From: Smith, Melissa
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 2:39 PM
To: 'Melissa M. Smith '
Subject: Poet Louis Jenkins in Arlington

Attachments: poet jenkins07.jpg

Arlington School District

For Immediate Release

 

 

Date: April 8 2008

Contact:  Melissa Smith, Community Relations

802.375.2589, ext. 147 ~ smithme@bvsu.org (w)

802.375.6070 ~ smith209bh@verizon.net (h)

 

 

Poet Louis Jenkins in Arlington

 

Arlington, Vt.— Arlington Memorial High School (AMHS) will host award-winning poet Louis Jenkins, who will read from his latest book, North of the Cities, Wednesday, April 23, at 7 p.m. in the Mack Performing Arts Center.  The event is free and open to the community.  On Thursday, April 24, Jenkins will meet with students in the AMHS Poetry class to share stories of his life’s work.

A familiar voice on National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” Jenkins poems have been published in numerous literary magazines and anthologies.  In an interview with Gina Temple of “RipSaw News,” Jenkins spoke of the artist’s journey towards fulfillment.  “To write poetry, to paint, to write music, is to try to say the unsayable.  If it isn’t beyond you, then it isn’t worth doing.” 

Noted American poet Robert Bly says of Jenkin’s work, “Most people writing prose poems now agree that Louis Jenkins is the contemporary master.”  Charles Simic of the Boston Review is also an admirer.  “The most complex things can be said in a few words.  This is what poets believe.  It’s what makes a poet a poet.  There are extraordinary images that can tell someone’s whole life story.  Jenkins shows us again and again that this is possible.”

The recipient of two Bush Foundation Fellowships for poetry, Jenkins was honored with a Loft-McKnight Fellowship and received the 2000 George Morrison Award and Minnesota Book Award.  Arlington Poetry and English teacher Hank Barthel invited Jenkins to speak.  “Louis Jenkins prose poetry is both intellectually complex and easily understandable.  He is a great teller of truth and a great writer of poetry.”

For more information about Jenkins’ poetry reading, contact Barthel at barthelh@bvsu.org or 375.2589.  You can visit the AMHS website at www.arlingtonmemorialhs.bvsu.org.  The Arlington School District mission is to create a safe, caring and respectful environment of academic excellence where students are uniquely challenged to reach their potential at the K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 levels.