Poetry Book Club May 26th

Thursday, May 26th

7:30-9 PM

The Hamline GLS Alumni Poetry Book Club’s May book is Dogged Hearts by Ellen Doré Watson.  We'll be meeting at Jean's and possibly taking advantage of the porch, if the weather cooperates. 

Tony Hoagland says, "Dogged Hearts reminds us why the arts are called the humanities: because they remind us how to be human."  Wow.

Here's what Haley Lasche, who suggested the book, has to say about it:

As a reader, of course, I have a few favorite authors: the ones whom I know will inspire me and let me get lost in their thoughts. I don’t have a lot of favorite poets, but the ones whom I love the most are poets I am instantly drawn to, without rhyme or reason ;) In general, though, when I shop for poetry books, I don’t look for that same comfortable kind of inspiration; I know that kind of inspiration is rare for me.

Instead, when I look for books of poetry, I look for the first poem to open my eyes to a new puzzle. It might be something I’m confused about in my own writing or it might be something in the poem that I just don’t feel 100% confident that I understand. This is how I came to choose Ellen Dore Watson’s ­Dogged Hearts for our book club.

In reading the poem “Lew’s Late Love,” I was in the puzzle from the first line. The poem sated my need to see how Watson would use my current year’s obsessions (line breaks and narrative), but also, it reminded me of how effortlessly a good poet can use musicality and how a rebel poet can push a reader off center leaving him or her with just enough breath to approach the poem again.

Remember that Micawbers Books in St. Paul has a sale price for members of our club (another great reason to support your local bookstores), and they do have this hard to find volume just for us. 

Hamline GLS Alumni Poetry Book Club meets on the last Thursday of each month from 7:30-9 at Jean Larson's house (Barnes and Noble at Har Mar in case of emergency).  Read part, read all.  Sit back or engage. Come monthly, come sometimes. Flexible and low key. (Unless someone decides to raise a ruckus.)

Email Jean at jeanielars@comcast.net for more information and/or to get on the Book Club's mailing list.

- your glsbrd