New Poem, "Bird House," at Indiana Humanities Council

As a way of participating in the observance of National Poetry Month, the Indiana Humanities Council has been posting poems by a number of Indiana poets on its blog, “Think. Read. Talk.” I am pleased to report that I was invited to contribute, and my new poem, “Bird House,” is now available at the site. Among the other Hoosier poets whose works have appeared previously during April have been Joyce Brinkman, Dan Carpenter, Kelsea Habecker, J.L. Kato, Terry Kirts, Karen Kovacik, Diane Lewis, Rohanna McCormack, Richard Pflum, and David Shumate.

The series was initiated with a statement by Norbert Krapf, Indiana Poet Laureate, that includes the following commentary:

Poetry may not sell much in our country, but it’s very much alive everywhere, in classes, in bars, restaurants, and cafes, in libraries and community centers, in concerts where folksingers alternate with poets and jazz trios back spoken-word poets, in slams, in performance poet venues. People who learn how to read or hear poems can follow their intuitions into them and come out with their intellects awakened. Reading poems helps people learn how to write, compress their language, express their feelings, and become aware of their inner lives and that of other people. How can that not be of value to anyone who wishes to be aware, articulate, and fully human?

I invite visitors to read my new poem, “Bird House,” as well as the other contributions appearing at the Indiana Humanities Council blog during National Poetry Month.