My Hometown’s Making National News

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Over the last several days, my hometown of Scranton has been in the news, including a feature story on NPR, an article on FoxNews.com, an article on the HuffingtonPost.com, and a mention on CNN, Unfortunately, Scranton has not been a news maker for any positive reason. Media outlets are focusing on the old coal mining city because it’s utterly broke, and Mayor Chris Doherty has decided to pay the police officers and firefighters minimum wage, despite a judge stating that it is illegal to do so.

Scranton’s financial woes are nothing new. Since the loss of the coal mining industry, the city has never recovered. Every 10 years, with every new census report, the city’s population shrinks, and now stands at about 78,000. There have been numerous revitalization projects and a lot of money poured into beautifying the city. Some of the efforts have strengthened local arts and culture. Scranton does have a wonderful First Friday art walk, a growing literary community, and a small music scene. However, the city struggles to maintain young people, due to the lack of industry and  a stable work force.

Now the city leaders have to determine how to solve this massive debt. A headline in the local paper the other day read that the city is broke, and only has $5,000. Unfortunately, the mayor and the city council president, Janet Evans, have not been able to address the issue because they are political foes and spend most of their time threatening to sue each other. It is like that the city will have to raise taxes and there is talk of a commuter tax, meaning that employees that work in the city but don’t live there will have to pay a tax to Scranton. The city already has a high tax rate, and it’s likely that a massive tax hike will drive even more people away.

What a lot of the stories didn’t touch on is that Scranton isn’t the only place with major financial woes. Other small cities and infrastructures are crumbling, due to a grim economic outlook, tight state budgets, and  little help from the federal government because one political party is hellbent on austerity. But cities like Scranton desperately need help, especially when its own leaders fail to solve the crisis.

For more info about the financial mess in Scranton, you can read or listen to the NPR story here.

From Poetry to Fiction

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This summer, I’m teaching English 211: Intro to Creative Writing, a class I’ve taught a few times in the past. I split the course into two genres, poetry and fiction. The more times I teach this class, the more I realize there is a lot prose writers can learn from writing poetry, and I tell my students that, especially when some of them groan about having to write poetry. The genre teaches writers compression, to cut out all of the fat. During workshop sessions, I tell my students to ensure that ever word in their lines counts, and to remove what they don’t need, especially conjunctions and prepositions. This skill of careful editing  is useful in fiction because you don’t want your short story or novel to get bogged down by unnecessary details and extraneous sentences. Poetry teaches a writer to make every word matter, to capture a reader’s attention from the first line.

There are other techniques paramount to poetry that are useful in fiction, especially extended metaphors, similes, and concrete imagery.  In fact, image/metaphor/simile/sensory detail are the first techniques I cover in the poetry section. These tools energize the language and imagination, and they do the same things when employed in prose.

Right now, my class just started the fiction unit, and as someone who writes poetry and thinks about it daily, it’s nice to step away from my familiar genre. Meanwhile, the students now have some techniques they learned from writing poetry that they can use in their fiction.

The Varying Voices of America

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I hope that everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July week! This year, to celebrate the holiday, I’m rereading the book Working by Studs Terkel, a collection of interviews about what people do for a living. All professions are covered, everything from teachers to sports agents to secretaries.

I came to Terkel’s work fairly late, long after he passed away. I first heard of him after seeing a blurb he wrote for Kevin Coval’s book Everyday People, which, much like Terkel’s work, is a celebration of the working-class in Chicago, though told in poetry. A few years later, I found Terkel’s book Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression at a used bookstore. Then I picked up Working, and now I’m going back to it as a way to think about America during this holiday week.

I like Terkel a lot as a historian because he does a good job capturing America as best as he can, giving voice to all classes and all races, as well as both genders. In some regards, I think Terkel did a better job addressing America than Howard Zinn, who always told history from the underclass’ point of view. Terkel covers both sides and lets all voices speak. If you haven’t checked out his work, please do. You can find much of his work used and in libraries.

The Wise Owl and Poets’ Quarterly

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Yesterday, I read at The Wise Owl Bookstore in West Reading, and if you’re in the area, I recommend stopping there. It’s a quaint bookstore with a lot of contemporary fiction, some classic literature, a little poetry and drama, and some non-fiction. The books range from new to used, and the store also has some $5 bag sales.

Each month, the owner books a few author events and other activities, and you can find out more info by clicking here. Visiting that store made me miss the used bookstores I used to frequent when I lived in West Chester and the Philly area, and it made me long for Anthology New and Used books, which was a staple of a Scranton literary community for a few years, before it closed last year. You never know what gems you’ll find at indie bookstores.

I was joined yesterday by poet Dawn Leas and fiction writers Gale Martin and Barb Taylor. They did a wonderful job reading, and we had an attentive, enthusiastic audience that asked some good questions regarding our writing process, publishing, and inspiration after our reading.

Here is a picture of all the readers.

