Thursday, April 1, 2010

kathryn stripling byer



Did you know April is National Poetry Month? It was initiated by the Academy of American poets in 1996. Publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together every April to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture, through readings, festivals, book displays, and workshops.

I'm celebrating today, by profiling my bloggy friend, the very talented Kathryn Stripling Byer. Most of her poetry is set in the mountains of North Carolina, where she was named Poet Laureate from 2005-2009. Her books of poetry include Catching Light (Louisiana State University Press, 2002); Black Shawl (1998); Wildwood Flower (1992), which was the 1992 Lamont Poetry Selection of The Academy of American Poets; and The Girl in the Midst of the Harvest (1986), which was published in the Associated Writing Programs award series.

I am particularly fond of this piece, published in Aretha's Hat: Inauguration Day, 2009, a collaboration with Penelope Scambly Schott.


First Presbyterian


Sitting in church every Sunday, I hated the hats
I had to wear. They were small things with net
attached. Or hard plastic fruit. They did not fit
and sometimes they fell into the aisle or my lap
if my mother had not pierced their velveteen
skins with hat pins she wove through my stiff
hair-sprayed hair. There was no way to scratch

my small soul through those hats. No way
I could sit through the sermons if not daydreaming
out of them, using the blank wall beside the piano
as movie-screen, imagining myself hatless, free
of my hair spray and beehive, my hair grown
miraculously long, trailing hat pins across
the small town, heading north toward what soon

would be Interstate. What happened next?
Let us pray, said the preacher and I came awake,
though I shut my eyes dutifully. What was
he saying that I should heed, who was this God
who knew everything? Why should I pull on a girdle
and hose for His sake and sit waiting for Him
to call? Just As I am, we sang, closing the service.
My soul took a deep breath and walked out.



I am very flattered that Kathryn has recently shared some wonderful pieces in my new creative writing blog, Magpie Tales. And guess who she happened to feature today on her own blog, kicking off National Poetry Month? ME! My woolly socks are completely blown away. Thank you, Kathryn. It's such an honor. Pop over to her blog, [Here, Where I Am] and say hello.

55 comments:

  1. Willow, how lovely to have such a distinguished guest. I'm glad to make her acquaintance.

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  2. hope you catch those wooly socks before they blow away. smiles. has been nice reading her through magpie. will jump over and see her profile of you...

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  3. Thanks, Willow. I enjoy these opportunities to know people a bit more personally.

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  4. Thanks for the heads up on Kathyrn. I love the way the poem ends "Just as I am we sang, closing the service. My soul took a deep breath and walked out."

    Really brings it home. Congratulations on being featured on the blog, which will be my very next stop.

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  5. WILLOW, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A GREAT PLEASURE SHARING EACH OTHER'S WORK. YOUR POEM IS THE PERFECT WAY TO BEGIN NATIONAL POETRY MONTH!

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  6. Thanks for the intro to Ms Byer's work--I'll be heading to her blog to check out your poem!

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  7. Poets are a force for good in the world. That includes you, too, Willow. Of course!

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  8. 'and i came awake' that's the line for me!

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  9. I think I should write a poem called 'Missouri Synod Lutheran'.

    Love her way with words!

    DI
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  10. Willow,
    Kathryn is very very talented indeed. This made me think of you remembering Margret Mabbits bird hat in church.. hee hee...
    :) The Bach

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  11. Congratulations Willow. You deserve the recognition for your lovely poetry.

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  12. Bach, I know! This poem certainly took me back to the days of hats and girdles in church!

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  13. We always sang Just As I Am for the altar call - all five verses, twice! This poem definitely evokes memories of those starchy Sunday mornings...

    And yours on her site - I LOVE the idea of a little humor from the almighty - and why not?

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  14. Way to go, Willow! :) The poem of yours she featured is one of my favorites too.

    Also, I love this piece of hers! It's really captures the essense of being a child forced into church, unable to understand the practice, perfectly.

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  16. Thank you for the introduction!

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  17. Easter Sunday outfits! Hats if they were not held down with rubberized string which I always got into trouble when I eschewed the rubber string, they'd blow away often landing on the gable A of the church steeple which I thought was a sign from the Above. Kathryn Stripling Byer! A distinguished poet in residence at Willow Manor! Who could ask for more, I am ejubulated and transfixed. A poet...omgosh! This room IS transformational...powerful!

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  18. Dear Willow, What an enchanting posting. Kathryn's poem brought back so many memories for me, as for others too, I am sure, of interminably long church services to be endured as a child. The mere mention of 'Just as I am' took away at least half a century and I find myself singing as I write this.

    Thank you so much for the good wishes you left on my weblog. A very, very Happy Easter to you.

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  19. Dear Willow,
    As a new member to "Blogland", I have to say how wonderful it is to have found you - courtesy of Suki and Renee. Not only do you have wonderful receipes, but you love Opera - and Poetry! I thought I was rather an odd one to still love these art forms...one learns so much in the blogging world.

    Kathryn's poem is lovely - full of humour and beauty. Thank you for introducing her to us all!

    Hugs from your San Francisco Friend,

    Blessed Easter!

