I learned that I’m going to receive the Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award from Literary Arts in April. Portland has been a beautiful city in which to hatch madcap literary projects, including Gumball Poetry, a literary journal published into gumball machines around Portland and in other states, (with creator
Plus: A postcard from Lynda J. Barry and upcoming events in Portland and Clatskanie Truth & Dare is a monthly post that offers one Truth (a writing prompt) and one Dare (an artistic gesture in the world). You might also find: thoughts on writing, art, books and paying attention. You
& Writing Letters in April Two or Three Things I Know for Sure1: Esther Davies Murdock, my grandmother’s great-grandmother, was born in the spring of 1838 in Pickering Town Canada, where apparently “about the country was a big white bear which she saw very often going to and from school.
& Thoughts on the Odes of March For years I’ve taught some version of a letter-writing workshop, (“Experiments With the Letter,” or sometimes “Art of the Letter”) every spring through Lewis & Clark College. This year I’m going to offer it through the university of myself, make it sliding scale,
On broken things, the magpie’s blue and the cultivation of astonishment Welcome to the Odes of March, a global movement a weird literary experiment I hatched to invite people to write an ode a day for 15 days. For those of you just joining us (welcome to Truth & Dare!) you can
On: my smashed hand, an epic basketball move & an invitation to write Greetings. If you’re new to Truth & Dare (thanks and welcome!), here’s how it works: Each month you’ll receive one Truth (a writing prompt) and one Dare (an artistic gesture in the world). I created Truth &
& try writing on foot, shall we? In this post: Writing slow, a Great Horned Cat, and a chance to go postal Greetings to you in this new year, so fresh it’s like a baby just out of the bath. I hope you are well and feeling hopeful. If you need
On letting go of tidy endings & the art of citizen politics by Ai Wei Wei Greetings, friends. It is dark and wet here in Portland as I write from inside an atmospheric river, something that feels like a new phenomenon or at least a new way of thinking about
On banned books, & how maybe it’s okay (even a good sign?) for our kids to feel bad sometimes “It is a real chill out / the genuine thing..” — Gwendolyn Brooks Oh Autumn, how I love you. I can’t help but imagine writers of my favorite fall poems in a
On shabby eccentric artists, and sudden life interruptions I am writing from inside week 5 of a 6-week sabbatical from my job at Street Books, where my only task while away is to avoid tasks altogether, to take it easy once and for all, to rest the brain and heart