Rod Jellema's Book Launch and Poetry Reading - Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 - Writer's Center, Bethesda, MD

I am honored to be introducing Rod Jellema at this book launch and reading.  For further details, see below, or visit the Writer's Center website at www.writer.org .  My interview with the poet can be found Here. 

 

A Book Launching and Poetry Reading with some Jazz, Hors D’oeuvres, and Wine

Rod Jellema’s new book, Incarnality:  The Collected Poems, will be feted on Saturday afternoon, October 16, at 4 p. m.  The party is open to the public.

Jellema for many years taught poetry and writing workshops  at the University of Maryland and the Writers Center.  In workshops he thought of himself not as a “teacher “ but as a midwife.

Starting late, at 40, his early work attracted the attention of such masters as James Wright and William Matthews.  His last book won the Towson University Prize for 2005.  For a sense of the new book, see www.rodjellema.com.  

His readings of a few of the poems will set off some “call-and-response” jamming. David Jellema, Rod’s son, is a professional  jazz cornetist and clarinetist in Austin and San Antonio. Deeply into the New Orleans traditions, working often with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band  (which does weekly nationwide NPR broadcasts) and freelancing other gigs, David enjoys nothing more than spontaneous improvising. And that’s what he”ll do, unrehearsed.

Videos of David Jellema can be found on YouTube.

Poems, catered hors d’oeuvres, music, moderately good wines, lively conversations, and the guest of honor – the book.