Poet Gives Jump Start
Mara’s introduction for Hollins University writing teacher Thorpe Moeckel at the Café Del Sol was so well crafted and delivered that Thorpe thought maybe he shouldn’t read any poetry, after all. Her words were a hard act to follow. But follow them he did, taking us listeners on a ride through Alaska, Maine, and North Carolina, where we met his grandfather, father, a pecan farmer, some kids who were court ordered to take one of his rafting trips, and more.
I was intrigued by a man who has been published in Orion and Mothering, and was touched when he said that he reads better when his wife is in the audience. His passion for river rafting and words converged in a way that made me want to go home and write poetry, or never write it again. I laughed, got some emotionally charged goose bumps, and sometimes just drifted in the tide of his words, hanging my arm over the side of the Café Del Sol’s comfy couch.
After the reading, Thorpe — a thoroughly likable guy who almost moved to Floyd once — signed books and answered questions. “How do you teach poetry?” my friend Jayn asked him. I think he answered something related to rafting, something about going with the flow.
Mike Mitchell (left) who teaches fiddle at the Floyd Country Store left the lights on in his car all day. And so it was an unlikely ending to a poetry reading. Everyone left charged up.
Post Notes: Thorpe’s books Making a Map of the River and Odd Botany can be purchased on Amazon HERE and HERE. Scroll down HERE for more Spoken Word posts. The third photo of Alli C and Mara was taken by Tracey Ann because I wasn’t tall enough to score the shot.
July 11th, 2008 11:40 am
This sounded like a wonderful evening. I haven’t been to a reading for a long time…nothing beats it for atmosphere. That’s always how i fall in love with a new author.
happy friday 🙂
bella
July 11th, 2008 2:45 pm
you people have too much fun – it should be against the law that you have such a monopoly of fun in floyd!
i want to know more about mara. i know bits and pieces but maybe one day you could do a detailed profile of her and her life. she seems so intersting. 🙂
July 11th, 2008 3:30 pm
Yes, I do want to do an in depth profile on Mara (and our relationship) at some point. In the meantime, here are a few good links that give some background on her: http://looseleafnotes.com/notes/2008/04/floyd_poet_wins_symposium_awar.html
http://looseleafnotes.com/notes/2005/11/the_grief_bond.html
http://looseleafnotes.com/notes/2006/01/we_play_scrabble.html
http://looseleafnotes.com/notes/2007/08/the_family_business_1.html
July 11th, 2008 3:31 pm
Sorry I missed this. I need to come to town more often and read the postings! By the way, enjoyed reading your article in the FP.
July 11th, 2008 3:34 pm
Thanks, June. That was such a privilege to write, a story that needed to be told. I’ll be posting it here soon.
July 12th, 2008 8:15 am
HI Colleen–
Thanks for the great write-up. I made it to KY at 4:30 AM. Whew.
July 12th, 2008 8:50 am
Sounds like a lot of fun! My daughter went last night to a poetry reading by her poetry teacher in Chapel Hill (the reading was at Warren Wilson College). She left “charged up,” too! Even my son (who doesn’t usually care for poetry and went along to keep her company) enjoyed the poetry he heard there.
July 12th, 2008 8:59 am
Colleen, Interesting, that comment you make about either wanting to write poetry or never wanting to write it again. I just read something similar on another blog the other day – someone’s reflections on their favourite poet – and how when reading that person, the impulse to write may be completely quashed forever just by realizing you may never achieve that level of sublime articulateness.
Thank heavens most of us are able to set that aside and forge ahead with our own works. I suspect those who inspire the feelings struggle with the same ideal in someone else.
By the way, I have an award waiting for you at my blog.
Have a lovely Saturday!
Kat
July 12th, 2008 2:28 pm
Each of your posts on Floyd makes me homesick for that small town of my youth. I am new to these parts and hopefully I will become more involved in the community as the months go by.
July 12th, 2008 5:27 pm
That’s where my son Josh went to collage for two years, Warren Wilson.
July 13th, 2008 9:35 am
The first picture’s silhouette really looks like Nelson. I was wondering where the heck you got that and him reading to boot.
Yes you do always seem to have fun Floyd. I always had fun visiting. xo
July 13th, 2008 10:26 am
They look awfully cheerful to have discovered a dead battery. I doubt I’d be smiling in my photo!
July 13th, 2008 11:43 am
She, he totally looked like Nelson to me too.
July 15th, 2008 7:17 am
Let’s hear it for passion wife in audience ohhhhhh