Acad. of Amer. Poets, Poetry & the Creative Mind

Rilke expresses the creative outlet of poetry, "Write about your sorrows, your wishes, your passing thoughts, your belief in anything beautiful."  This was my 1st experience to a poetrty reading.  I did experience Slam Poetry this year written & performed by NYC's high school students with great delight. Last night @ Alice Tulley, the Acad. of Amer. Poets held the 11th annual Poetry & the Creative Mind.  Poetry was chosen & read by a motley panel of celebrities.  Calvin Trillin acted as  Master of Ceremonies.  A few on the panel were:  Jake Gyllenhal, Tyne Daly, Patricia Clarkson, Dick Cavett, Mario Batali & ironicially, the singer/songwriter, Stew.  Stew & Glen Hansard (Once) both played the guitar & sang their selections.  The others on the panel recited theirs (few from memory) & each with a unique interpretation.  Hearing poetry read aloud is an incredible & inspiring experience. Some of the poets were familiar:  Whitman, Frost, Dickinson & Millay.  Many of poets/poems were a pleasantly new to me.  There were some common themes expressing feelings of love, mortality, and wonder.  I was struck by the poem, "Veteran," by Howe.  "I don't believe in…though others might, I believe in the wind that moves around each form."  Claire Lee, this year's Nat'l Student Poet, born in '66, was there & read a few of her poems.  I'm inspired to read more poetry.  I would love for the winner of the high school Poetry Slam contest to have been included on the panel.  I would love to have seen more high school students included in the audience.  "When all that consoled consoles no longer loneliness finds room inside the one it knows."  ({Howard Altman} - his poetry was read & he was in the audience.)