 

I also want to share some other news. Poets’ Quarterly just relaunched, and you should check it out. The journal is unique because it does not publish any actual poetry, but rather interviews with poets, book reviews, and critical essays. I was named one of the contributing editors to the journal a few months ago, and I’m happy to have a review and essay in the new issue. The review is of Sandee Gertz Umbach’s debut collection of poems The Pattern Maker’s Daughter. If you are into working-class poetry, check out her work and the review by clicking here. The essay I wrote is about the musical influences of  Patricia Smith, Major Jackson, and Kevin Coval, and how hip-hop, jazz, and the blues has influenced the form and content of their poetry. You check out that essay here.  Read the rest of the issue too because it’s packed with a lot of great content.

And the Affordable Care Act Lives On

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A few months ago, when the solicitor general was arguing in favor of the Affordable Care Health in front of the nine Supreme Court Justice, I felt, as did many others, that Obama’s signature health-care law was doomed. The justices, other than the four usually liberal ones, had stern questions regarding the bill, including Chief Justice John Roberts, who continually questioned whether or not the federal government has the power to make people buy health insurance.By 2014, the bill will require that 30 million uninsured people buy insurance, and if they can’t afford it, they will be a given a tax credit/government subsidies to do so.

When I learned of the ruling today, I was shocked, especially since Roberts was the one who joined four liberal justices in voting to uphold all of the law. My hunch is that Roberts does not want to be on the wrong side of history. Another health-care bill is not going to be discussed, not with the government as divided and partisan as it is. I think Roberts and the other four justices that voted to uphold the law realized this could be the only shot in a long, long time at revamping and improving our health-care system and granting health-care coverage to millions of more Americans.

Shortly after the court’s ruling, Mitt Romney got on TV and vowed to repeal the bill if elected president. However, that likely won’t happen. He would need at least 60 votes in the Senate to get that, and it won’t happen, especially if the Dems maintain control of the Senate. Romney also doesn’t have much room to rail against the law, since he passed the same exact thing in MA when he was governor, and said  in 2006 that the mandate should be the model for the rest of the country.

President Obama still has a lot of work to do explaining to the American people what is in the bill and how it impacts them. Here are some positives of the law:

Young people can stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26.

Insurance companies will not be able to deny people coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

Women will no longer pay higher premiums than men.

Seniors will get discounts on their prescription drugs.

About 30 million uninsured people will have to buy insurance by 2014, when the mandate kicks in, and if they can’t afford it, they will be given a tax credit/government subsidies to do so.

I was not a fan of the mandate back in 2010, and I wanted the Democrats to push for a public option, but I understand that this is a first step, and by 2014, millions of American will be insured. I am also optimistic that a lot of states will go to single-payer, nearly universal healthcare coverage. I say this because the law states that by 2016, states can set up whatever healthcare systems they want, and they don’t have to create a pool of just private insurance companies. Vermont and Montana are nearing creating a single-payer system, and it is predicted to save the states a lot of money. If it succeeds there, it will most likely spread to other states.

Upcoming Readings

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I have a few readings coming up over the next few weeks that I want to share.

On Tuesday, June 26, I’m reading at the Osterhout Library in Wilkes-Barre. The reading starts at 6:30 p.m., and I’ll be joined by Charlie O’Donnell, Dawn Leas, Richard Aston, and Rachael Goetzke. An open mic will follow the featured reading portion of the event.

On Saturday, June 30, I’m reading at the Wise Owl Bookstore, located at 624 Penn Ave. in West Reading, PA. I’ll be joined by Dawn Leas, Barb Taylor, and Gale Martin. The reading starts at 1 p.m., and a Q & A will follow.

On Sunday, July 9, I’m taking part in a reading for the Drawing Social held at the AFA Gallery in Scranton, starting at 7 p.m. The event is being organized by local writer Rich Howells.

Finally, on Thursday, August 2, I’m reading at Farley’s Bookshop, located at 44 South Main Street in New Hope. A Q & A will follow that reading, which starts at 8 p.m.

If you’re in the area, you should also stop by the Library Express Bookstore in the Steamtown Mall this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for a poety open mic. There will be 12 open spots, so get there early to sign up.

My Newfound Love of Larry Levis

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A few years ago at the AWP Conference in Chicago, I picked up The Selected Levis, a collection of poems from all 6 of Larry Levis’ books. I waited until the last day to purchase the book from the University of Pittsburgh Press’ table, when all of the books were $5 or less. For a few years, I had heard about Larry Levis, and listened to my friends gush over his work. At the time, I rushed through the book, finishing the 200-plus pages in a few days, but his work didn’t click with me. I simply wasn’t into his expansive, meditative poetry. I really wanted to like the book, especially since Levis studied under one of my favorite poets, Philip Levine.

