My Day with the NC Poet Laureate
I’ll start off by saying I don’t like poetry. I feel like I shouldn’t say that as the Executive Director of the Johnston County Arts Council-I should love all things artistic. But as Kay Byer, the North Carolina Poet Laureate said in her poetry workshop with North Johnston High School, “You feel the way you feel! There is no ’should’ when it comes to feelings.” So I don’t like poetry…typically…but I’ll tell you about my day with the NC Poet Laureate and how maybe, maybe, I changed my mind a bit.
Kay contacted me a week before her arrival to conduct a community poetry workshop here in Johnston County just to confirm and finalize plans. She mentioned that as she would be in Wilson the day before, and graciously offered to do a reading or a workshop in one of the local schools, since she would otherwise just be sitting in a hotel room. I immediately chose my Alma Mater, North Johnston High and called my old homeroom teacher and Senior English teacher, Cathy Cox. She was more than happy to accommodate us and made all of the necessary plans.
I drove to Wilson to pick Kay up and we had a pleasant conversation on the way to North Johnston, talking about a variety of things from Vollis Simpson’s Whirligigs to the state of the arts in North Carolina. Upon arriving at North Johnston High, Kay entered the room of about 35 Junior and Seniors and began talking about what a “Poet Laureate” is and read a few of her own poems. She invited the students to write some poetry of their own and then share with the class. I must admit, I was surprised by the response, some students baring their souls and talking about some really tough subjects. After each had read their poem, Kay was truly generous with her praise (and not necessarily undeserved), finding meaning and poetic devices in each of the students’ poems.
Go here for a video of her visit to NJHS.
Our schools’ teachers are wonderful, but sometimes students just need to hear it from someone else. I think this was the case on Thursday; Kay talked to the students about poetry, the importance of literature, and how to enjoy and appreciate it-all things their teachers had said before, but this time, I could tell some of the students were really “getting it.” The English teachers, Cathy Cox and Sonia Kiser, were appreciative of the visit and I think got just as much out of the workshop as the students.
Then we were off to Clayton to quickly check into the Morning Glory Inn and rest a short while before the evening’s poetry workshop in Smithfield. I wanted to get to the Library by 5:30pm for the 6:00pm workshop, as inevitably, some people would show up early..and they did. We had only been in the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield’s Meeting Room for 10 minutes or so, when we had our first attendee. Kay greeted each person with warmth, as you would an old friend. I was continually struck by how personable and gracious she was with everyone, remembering everyone’s name and genuinely showing interest in what they had to say.
In the workshop, we had a variety of attendees, ranging from teenagers to those over 50, men and women, beginners and advanced. I had set the limit at 25, but only 14 signed up; however, I think this was the perfect number, because if 25 HAD participated, it would have been too many and the attendees would not have gotten the personal attention they received.
I was impressed that out of the 14, five were men, although I shouldn’t have been. Men write poetry too! (I caught myself buying into a stereotype! Bad, BAD Arts Director!)
Much as she did at the High School, Kay spoke about her role as the poet laureate and read some of her work, and then asked the attendees to free write about a memory from their past. Then each attendee shared their writing sample, with Kay again heaping praise and always finding something good from each person’s poem.
I didn’t participate earlier in the day with the students; I mostly observed, although the teachers did participate and shared their work. However, I did write at the evening’s poetry workshop and was also asked to share. I had taken free write to almost be “stream of consciousness” writing, so I didn’t have the poetic devices as others had. I wrote of a memory of sitting outside on my grandfather’s lap early in the morning, drinking coffee (don’t worry-it was mostly cream and sugar with only a little coffee)-Kay complimented me just as she did the others and suggested that maybe it could work as an essay (which would be more my cup of tea anyway)
The two-hours went by quickly and the participants were disappointed that time had come to an end. Kay invited them to share their work with her in the future, as she is always looking to include new poetry in her online features page.
We ventured back to Clayton and stopped at Skylines Cafe for dinner and yet more conversation. I’m a big talker; I can talk for hours but I think its not much of a secret to people that know me that I don’t talk easily about the “real” stuff of life, the personal, the close to the heart. However, Kay is one of those people that just pulls it out of you, without you even realizing. By the end of the night, I felt that I had bared my soul! She and I had spent a good part of the whole day in conversation, and when I finally arrived home at 9:45pm, my throat was quite sore.
When I went to pick Kay up the following morning, I HAD a camera so we could take a picture together, but the battery was dead, so that is why I only have the picture above to share. I took Kay to RDU, again talking the whole way. Just as I feel uneasy talking about personal stuff, I’m not a fan of hugging. However, I jumped out of the car to give her a big hug.
I know that I’m incredibly lucky to have not only met this person, but to have interacted with her for such a long period of time. I’m sure it was wasted on me-someone that truly loves poetry would have surely felt they had died and gone to heaven. But I certainly appreciated my time with her and will cherish it always.
And THAT was my day with Poet Laureate!
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