1. A front row seat at the First Friday Irish Night Jam at Oddfellas Cantina.

2. Lucy Goldman Singing Dougie Mclean’s “Ready for the Storm.” Tina Liza Jones (on the left) was strumming an unusual guitar; I think it was THIS.

3. Several played fiddle and one played a harp. I wish someone in the group played THIS, an instrument that when played well can bring tears to my eyes.

~ Colleen Redman is a writer from Floyd who blogs daily at looseleafnotes.com. Her writer’s bio can be found HERE.

The 7-9 time-slot stretched on to 10:30, with several new readers, a full house of attendees, and a line-up that resembled a Spoken Word variety show. After Greg opened the evening with a reflective essay about photographs and memories, Mara (pictured left) and I shared our very different Scrabble poems, created using words we played in a game on St. Patrick’s Day.

Chelsea (pictured reading below), one of my fellow winning teammates of the Literacy Volunteers Scrabble Tournament, kept the theme going with a just-written poem about Scrabble. Others, read from her first poetry collection, “Looking for a Landing,” were prompted by the subject of Greg’s reading.

Our third Scrabble Tournament teammate, Virginia, was in the audience with her husband, Don. Don took a shot at the mic, reading a poem from Chelsea’s second poetry collection, Java Poems. Seeing as how the café specializes in coffee, Java Poems is a favorite of Café Del Sol owner, Sally, the evening’s gracious master of ceremonies.

Rosemary premiered a performance piece about self-empowerment, presented with an edge. Mara read several poems by Virginia Tech creative writing professor, Bob Hicok, and one of her own, for the first anniversary honoring the victims of the April 16th Tech shootings. Her “Show and Tell” about wearing her late husband, Cory’s Calvin and Hobbs Grateful Dead T-shirt was memorable … Tonight I need a miracle, and not the kind that Calvin wants with one finger in the air asking for a ticket. I need to know you’re there.

A few of my six word memoirs got some good laughs … Gidget goes Woodstock; ends up country … College drop out, flunked middle class. I followed the memoirs with a group of short poems representing spring, taxes, and Earth Day. “Save the Planet” is a good slogan … or is it a slow gun we hold to our head … a sound bite to relieve us of our sins …. a glossy sticker on a gas guzzling bumper …

Photojournalist, Doug Thompson (above), was in the house. I told him that his large wide lens camera was a little intimating, but I knew he would capture some great shots, and he did (see HERE). Doug, who is a walking storyteller, shared some mic time with us, adlibbing a story with a mix of humor and tragedy. The attentive audience laughed, gasped, and choked up.

A young man (below) scribbling in a notebook during the readings shared the results of his notes, a new poem called, “In the Ear of the Beholder.” His mother followed him with a poem about closing your eyes in order to see. Sharing that her son is in cancer remission after forgoing a second round of chemo in favor of alternative treatments (a case that made national news when his parents were charged with medical neglect for not forcing mainstream treatment and then exonerated), brought a rousing round of applause.

Sam read a darkly, funny short story about a half-bald chicken getting revenge on its owner who had accidentally caused the balding (and scaring) when he tossed a pan of boiling water out a window.

Special Ed teacher Skip King was back with some 55 word poems. Lezlie performed her signature free association poetry, some of which involved – of all things – “gay McDonald burgers.” It was a ludicrous notion meant to zero in on divisive judgments and one that had the crowd in an uproar. Fresh from New Orleans, a newcomer named Justin added to the variety, closing the evening’s event by rapping some rhythm and rhyme.

~ Colleen Redman is a writer from Floyd who blogs daily at looseleafnotes.com. Her writer’s bio can be found HERE.

(click images to enlarge)

Pembroke’s Korean restaurant was mentioned in the previous ‘Walking’ column, so I thought I’d elaborate a bit more on our town’s fantastic eatery.

Kal-Bee is currently the New River Valley’s only Korean-American restaurant, and it happens to be located in Giles County in downtown Pembroke. Since it’s opening in 2003, Kal-Bee has seen a fair amount of local press. Many consider it one of the ‘best places you’ve never eaten,’ and alongside The Bank and The Courthouse Cafe it is one of the unique dining spots that have appeared in Giles County in recent years.

Owner Connie Kim runs the kitchen herself, and makes everything from scratch to order. Don’t be surprised if she comes out to talk to you while you’re there, wearing one of her signature hats. The menu is about 2/3 home-style American cuisine such as fried chicken, hamburgers, meat loaf and mashed potatoes. The remaining third is Korean cuisine such as shrimp-fried rice, beef bulgogee, seafood stew and spicy garlic chicken.

