Saturday, July 17, 2010

My KPFK Poets Cafe Interviews Get Their Own Page!

A joyous moment has occurred in my poetry journey, one of the most exciting ever. My two interviews on Poet’s Café, a radio show of KPFK Los Angeles, have been given their own niche on the web. Anyone can visit them anytime, click a button and hear them. Not only that, the personalized page contains an artist statement, a bio, a list of selected publications, links to my chapbook Gordian Butterflies and a review of it, and a photo. In effect, I have been given a marvelous showcase for my work and my motivations:

http://www.timothy-green.org/blog/chris-crittenden/


This has come about through a collaboration between Tim Green, the editor of Rattle, an internationally know magazine, and some of the wonderful people behind Poet’s Café, Marlena Bond, the producer, and Lois P. Jones, who frequently hosts the show.

This collaboration, I think, initiates an important relationship between two of the most important venues in Los Angeles. The dance of Rattle (indirectly, I admit, through Tim Green) and Poets Café signals the beginning of a vanguard movement that could transform into something breathtaking for this metropolis.

I believe it is Lois P. Jones who edits the special bio-interview pages and posts them on Tim Green’s site. If so, it is another gift among many that she is providing to the world of poetry. I can honestly say that being interviewed by her at KPFK was transformative to my self-confidence. I have been intensively immersed in my craft ever since, striving to fully deserve those wonderful moments in the spotlight.

Interviewer Jones is also the publisher/editor of Word Walker Press (wordwalkerpress.com). and an editor at Kyoto Journal. She is also co-host of the Moonday Poetry Reading series, founded by Alice Pero (http://home.earthlink.net/~pero/moonday.html ). Based on my experience, she has an uncanny empathy that intuitively and creatively grasps the essence of a poet’s work, which makes her a stellar radio show host indeed!

Jones is so good at seeing into the soul of a poet’s work, and so humble when she goes about it, and so eloquent and musical in her insights, that it is easy to wallow self-indulgently in the gift of her company. This, however, is a huge mistake and injustice, because she is a fantastic poet in her own right. She’s been published in many journals, including the American Poetry Journal, Rose & Thorn, Mannequin Envy and Arsenic Lobster, whose editor nominated her poems for Best of the Net.

Among other accolades, Jones recently had one of her poems specially selected by the staff of Magma. She also won a coveted IBPC award: http://www.webdelsol.com/IBPC/winningpoems.html

All this is just the tip of the iceberg of excellence when it comes to Lois P. Jones. She is someone to watch, and if true fame does come to her, it couldn’t happen to anyone more deserving, not only as a writer but as a gentle sage who listens and reflects on the ideas of others. She is the antithesis of braggadocio and the epitome of the germinative and soulful conversationalist.

Jones has an unaffected charisma and natural elegance that make history gather around her. A celebratory magnetism. I do indeed believe she deserves to become renown not only in California but anywhere that sensuous poetry a la Lorca is cherished. She is a leader who lets others shine, a quite rare and much-needed muse.

I wish I could say more about Jones, but my time is draining away. I want to emphasize my THANK YOU to Marlena Bond, who makes it all happen. I wish I knew her better. She avoids the stage but grants it to others so magnanimously and so well.

Listen to her show, and support Poets Café at KPFK. You must!!!


http://www.kpfk.org/programs/103-poetscafe.html



OWL

4 comments:

  1. Tears,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Never have I been acknowledged so thoroughly and with such unselfish abandon. You are a genius poet and to have your deep connection with me and my poetry defies in this instance any words. I am humbled and grateful Chris. You give as instinctively as you breathe--through your poetry and in your commitment and consistency to those those lucky enough to be considered your friend. I thank you Chris with all my being. I will be back when I can say more...

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  2. Lois,

    All I did was speak the truth. I think any discerning reader would be moved by your poetry, and feel a deep connection. Rather than write more to me, I prefer that you go write some of your wonderful poetry.

    OWL

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  3. Congratulations, and I'll need to read some of Lois Jones' work now...

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