By: ELVIS ALVES

From left to right: Lynn Levin, Terence Culleton, Hayden Saunier, and me, with Cheryl Baldi Volta Co-Chair

I recently had the distinct pleasure of sitting on a panel of fellow poets and writers at Volta, Center for Writing Arts at Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA. I was invited to participate in the event by Katherine Falk, a former poet laureate of Bucks County. I first met her when I taught at a private school in the area a few years ago. The event was billed as featuring four writers who have authored a total of 25 books. The other writers on the panel were Hayden Saunier, Lynn Levin, and Terence Culleton. Culleton wrote a blurb for my book, Exile Is Home. We were also on the faculty at the private school at the same time (when I taught in the area).

The questions discussed were prepared in advance for the most part and ran the gamut of having to do with the process of writing, submitting one’s work, and finding a community (sustainable) as a writer. None of us read from our books. The experience reminded me of the importance of being able to talk about one’s work and life as a writer with as much zest as it takes to produce said work. There was the opportunity for audience members to purchase copies of the books after the talk was over. Volta did a superb job promoting the event and, due to this effort, it was well attended.

I stayed in Princeton, NJ, during the visit, a mere 30-minute drive from Bucks County. As is always the case when I am in Princeton, I visited Labyrinth Bookstore. I was glad to see my book, Exile is Home, shelved next to books by Cathy Linh Che and Tiana Clark, both finalists for this year’s National Book Award in poetry. I consider them poet friends.

Most fortuitously, during a second visit to Labyrinth Bookstore the morning of my departure from Princeton, I ran into the poet Patricia Smith, this year’s winner of the prize in poetry (National Book). Smith teaches at Princeton University and was visiting the bookstore with one of her classes. We had a brief conversation—in which I introduced myself as a fellow poet, showing her my book on the shelf—and she told me that she planned to purchase a poetry book for each of the students in her class. Wow—what a wonderful way to celebrate and encourage the reading of poetry. And of course I purchased a copy of her latest collection, The Intentions of Thunder, and had her sign it for me.

Enjoy this post, along with other intriguing writing from Elvis Alves, here.