No matter what, it’s all good.

Something else first-timers are often treated to is a Korean taco — specially spiced beef wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Connie is all about helping you try new things.

During the early summer, she makes her homemade strawberry shortcake. Even the cake is made in-house, and topped with ice cream it is a real treat. While a few of the seafood Korean dishes are a little pricey, most of the Kal-Bee menu is very affordable to the everyday diner.

The restaurant is located off route 460, about 12 miles west of Blacksburg, and is closed Sunday-Monday. Traveling from that direction, take a left on Snidow St in Pembroke and Kal-Bee is a few doors down on the left.

John Hildreth lives in Pembroke and teaches at Radford University.
www.radford.edu/jhildret

Floyd County poet, Mara Robbins (pictured on the left) was one of three students representing nine regional schools to receive a first place award at a Poetry Symposium this past weekend. The symposium, titled “The Power of Poetry,” was a first time event, sponsored by Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington. Robbins, a Hollins University senior with a major in creative writing, is a founding member of the Floyd Writer’s Circle and one of the hosts of the third Saturday Spoken Word Night at Floyd’s Café Del Sol. She was chosen from area college applicants to present in both featured categories, original poetry and critical papers on poetry.

The two day symposium began with a Friday evening reading by guest poets, Claudia Emerson and Bruce Weigl. Emerson, Professor of English at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, is from Chatham, Virginia, and at one time was a rural mail carrier in Danville. In 2006, she won a Pulitzer Prize for her third collection of poetry, “Late Wife.” The book was aptly described by Jeffery Brown when he interviewed Emerson for the PBS NewsHour as one about “loves lost through death and divorce.” He also rightly called it an examination of the newfound love between Emerson and her second husband, who came together late in life. The poetry Emerson shared at her reading revealed her masterful ability to use concrete images – the furnace, the hairbrush, a quilt – to relate indirectly to underlying emotions.

Weigl, also a professor of English, is best known for his Vietnam War poetry. At the reading, he followed his first poem, about witnessing a young Vietnamese girl after she had been napalmed, by saying, “I’m not going to gloss these.” Weigl, who was just out of high school in Ohio when he was sent to Vietnam, says in his memoir, “The Circle of Hanh,” “The paradox of my life as a writer is that the war ruined my life and in return gave me my voice.”

It might seem unlikely that a poetry symposium, especially one hosting a poet like Weigl, who writes with graphic honesty about war, be held at a military academy. On the VMI (Virginia Military Institute) news website, symposium organizer and VMI professor of English and fine arts, Gordon Ball, explains the institute’s interest in poetry, “Today’s creative writing classes are filled to capacity, and the student literary magazine “Sounding Brass” showcases our many student poets; the symposium capitalizes on such interest and productivity.” Ball, who has documented the beat poet generation through film and words, was close friends with beat poet, Allen Ginsberg. He points out that Iraq War veteran, poet, and author of “Here, Bullet,” had also read at VMI. At The Power of Poetry Symposium, a number of VMI cadets participated in poetry and prose readings. One revealed during a question and answer segment that he wrote much of his poetry in his head while marching on the drill field.

The symposium readings of papers and poetry by a total of thirty-six students were broken up with a luncheon and keynote address given by Emerson. Speaking on “The Power of Poetry,” and the measure of it, as opposed to the meter, Emerson said, “Poetry is a way to measure emotion and manage events … We measure what we care about.” Emerson spoke about her past experiences as a literacy volunteer and of her love of Emily Dickinson’s poetry. She also shared what her students had to say about the power of poetry. “Poetry is measured by alcohol proof and not by nutrient fact,” one student had said.

It was Robbins’ paper, titled “The Sacred and Everyday in Two Ancient Goddess Poems” that won her formal recognition, a monetary gift, and complimentary books by Emerson and Weigl. The paper (which tied for first place with another student’s) compared two ancient Goddess poems, one of which was originally written in cuneiform, the earliest known form of written script created by the Sumerians in 3,000 BC. The other, “Invocation to Aphrodite,” the Greek Goddess of Love, was written by the ancient Greek female poet Sappho. Robbins read, Spirituality has elements of mystery, and we need a sense of mystery and ritual in our lives. We also need to eat, drink, sleep, bathe, and procreate, and when the divine is set apart from these necessary activities it becomes less applicable, and therefore less meaningful. In order for the sacred to be sustainable it must have a place in people’s daily lives …

