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Northwest Passages: Paulann Petersen
Oregon's new poet laureate, Paulann Petersen, believes poetry is for everyone. She told the laureate committee that
Poetry is not the domain of just a few, not the realm of the elite. Poetry is as natural and accessible as heartbeat and breath.
Petersen came to poetry relatively late herself. She'd always read passionately, but contemporary poetry only caught her eye when she was a housewife raising young children in Klamath Falls. She says poetry brought her to poetry — simply falling in love with what she was reading.
I had found some of the poetry that was spinning out of the poets of the day, of the moment — so fresh its ink was barely dry. I guess the desire to be a writer was there, inside me, waiting. A strong desire. I'd found what took my breath away, what I most wanted to read, to hear. And I began to write it.
She writes in "sonic riffs" — letting words take her where they are going through sound as well as meaning. She is a passionate teacher, and as poet laureate hopes to bring a technique she says has revolutionized her poetry workshops to teachers in every part of Oregon. (She wrote about the technique in this downloadable essay (.doc), which was originally published in the Oregon English Journal.)
If you've read her work or taken a workshop from her, what did you experience? What would you like Paulann Petersen to do as Oregon's poet laureate?
Or — another way to join the conversation — tell us what you think when you read this Paulann Petersen poem, "When Meeting: the other" from her most recent book, Kindle.
Given arms, the sun
would choose to grow many.
Having many narrow arms,
the sun would — at each limb's end —
flare into a palm and fingers,
into the curves made for reaching.Extremities of flame, of shine.
Hands that carry enough
heat and light to give away.Be that sun. One small sun.
Tagged as: books · northwest passages · paulann petersen
Photo credit: Sabina Samiee
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I had the great, good fortune of being in a couple of English classes taught by Ms. Petersen when I was in high school. I particularly appreciated the care and effort she made introducing us to poetry.
If it weren't for her, I highly doubt I would have discovered my enjoyment of such works, particularly of Robert Frost.
Thank you again, Ms. Petersen, for all you gave us. :-)
Farrell Hopkins
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It must have been 1991, she was my teacher. I remember what she said to me, "You always have to do things your own way." But it wasn't mean, it was encouraging. I was always late and stoned, but I read the books. . . and I really liked her because she dressed like my mom, a hippie. And she had amazing hands, she would read with all of her fingers.
polly bangs
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This comment has been removed by the TOL staff.
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Poetry is elitist, certainly at this point in time. It rather makes sense that it is! It is esoteric, the community that gets to decide what is good or bad poetry, or at least what is relevant poetry is working based on fashion and trend, more so then with general fiction. The worth of poetry, like that of contemporary art is very much based on where it stands in relation to the past, whether the style is furthering things, whether it is new---some may say 'superficially new.' This disparity is greater in poetry then other forms of literature, because poetry has less of a literal function, it is up for interpretation, this is perhaps part of its minimal nature. When you strip things down to such a level, the collective worth often becomes harder to determine, and personal taste plays a greater factor in response. Of course other forms of fiction can be modern and experimental, but poetry in a sense always is, or at least what is considered 'good poetry' is. And, poetry that is accessible is generally considered 'not very good.' In other words, poetry is a purer aesthetic, or it is largely all an aesthetic, and style plays a greater role or a more central role in poetry, then in other literature. So, really, what difference does it make if poetry is considered elitist? If poetry gets a wider audience by being more accessible, the 'good poetry' is still going to remain elitist. Even in fiction, the 'good fiction' is generally the elitist fiction. The important factor in discussing poetry and elitism, seems to me, whether current poetry is at all timeless, or isn't time-based or time-relevant, and how much of it might be a response to what has been done, or commentary, rather then a new thing in itself.
For me, the problems of poetry surround this question: Is poetry the essence of things, or is it a blurring of the essence. More simply, is poetry really removing words and finding the precise words to achieve clarity, or is it finding the words to abstract any intelligible meaning. With a lot of arts, it is disappointing to discover that the conceptual component is utterly banal, and the abstraction is not a means, but a diffusion, a smoke screen. When you discover the concept you are often just bored with it.
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I thought poetry used rhyming words. Is what a lot of people call poetry actually "prose"?
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"I scream, you scream, we all scream for Paulann!" Does this sound at all familiar? It was your slogan when you ran for student body president at Richmond. I voted for you and so did everyone else -- we liked you, but we also liked the pictures of ice cream on your posters.
Your work has come a long way since then. I wonder which teachers at Franklin might have helped "kindle" your poetic spirit?
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When talking about 'sonic riffs,' what does sound mean? Is it just the aesthetic literal sound of the words being said, or is it also the symbolism of the words, or the image in our minds that creates the 'sound'---however, ethereal or abstract that sound may be? How does Ms. Petersen balance clarity and sound? Or do you have to...?
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Concerning "Miracle": the American culture is one descended of risk-takers. Americans tend to ignore the dangers. Do other cultures pay more attention to the numerous alternatives to the one desired outcome, than we do?
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Every poetry writing book starts out with a caveat you will not get rich writing poetry. Poetry does make money. Slogans, tag-lines, lyrics, headlines, stand up comedy, moments of transcendent prose are poetry. In the same way graphic artists steal or borrow from street art ads, rock giants steal or borrow from blues. Look for the poetry in any writing.
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I love this series--such a great look at the diverse writing landscape of the Northwest. Another idea for a show might be to have Jeff Baker, Oregonian books editor. He's written a series of profiles on Northwest writers at work: http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2009/09/northwest_writers.html
Jeff will also be teaching a class on this at PSU this summer, with guest visits by NW writers:
http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2010/06/katherine_dunn_willy_vlautin_d.html
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Oregon has never had a poet laureate who has been a public school teacher. This is a tremendous opportunity for aspiring writers of all ages. How does Paulann hope to join her experience as writer and teacher in her work as Oregon's Poet Laureate?
Kim Stafford
SW Portland