The Webs We Weave: the Close-Knit Community of the Santa Barbara Poetry Scene
Melinda Palacio -- June 11, 2009
It's no wonder there is a return to poetry after the Jesusita fire forced the evacuation of a third of Santa Barbara's population. Even our Poet Laureate, David Starkey, who himself housed a few fire evacuees, moved family and house guests for one day of evacuation. Thanks to the vibrant poetry scene of our town, there's no lack in readings, workshop, and book signings. The poetry community in Santa Barbara is tight-knit and hardworking. For example, Poet-in-Schools Chryss Yost was evacuated, but she was ready to brave the fire to travel to Goleta's Hollister School to give her weekly lesson.
Poet Laureate Emeritus Barry Spacks
A week after evacuations were lifted, I attended a poetry workshop by Barry Spacks. The event was sponsored by the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, the weeklong summer conference is taking a hiatus this year due to the economy. Learning from a seasoned master is always a treat. The SBWC will offer another workshop with Chyrss Yost on June 14. The one-day workshop covers Repetition, Rhythm, and Rhyme: Using Formal Techniques in Your Poetry. The next two in the series feature workshops with Perie Longo, The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Narrative Poetry, on September 13 and David Starkey,At Your Best: Cultivating Your Poetic Strengths, on October 18, all set in the upstairs room of the Blue Agave with an incredible lunch at the restaurant. The Blue Agave is also home to a five-year institution of poetry, Faves as locals call it. Every third Monday of the month at 5:15pm, lovers of poetry gather to read their favorite poem. There's only one rule: You can't read your own poems . The idea was first proposed by Barry Spacks and Neal Crosby offered the upstairs space of his restaurant. Host Lois Klein says a sense of community has kept the readings going.
"Because it's not our own work, the "ego" aspect is shed and we go right for the deeper level of sharing that poetry provides. The atmosphere of coziness also contributes -- tables with tiny beaded lights, fireplace, skylight, comfy couch, and a brass reading lamp that is poetry itself! Sipping a glass of wine or a cup of tea adds to the ambiance."
On the second Saturday of the month at 2pm, poets have a chance to test out their own works at the Poetry Zone's Open Mic reading, at the Karpeles Manuscript Library, 21 West Anapamu Street, Downtown Santa Barbara. What's interesting about the Poetry Zone is its affiliation with a print journal, Sage Trail Poetry Magazine, dedicated to none other than poetry.
The Santa Barbara poetry thread from Sage Trail lead to Sojourner Kincaid Rolle who recently signed copies of her new book of poems Black Street at Chaucer's. The reading truly showed a community at work. Sojourner is one of Sage Trail's advisory editors. She's had the support of the Center for Black Studies Research at UCSBin many of her community endeavors. Poet Chryss Yost was instrumental in publishing Rolle's manuscript. "What luck to have a gifted poet, an experienced editor, and a talented graphic artist like Chryss Yost design my precious book," said Rolle. In addition to teaching workshops with the Granada's Music & Arts Conservancy and the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, Yost works as the editor of of the Journal of Haitian Studies and publication manager for the Center for Black Studies. Red Hen Press will publish Yost's first full length book of poems in 2010.
Santa Barbara Poets Respond to
the work of Yinka Shonibare
Yost also lent her designing skills to producing the poster for the local events of April's Poetry Month. She will also be involved in producing a chapbook for the Poetry of Science reading which took place last week, June 5th at the Fe Bland auditorium. The event paired scientists with poets and was so successful that Poet Laureate David Starkey promises to continue the process next year. Poets are no strangers to pairings. Ink Byte Co-editor, Steve Beisner discusses the pairing of poetry and art in his article on the Shonibare exhibit, an event I hosted at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I also had the pleasure of working with Marine Ecologist Mary O'Connor for the Poetry of Science pairings.
The end of summer culminates with two poetry conference, the 9th Annual Santa Barbara Poetry Workshop, a weekend with three S.B. Poet Laureates at Westmont College, Perie Longo, Barry Spacks, and David Starkey, August 1-3 and California Poets in the Schools will host their 45th Symposium on Friday August 28th, including an optional half-day intensive with David Starkey, at La Casa de Maria Retreat Center. There's no shortage of poetry connections in Santa Barbara. Write a poem!