Katherine Swett, a student from Virginia Tech, won the poetry component of the symposium. One of her poems, “A Documentation of Grief” (which she referred to as 4/16 poem), particularly struck a chord with those in attendance. My first thought was that the literacy journal would have to have a special edition … or specifically not have a special addition … and that this wasn’t the right kind of first thought … I was in my towel and was thinking about the fact that I was in my towel and that I would probably always remember that I was in my towel … Swett read and then continued… I didn’t cry at the convocation … it was too much like a football game, Nikki’s words echoing in the stadium … like an alien in our heads …

On the steps of VMI’s Preston Library, after the award announcements, Robbins was exhilarated and exhausted as she recalled how her Hollins professor, Jeanne Larsen, encouraged her to submit to the symposium. She expressed excitement at having met and interacted with Bruce Weigl, who she dedicated a first line to in one of the poems she read that day. “Poem beginning with a line from Bruce Weigl,” it was called.

“Claudia Emerson is my hero,” Robbins, who was primarily home-schooled as a girl, announced. Daughter of Wayne and Vera Bradburn, Robbins relates to Emerson’s rural Southern background and was inspired by her keynote address. “Her reason for writing made more sense to me than any successful published writer. She doesn’t write because she has to. She doesn’t write because someone told her to. She writes because it is essential to her existence,” Robbins said.

As a student and single parent of a nine year old daughter, Robbins would soon need to get back to the routines of everyday life. But for this weekend, she was content to savor her experiences. Surrounded by friends and few new admirers, she paused to take a phone call from her sister, who was calling from Floyd to offer congratulations on Robbins’ outstanding accomplishment.

~ Colleen Redman is a writer from Floyd who blogs daily at looseleafnotes.com. Her writer’s bio can be found HERE.

My wife and I were unwinding in the kitchen after getting home from work one day last week. As we prepared our dinner, I glanced out the window and did a double-take; there were people riding horseback down the street. I quickly grabbed a camera and ran out to meet them as they passed in front of my house (click photos to enlarge).

Chris and her daughter (riding a beautiful miniature horse) were out for a ride around town. They were kind enough to pause a moment while I snapped a few shots, and laughed as they told me about accidentally forgetting the scooper kit for the horses. Apparently, the could have used it in the vicinity of Kal-Bee restaurant (the NRV’s sole Korean-American restaurant, located right in downtown Pembroke).

Kal-Bee owner Connie Kim didn’t mind though, as she knew they’d be back shortly to clean up after the horse (!)

It’s great that there are places where people ride horses down the street, which is not a site you see every day in 2008. The riders stopped so some local kids playing in their front yard could see the horses — whom were very mild-mannered — up close.

I had to laugh a bit, though, as the pervasiveness of modern life reared itself before I headed home:

John Hildreth lives in Pembroke and teaches at Radford University.
www.radford.edu/jhildret

It’s the only place I drink tea and wine at the same time. The Winery was where I first discovered sachet pyramid tea, and I look forward to sipping it whenever I’m back. I usually don’t order wine because it tends to make me feel tired, but Sweet Mountain Laurel is different. Light, sweet, with a fresh grapey taste, I can drink it like well water.

Last year, we knew we were in the right place to celebrate Easter in style when we saw the orchid colored orchids in the Winery lobby and were greeted by the familiar Floyd faces of people we know who work there. This year the faces were still familiar and friendly and the orchids were white. The Chateau Morrisette Restaurant, which once housed the whole winery, is where Joe and I celebrated our wedding with our family and community. A few years later, Joe worked as a timber framer on when the new Winery building was being built.

We had worked preparing the garden all morning and were ready to be pampered. I had quiche with a perfect pastry crust, garden and pesto pasta salad, bacon, and home fries. Joe had lamb with all the fixings. Once we were full, I took a deep breath and let the warm glow of wine take hold while my eyes soaked up the sun drenched room full of people wearing bright Easter colors.

A big draw of the Chateau Morrisette Easter Brunch for me is the desserts. It’s the reason we started the Easter Brunch tradition. I was sad not to have any kids doing Easter egg hunts anymore. Seeing and sampling the desserts at the buffet table was like seeing what the Easter Bunny brought for me. This year the Winery Easter Baker put a smile on the face of the girl that lives in me.

~ Colleen Redman is a writer from Floyd who blogs daily at looseleafnotes.com. Her writer’s bio can be found HERE.