptional voice, long standing member of Golden Links.

So if you're out and about before the big windstorm arrives, please join us!

 
  

                                                                    

Susan Deer Cloud Reading November 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

St John Fisher’s

Visual and Performing Arts Minor Program

&

Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Programs

Present

Poet Susan Deer Cloud

Reading from her newest poetry collection

Fox Mountain

(Foothills Publishing, 2013)

Susan Deer Cloud is a mixed lineage mountain Indian from the Catskills.  An alumna of Binghamton University (B.A. and M.A.) and Goddard College (MFA), she is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, two New York State Foundation for the Arts Poetry Fellowships, an Elizabeth George Foundation Grant and a Chenango County Council for the Arts Individual Artist Grant. Her work has been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies; her most recent books are Braiding Starlight, The Last Ceremony & Car Stealer.

~ She likes to eat blueberries in winter and sing to feral cats. ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thursday, November 14th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

St. John Fisher College ~ Golisano Gateway Midlevel

Free and Open to the Public ~ Book signing to follow reading

Contact: M.J.Iuppa   (585) 385-8412

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This reading/program is sponsored by a grant from Poets & Writers, which is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

Poetry & Music

Whew! What a week. Here are two highlights:

Susan Deer Cloud Reading on March 18, 2009.

It was a pleasure working with Susan. She's a kind and generous artist, with strong politics and insight. Her reading was a mix of lyric and lyric-narratives, poems from The Last Ceremony (Foothills Publishing) and other poems that will be included in a new chapbook. Her poetry is retrospective and introspective. Poems shift focus from the personal to the world and back to the personal. She speaks from her whole life experience. I loved her explanation of her Bear medicine bag. It was a beautiful hand beaded bag,(the bead design looked like earth, sky, water and fire), and inside she had a secret "medicine" pouch (The one I wanted to hold-- it was wrapped in a turquoise cloth-- not open, mind you. Just hold, but I know better. The bag was a gift just for her).

The following day, we had a picnic outside to celebrate Spring. We ate and talked about many things. We listened to each other. Spent a couple of hours together. Then, she headed back to Binghamton. It was a gorgeous day to drive. Head strong blue skies. When she got home, she sent me an email to say that she had arrived safely. I think our conversations will continue.

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Went to the RPO on Thursday night with my Encounters class and we heard Haydn's Creation.
It intrigues me, trying to imagine this work performed in the late 1700's. I'm sure the audience then was as impressed as we were when they heard the bold brilliance of the music at God's command: let there be LIGHT!


I believe I heard musical phrases that pay tribute to Handel's "Messiah." (Is that right, Rebecca?) I like its connection to Milton's Paradise Lost too. The appearance of Adam and Eve, even though it demonstrates their love, made me moody. I'm not keen on the vow of obedience.


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