WordsWest Literary Series 7 - Death, Taxes, and Poetry with Kelli Russell Agodon and January Gill O'Neil / Favorite Poem by Paul Nojaim of West Seattle Acupuncture

On April 15, 2015, poets Kelli Russell Agodon and January Gill O'Neil joined WordsWest for "Death and Taxes: The National Poetry Month Special" with poems ranging from okra to Oprah to the ephemeral nature of life and what our children will say about us in their tell-all books. Paul Nojaim of West Seattle Acupuncture read a Favorite Poem:  "How Do We Forgive Our Fathers?" by Dick Lourie, as featured in the film Smoke Signals by Sherman Alexie.

Afterward, January led the audience in a writing exercise using one's non-dominant hand as an opportunity to follow new ways to approach familiar topics; and Kelli assembled two "Exquisite Corpses," i.e., poems assembled from short sentences offered by everyone in the audience.

Exquisite Corpse #1
There is a difference between grievance and grief.
Speaking to a confused mother is sad and confusing
I saw her eyes, when I died
The paintings that I make these days are hurting my eyes
I’m clawing my way back to inspiration.
It’s been 37 years + almost 8 years + 8 years ….
In other words our love looked like a gilded dove, a sassafras branch, a locket of smoke.
I can hear you smile.
Another slow sigh. I wonder how much more I can take this.
fields were blankets about me
I pour us more tea and our mouths fill with marmalade.
Sometimes, poetry is the thing that counts.

Exquisite Corpse #2
Oprah has ended her show.
Then we ran to the nearest exit, singing the words to the birthday song.
He thought he needed something
Whenever, I said. Time is sea salty and long.
Avoidance passes well enough for peace
I want to photograph the red fluorescent sign shining outside the coffee shop door.
Clouds gliding overhead
I literally saw the eyes of a killer today … and his newly developed twitch.
“My dreams never come true,” she said. “I keep wishing for my own room. But I don’t have it.”
What does it mean to retire?; dreamy life not death.

This event was sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc. Below are the links to the YouTube video and audio podcast files (2 tracks on the playlist).