A whole pouch of Moonies is in Margaret Griffiths’ issue of Worm 37. They are Jim Corner with "Smells of Umbra," Chris George with "Last Cricket of Summer," Mitchell Geller with "Thé Dansant 1910," and Fred Longworth with "He Fought in Desert Storm." To receive a copy of this issue, contact Margaret Griffiths at wordbug@btinternet.com.

In big news, S. Thomas Summers, also known as Scott, has a book out! Death Settled Well is available from Shadow Poetry. You can read the first review of Scott’s book and find ordering information at his blog: http://poetry-is.blogspot.com. Elsewhere, Scott’s poem Morning Walk will appear in the December issue of The Orange Room Review.

Sarah Sloat’s "The Annotated Alice" appears in the new Wicked Alice -- http://www.sundress.net/wickedalice/. Her poem "In the Voice of a Minor Saint" is in the upcoming Kaleidowhirl http://home.alltel.net/ellablue/, and "On the Bank" and "Logbook" will be in the Fall issue of DMQ Review -- http://www.dmqreview.com. A lament, "On Receiving a Rejection Note One Year and Seven Months After Submitting," is also upcoming at juked -- http://juked.com.

Laura Polley’s "The Tao of Ants" appears in the current Autumn Sky Poetry http://www.autumnskypoetry.com.

There is a reason that former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass has called this festival "poetry heaven" as it is the largest poetry event in North America.

To describe my experience at the festival and its value to the Lee Memorial Library of Allendale, New Jersey, who sponsored my attendance at the festival, in regard to forwarding literacy and the advancement of poetry would be impossible.

Laurie Byro with Coleman Barks at the Dodge Festival

A typical day at the festival begins at 8:00 a.m. and I attended more than 40 hours of seminars, readings and performances by both contemporary American and poets from around the world. British poet laureate Andrew Motion concluded Sunday morning discussing "laureateship" and the differences with former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. This is the first time in the history of "laureateship" that this has been done. Poets from Korea, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bangladesh read their works in their native languages and had translators reading their poems in English by accompanying companions and friends to poetry. These poets defy boundaries.

I was fortunate to speak with respected poets and teachers about the poetry circle of the Lee Memorial Library and what we hoped to accomplish by promoting readers of poetry. Many of these poets have been topics of discussion in the past 6 years. I was pleased that Coleman Barks, the pre-eminent translator of the Persian poet Rumi, called ME a friend to poetry because I have 15 poetry members that feel their lives were enriched discussing these Coleman Barks translations.

I was inspired by 19-year-old Mexican poet Ekiwah Adler-Belende who is from a small town in Mexico and who was born with cerebral palsy and paralytic scoliosis. His name means "warrior" -- and Ekiwah's voice could not be silenced by disease.

The wife of Ko Un, Korea’s most revered living poet, said she would send to our library a book of her husband in Korean when I mentioned the large Korean readership we have. This is one example of how valuable a seminar like this is to the Lee Memorial Library. Ko Un explained his experience when a poet he had read called to say he was coming to visit him in Korea and that poet turned out to be Allen Ginsberg.

Each evening there were samplers and performances by poets that went on until 10:00 p.m. and I attended almost all events. The opportunity that the Lee Memorial Library has given me by allowing me to bring "poetry into the branches" through our circle and discussions I have had with the readership of Allendale is enormous.

I quote Ekiwah Adler-Belendez when he describes how he wou ld like poetry to be experienced using him as the conduit: "My heart is an apple. Bite it. Until only the crystal core is left."

I thank Carol Cannon and the board members of the library for sponsoring me for this festival. For more information on the Dodge Poetry program and festival, visit http://www.grdodge.org/poetry/.