Kevin Rabas, Poet Laureate of Kansas, assisted
by Michael Pelletier, has curated Kansas poems for the
“’Biologists
have a technique of plotting a given amount of land and recording every member
of a species within it during a specific length of time,’ begins Denise Low’s
preface to 30 Kansas Poets (1979).
She continues, calling that collection of poems ‘more a record of what is
occurring within the perimeters of the state … than an attempt to define or
categorize ‘Kansas’ poetry.’ We follow Low here in offering a small sample —
perhaps more akin to a snapshot than a record — of contemporary Kansas poetry.
“As
with Low’s collection, it was not possible to include the work of every member
of the species writing in Kansas today, though Low herself, a former Poet
Laureate of Kansas, is included. Two other former Poets Laureate, as well as
the current Poet Laureate, are also represented.”
The poets are: Brian Daldorph, Adam
Jameson J.T. Knoll, Denise Low, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Al Ortolani, Jared
Schmitz, Joe Toth, Wyatt Townley, M.R. Pelletier, and Kevin Rabas. These include Rabas, 3 former Kansas poets laureate
(Low, Mirriam-Goldberg, Townley), a librarian, students, teachers of creative
writing, and an electric company employee.
Here is one of my own selections from “A Snapshot of Kansas Poetry.” It is from my forthcoming collection
Each
tree shuffles a deck of cards
one
suit each
gingkoes for hearts
maples for clubs.
My
mother gambles for a last child.
One
spring day I am born.
Oak leaves are
broken diamonds.
I
turn ten yours old.
I
press scarlet leaves in wax paper
flatten them with a hot iron.
I
turn sixty.
Each
sawtooth
leaf edge
sharpens.
Hackberries
are spades.
