Poet introduction (4)

One of the joys of poetry for me is rhyme. I love Dickinson's slant rhyme. Bob Dylan the way he'll slide pronunciation for the rhyme. And hip hop -- it's amazing all the words rappers find to rhyme.

I like internal rhyme schemes just as much as end rhyme. Sometimes it's the act of discovering what the poet is up to with rhyme that's fun for me. Rhyme also provides a clue to form -- is it a sonnet, villanelle, or lullaby?

Our poet today is the best kind of rhymer. His rhyme is natural, not forced; surprising in pleasing ways; and fresh.

Eric McHenry ...

Poet introduction (3)

I'm a Northerner. My immigrant roots are Northern European (Dutch + English). "North" the word comes from old English "north" and sounds similar in Dutch "noord." I've always lived in states that border Canada -- New York, Montana, now Washington.

Thinking about being a Northern American I realized in North America I was actually a Centralist.

This shift in thinking from American to North American gives you a different perspective. It opens you up to a wider world.

Today's poet enriches our perspective of being North American.

Raul Sanchez ...

Input (v)

Reading: Some of the alphabet by Ron Silliman (Demo to Ink, Toner, Xing); "Paterson" by William Carlos Williams.

DVD: The Deadliest Catch.

Download: Husker Du "Warehouse: Songs and Stories."