This summer, however, I returned to the same book.   When I visited Levis’ work the first time, I rushed through it, taking little away. This time was different. On almost every page, I found nuggets of outstanding images and deep contemplations. Levis did an excellent job at what Pound called “poetic leaps of imagination,” striking rich, interesting metaphors and similes. For instance, in the poem “Fish,” dedicated to Levine, Levis compares being stopped by a cop to being held up like a fish. He writes, “He feels the huge bones/surrounding my eyes/and he runs a thumb under them/lifting my eyelids/as if they were/envelops filled with the night.”

Levis’ work also impresses me because it is an extension of working-class poetry, similar to Levine’s work. While Levine wrote about the Detroit factory worker, Levis focused on Latino grape pickers in California.”Picking Grapes in an Abandoned Vineyard” is an especially beautiful poem.

If you want to check out any of Levis’ full-length collections, I recommend Wrecking Crew, which has some gritty poems about California, or The DollMaker’s Ghost, or Winter Stars, which features longer, meditative poems about Levis’ relationship with his father.

If you want a nice overview of his work, check out The Selected Levis.

You can also find a few of his poems here.

The Enthusiasm Gap

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After working for the Obama campaign a few months over the spring, before and after the April primary, I took a little break from politics to undertake other things going on in my life. However, once I finished teaching for the spring semester, I was eager to get involved with the campaign again, so last night, Jenna and I took part in a voter registration drive around Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square. I’ve worked on different presidential campaigns since 2004, and I’ve always liked the voter registration drives the best, certainly a lot more than making phone calls and knocking on doors. Voter registration draws less combative people.

As we circled the square several times yesterday with clipboards in hand, I noticed a major attitude shift compared to the 2008 campaign. Several people we encountered simply did not want to register to vote for either party or either candidate. A few people just threw their hands in the air and walked away. I assume that some of them are fed up with the gridlock between the White House and GOP-controlled House that they don’t want any part of the system. Maybe others feel like their voice doesn’t count. In 2008, though, we always had people eager to sign up to vote.

It’s quite probable that a lot of people are disappointed in the president, though none of them said so to our faces. In 2008 a lot folks, especially young people, were eager to register and vote for him. But three years later, the economy is still shaky and the president’s agenda is stalled, due to the gridlock. Maybe the enthusasm gap is partially the president’s fault for running on the lofty taglines of hope and change in 2008, but it is also naive to think that any single politician can fix anything in one term, considering how close this country came in 2008 to a total financial meltdown, before the president took the oath of office. When I watched people walk away or listened to them say they aren’t at all interested in politics, I had to keep my thoughts to myself. I wanted to shake some of these people and ask them, how can you not pay attention to anything? I’ve always had friends deeply interested in current events, and I come from a family where everyone votes in elections. Our politicians and community organizers need to do a far better job making people believe that they still do have a say, even in the age of Citizens United where corporations can donate unlimited money to candidates. I’m also a firm believer that if you are fed up, get up and do something. Run for office or get involved in your community in other ways.

Regardless of which party people vote for, I hope they get out and vote. The difference between both parties and their vision for this country hasn’t been so stark in a few decades, and this is probably going to be a razor-thin election, so yes, every vote does count, especially in swing states, which includes PA.

10 Books Every American Should Read?

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The Huffington Post has  a short, interesting article/list dubbed “10 Books Every American Should Read,” which includes The Federalist Papers, Common Sense, The Grapes of Wrath, Invisible Man, and other works. Of the list, there are only two books I haven’t read- Gone with the Wind and Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee. You can see the full list here. I agree with much of it, but I wondered why The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and a few other novels didn’t make the cut. I suppose it’s hard to pick just 10, and maybe the list should have been expanded to 20, or even 50. No matter what kind of list is composed, it’s likely people would disagree with it.

If you made a list of the top 10 books every American should read, what would be on it? Does poetry have a place on the list? What about Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, or Frost’s early books that address New England farm life? I can also see a place for Ginsberg’s “Howl,” Eliot’s “The Waste Land,” and much of Langston Hughes’ work that did such a fine job capturing racial tension in America and also the speech and language of inner-city life. Maybe poetry should have its own list.

Scranton ZineFest

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If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you should stop at New Visions Studio and Gallery in Scranton Saturday for the second Scranton ZineFest. From noon-6, there will be tables filled with zines, journals, books, arts and crafts. This year, the vendors are coming from all along the East Coast, and there is even one coming from Canada. Following the tabling, there will be a poetry reading at 7 p.m. featuring Jason Lucarelli, Steve Keating, Rachael Goetzke, Alexis Czencz Belluzzi, Rich Howells, William James, and I. This poetry reading is unique because most of the work we share will be music-oriented.

For more info about ZineFest, click here. For more info about the readers, click here.

You can also check out the Weekender’s cover story on ZineFest here, and the article from Go Lackawanna here.

I have a feeling that this year’s festival will top last year’s, when we had to deal with gloomy weather and on and off rain that limited the number of participants that came, since we had the festival outside, on Center Street. We’re grateful that New Visions has opened its doors to us and has allowed us to host the festival indoors this year.