I Believe in Poetry
Poets Remind Us of the Power of the Medium
Three amazing poets kicked off the Café Muse 2025 season with an outstanding inaugural program. If you didn’t catch it, you can always see it on the Café Muse YouTube Channel, and while you’re there, feel free to subscribe or browse the library of programs dating back to 2020. This week I want to look at three break-out poems that highlight the talents of Monday night’s poets.
Jason Gebhardt - Parables
I first met Jason years ago when we were both starting out taking workshops at the Writer’s Center. Parables, a narrative poem with lyrical, Frost-like touches shows Jason at his best.
“Perhaps it’s better not to know where a thing comes from / than to merely believe you do.” Words that can be applied to any number of the world’s wonders.
Don Illich - Man Becomes Pig
Working the event as a technical producer, it came as quite a real-time surprise to hear my name called out by Don Illich in connection with his poem, Man Becomes Pig. Don’s poem is a great example of his gift for surrealism as an expanding universe of limitless imagination.
I’m guessing that the poem of mine he’s referring to is one about factory farming, The Secret Suffering which I featured here a few months back when it was published.
Brenardo - I Believe in Poetry
Brenardo (Andre Taylor) capped off the night with a spectacular, spoken-word Ars Poetica: I believe in Poetry.
As we embark on what will surely be troubling times, Brenardo shows us the way of light.
Silence is Not an Option - The Oceans Don’t Get a Vote
I must confess that it has been hard to keep writing as the institutions that have kept us safe for free expression are under attack. Nevertheless, I’ve taken to heart something that Ethelbert Miller said back in November, if you’re a writer, you can’t stay silent.
So let me add one simple idea to the rivers of ink that have been written about the election. No, the oceans didn’t get a vote.
Coming Up
The Winter in America poetry anthology is now set with two launch parties in Zoom scheduled for Sunday, January 19 at 11am PST and Monday, January 20 at 5 pm PST. I’ll have more information next week. The list of poets includes Grace Cavalieri, Luther Jett, me and many, many others concerned about the new direction taken by this country.
Have a reading or event coming up? Let me know and I’ll pass it along. And as always, feel free to email me with questions or comments at henrycrawfordpoetry@gmail.com. Stay creative!
If you’d like me to list an upcoming poetry event in Everyday Poet, please let me know by emailing me at henrycrawfordpoetry@gmail.com. Use the subject: “Coming Up”.