PORT TOWNSEND — When Rob Lewis appears in Thursday’s Earth Day poetry reading and discussion, he hopes to offer something out of the ordinary.
“I know I’ll be reading a poem called ‘I Went Looking For the Wild One,’” he said Tuesday afternoon. But the poet and activist will leave the rest of his set open.
“This reading,” he said, “will give listeners a chance to delve deeper than the technical fixes offered up as climate solutions, to feeling, empathy and imagination.”
Lewis, who is from Samish Island in Skagit County, is just one of the poets set to share their words at 7 p.m. Thursday in the next Northwind Reading Series event.
The online program is free to the public via Zoom; to obtain the link, go in advance to https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/north windreads. This will take you to the Survey Monkey site, which will provide a link to the event.
Ann Spiers.
Also poised to read and converse are Cedar Sigo, who grew up on the Suquamish Reservation, and Ann Spiers, Vashon Island’s poet laureate.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating Earth Day with these three fine nature poets — and look forward not only to them sharing their poems, but also to a discussion of the role of the poet in speaking up and for the earth,” said Holly Hughes, a Northwind Reading Series organizer.
The 90-minute evening will explore the value of “including as many voices as possible, especially indigenous voices,” she said.
Hughes also encourages viewers to bring their questions and join in the conversation.
Sigo, who now lives in Lofall, Kitsap County, is the author of eight books and pamphlets of poetry including “Stranger in Town” on City Lights Books and “Expensive Magic” on House Press.
These days he’s working with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo on the forthcoming Norton Anthology of Native American Poetry.
Lewis, besides being a writer and activist, owns Earth Craft Painting and is working to revive the use of local wild clays to paint people’s work and living spaces.
Spiers is the co-writer of “Walks, Trails and Parks on Vashon Island,” and this year has published “Rain Violent” on Empty Bowl Press, among other works.
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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladaily news.com.
Cedar Sigo.
