KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The second event of the Poet Laureate Reading Series takes place this Friday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Riviera Common Grounds Coffee House at 9736 Soda Bay Road, featuring the poetry of James BlueWolf.
Presented by current Lake County Poet Laureate Casey Carney and Common Grounds Proprietor Andrea Williams, the series is held on the second Friday of each month through April and is designed to promote local poetry by showcasing each of Lake County’s eight poet laureates in sequence, along with a guest poet and musician.
The poet laureate is an official appointment by a government or conferring institution for the purpose of promoting poetry in that jurisdiction. These appointments occur from local to national levels.
In Lake County, the two-year position began in 1998 with the appointment of Jim Lyle. In 2002, James BlueWolf was selected as the second poet laureate of Lake County.
BlueWolf – an internationally published poet, recording artist and youth mentor – has been a poet, author, lecturer and storyteller since the early 1970s.
He is the author, narrator and co-producer of the well-received documentary film “Hinth’el Gaahnula; A Narrative History of the Lake County Pomo to 1900.”
Produced in conjunction with the Big Valley Rancheria and the Administration for Native Americans, the documentary is archived in the Smithsonian Institute Libraries and available at the Lakeport Library.
“Hinth’el Gaahnula” covers 12,000 years of Pomo history and culture, with attention to the Bloody Island Massacre (Bo-No-Po-Ti), Bear Flag Rebellion, Gold Rush and treaties. It includes voice overs of family traditions and memories.
BlueWolf, a descendant of the Choctaw tribe, is a caucus member of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers, and was chosen as their “Children’s Writer of the Year” for his 2007 book, “Speaking for Fire.”
Locally he has received three commendation proclamations from the Lake County Board of Supervisors for his work in coaching more than 500 local youth athletes.
BlueWolf’s latest project is as the host of “Wolf Tracks,” a combination music and spoken word show featuring poems, stories, Native American and classic baby boomer music. The show airs on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on KPFZ 88.1, radio and live Web streaming.
The Oct. 10 reading also will present guest poet Sandy Stillwell and percussionist Jason Norris.
Admission is free, with a $5 suggested donation.
Poets and musicians interested in being a guest artist during the series are encouraged to contact new Lake County Poet Laureate Casey Carney at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Those interested in connecting through poetry, writing and art events can join the Facebook group, Lake County Poet Laureate, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1444291245829681/ .
Poet Laureate Reading Series to feature James BlueWolf
- CASEY CARNEY
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