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  20. Thank you so much for the introduction to your poet friend. A lot of personal identification in this one--not the blank wall beside the piano, but the ceiling as my "movie-screen." I will check out her post on you (congratulations!).

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  21. You do know the most interesting people, willow - but then like attracts like.

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  22. I'll have to head over there once I'm done here. Congratulations, Willow! And what a great poem by Katheryn.

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  23. Hello Willow,

    In tribute to "your" poetry month, Im taking up the challenge at RWP to write a poem a day during April!! Wish me luck. I shall see if I can garner inspiration from your friend.

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  24. thanks for the intro to this poet. her poem featured here takes me right into the pew. although i never wore such hats and refused girdles i can relate so well to the circumstances now I'll go check out her blog.

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  25. nice tribute to you and your poem. and ah, we now learn your real name. Be well, Suki

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  26. Yes, Suki, ((drum roll)) my REAL name...hee! I figured it was about time, with the poetry writing and all. It needs to be published with my name.

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  27. Happy Poetry Month to one of my favorite poets : ) Good work, my dear.

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  28. Oh, I am learning more today about the poetry blogs. I will read what she says about you. This post is so nice and I really appreciate this particular poem, can so relate to the hat pins and sitting in church daydreaming.

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  29. Wow, Derrick, a poem a day? Go for it, my friend!

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  30. Willow, congratulations on your recognition by Kathryn. Both of your poems today are excellent. And now I can dream of the mysterious Tess Kincaid!

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  31. So glad you're introducing Kay to your blog friends. She's an amazing poet.

    Now to slip over to her place and see your poem!

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  32. Happy Poetry Month to you! I so enjoy your poems, and Kathryn's in today's post brought back long-ago memories of getting all dolled up in hat and white gloves to attend church when I would have much preferred lounging around in my jammies and reading the funny papers.

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  33. Love the poem of yours posted by Kathryn on her Blog..and your posting of hers..so much contact because of the Magpie Prompts..glad you paved the way for new discoveries...Thank you!!

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  34. neat...you have become a most excellant poet, maybe the most entertaining i've read these past few months...

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  35. I read the tribute post and both of your names are so elegant. I enjoy your poetry; wish I could do that.

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  36. I love the way it ends as well.

    congrats to you for props on her blog! (Tess is a lovely name)

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  37. thanks for the introduction...and nice shout out over on kathryn's blog! so that explains where that pair of wooly socks came from that flew by earlier....

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  38. Willow (you will always be willow to me) thank you for the introduction and great poem of yours over at Kathryn's site! I like all your names and look forward to a book soon!

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  39. Congrats on your feature for Poetry Month. You are a well deserved recipient!

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  40. Just back from errands and grocery shopping, a hot afternoon, the hottest since last summer, so, Willow, your mention of your wooly socks just makes me want to run for the garden hose! Thank you all so much for you generous words. And thank you to Willow for posting my poem. It works for Easter weekend, no doubt about it. And hers works for all of National Poetry Month ....and beyond.

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  41. Willow - I misspoke. What I should have said is I liked Kathryn's poem on your blog and your poem on Kathryn's blog.

    And I've written about you(?) on my blog!

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  42. Gosh, my flying woolly socks are making the rounds today!

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  43. Kathryn, thank goodness you blew my woolly socks away, just when I was about to put them away for the season!

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  44. thank you introducing me to her... it would seem I have some amazing reading ahead of me.

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  45. what a lovely post...and love the new look of your blog.it is beautiful, my friend

    thank you so much for taking the time to stop by Farmhouse and leaving the kind words .....

    Kary
    xxx

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  46. Kay is A North Carolina Rare Jewel!! So glad you featured her!
    Got to go to Kay's and read your poem! :)

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  47. Willow,
    My previous comment was rushed by my leaving for work this morning. LadyCat told me about you being featured on Kathryn's blog. Wow. that is great.. you are truly deserving of the honor being first chosen for poetry month on her blog. Congrats!! You go, girl!
    :) The Bach

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  48. Congratulations! You, Willow, are a work of art. Andy your poetry always dazzles me. Cheers to the marvelous and creative woman whose blog I was fortunate to to find!

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  49. Lovely recognition-- Congratulations on being chosen -- it is the poems you write that speak volumes of the creativity that lurks in the mind of Willow..

    Joanny

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  50. Congratulations, Willow!
    What a wonderful friend you introduced me to today,
    thank you, and thank you, Kathryn, for giving Willow the honor she so rightly deserves.
    I shall look for Kathryn's poetry,
    thank you both!

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  51. Wow! You are definitely in august company these days, Willow! Well deserved too, I must say!

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  52. Well congratulations! How did I miss this? My blog roll did not update that you had already 2 new posts!

    I am very happy to see! Well deserved!

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  53. Fantastic! How wonderful to admire the work of others and equally wonderful to realize they admire yours as well. Life is grand indeed.

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  54. This poem hit close to my experiences in church...crispy new Easter clothes and the not having a clue....I have tried to do better...
    Thank you for introducing this poet, and kudos to her for introducing you to a new readers as well.
    Lucky people!!

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  55. A so well-deserved feature - you are a great poet in your own 'write'. I look forward to seeing you published in print. I'm sure it's in your future.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)