Montana Poetry Salon: A virtual and real gathering

Published: October 12, 2009

The Montana Festival of the Book, held Oct. 22-24 in Missoula, introduces a new event this year in the fashion of a by-gone era, the Montana Poetry Salon.

“The salon aims to mix ideas, to showcase projects, and to introduce the people who by wit and grit are bringing poetry to their Montana communities – urban and rural, mountain and prairie,” says poetry advocate Lisa Simon of the inaugural event, Oct. 24 at the Florence Hotel.

This year’s Poetry Salon introduces ongoing and innovative projects throughout the state that use all manner of media – print, radio, web, performance and both public and small-group readings. But it does not end with the Missoula-based event; rather this meeting of minds sets in motion a year-long collaborative quest for the paths of poetry promotion, and will reconvene next year with another, larger, community-created salon.

“The salon is for readers, writers, teachers, booksellers and any one who experiences a fluttering pulse upon witnessing the marriage of ‘poetry’ with ‘advocacy,’” says Simon.

At last year’s Festival of the Book, Simon organized "The Favorite Poem Project," where community members – including Missoula Mayor John Engen and U.S. Sen. John Tester, as well as established poets and non-celebrities – read their favorite poems.

“This year I wanted to focus on advocacy because I think we need to encourage the reading of poetry in communities,” says Simon. “This year’s presenters were chosen for their outstanding work in advocacy.”

“Their projects are different, their communities are different,” adds Simon. “But at the heart of them is a dedication to activism in the literary community.”

In addition to the event, a corresponding (and permanent) Virtual Salon presents multi-media profiles of each of advocates. Visit humanitiesmontana.ning.com/page/montana-poetry-salon to learn more about these projects:

• Poet Laureate program: Sandra Alcosser and Greg Pape (Bitterroot and Missoula areas), and the new Laureate, Henry Real Bird of the Crow Reservation near Billings;

• Montana Poetry Project and Stone’s Throw Literary Journal: Tami Haaland (Biillings);

• Many Voices Press: Lowell Jaeger (Flathead Valley);

• Drumlummon Institute: Rick Newby (Helena);

• Writers Voice: Corby Skinner (Billings);

• Bent Grass Poetry Troupe: Roger Dunsmore (Dillon); and

• Missoula Writers Collaborative: Sheryl Noethe (Missoula).

Go to humanitiesmontana.ning.com to find out more, join discussions on poetry, weigh in on next year’s salon, or learn how to start a salon in your area.