Poets will fill Maple Hall November 18

What’s better than one poet reading? A roomful. Tod Marshall, Washington poet laureate, brings a gaggle of peers to La Conner to read Nov. 18. All appear in the anthology “WA 129” he created – “curated,” is his preferred term to edited, as part of his two-year poet laureate tenure.

“WA 129” poets Tom Robbins, Tess Gallagher, Michael Daley, Alice Derry, Samuel and Sally Green and Jennifer Boyden will have free reign to read their anthology entry or a poem of their choosing. “The neat thing about the La Conner event is that it includes some of the most distinguished writers in the collection,” noted Marshall.

Marshall travels from Spokane, where he lives and teaches at Gonzaga University. He is in his last quarter as poet laureate. He has visited every corner of the state. Calling it a “wild journey,” he means both places, from rural eastern communities to the San Juans and buildings and people, from elementary schools through prisons to senior centers.

The mission that drives him is to challenge all of us – fellow citizens that we are – “to think more broadly, to have our words matter, and think about the words that matter most,” he said. He means the words people carry in their head, whether bible verses or the Bill of Rights, song lyrics or speeches.

Marshall sees this as one of the most divisive political periods in our history. He emphasized that in this challenging political climate, how language is used today is critical. “Clear language” is needed, he stressed. “Without a shared vision of truth there can’t be a democracy.”

Poets – the arts – can shock us out of our rote behavior. “Art can sometimes estrange the familiar. That allows for the possibility of conversation,” and by “seeing the world a little bit differently” we may act differently, and change. That is his belief and his hope.

The 6 p.m. reading is co-sponsored by: La Conner Library Foundation, Museum of Northwest Art and Skagit River Poetry Foundation. The poet laureate program is sponsored by Humanities Washington and Arts Washington.

At 1 p.m. Marshall will lead a poetry workshop at the Museum of Northwest. A fee is charged.

WA 129” is by published by Sage Hill Press. The title refers to the 129 years Washington has been a state.