Known for his poem “The Raven” and for his chilling tales of the macabre, considered as the inventor of the detective fiction genre – Edgar Allan Poe was born on this day in 1809. Gavin and Wyatt are ready to herd the raven back through the window of Poe’s window. You will not be “alone” near the “pit and the pendulum” when you hear the “Eldorado” “tell-tale heart” as you listen to Poe’s birthday “bells” of “the haunted house” on Crosscurrents, 1/19 at 8 a.m.
KRNN
MK MacNaughton’s “Grit”: Portraits of Juneau’s working people
For January’s First Friday, artist MK MacNaughton hung the first of 52 portraits at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. The year-long show is called “Grit.” Watch this video of MacNaughton as she hangs portrait number two.
Jack London on Crosscurrents, 1/12
Novelist on the questions of life and death, story teller of high adventure, and advocate of social justice – Jack London was born on this date in 1876. With the Gastineau Channel mountains outside his home library window, Gavin and Wyatt help London with his final draft of “Call Of The Wild.” You are invited to join John in the radio library to celebrate the playful, passionate, and sometimes private life of Jack London on Crosscurrents, 1/12 at 8 a.m.
Public poetry transports passengers
Since 2006, the Poetry Omnibus contest has decorated city bus interiors with locally composed poetry. Tonight, the 2015 poems and their authors will be presented at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
To see the poetry in action I rode the valley outbound from the downtown transit center and sat next to Brian Graceland. He volunteered to read Nancy Rosel Brown’s “From Brute to Kind” aloud.
“The man was once a brute.
He leans now on his cane to walk,
steps cautious and plotted.
In a moment, cane forgotten,
he stoops to fetch a fallen cup from the floor,
And hands it to me with a proud smile.”
Graceland is new to town and wasn’t aware of the poems until I pointed them out. But a seat away, Aubrum Cohen says he’s been reading them for years. He offers his impromptu interpretation of the poem.
“From what I’m gathering he started off as a brute, maybe with an attitude, and went from there with a kind heart, picked up a cup, and showed that there is kindness in everybody–that there’s not just brutality in each individual regardless of how they are. It’s just an inspiring poem,” Cohen says.
Cohen’s arms are spotted with tattoos and he wears a tattered winter cap that that barely reveals his eyes. He likes Poetry Omnibus.
“Not only does it help the people on the bus being able to read it, and maybe get some inspiration out of it, but it also helps the writers to maybe get some acknowledgement. It gives people hope,” Cohen says.
Anne Fuller will be one of those people giving hope. She is a poet and a bus rider. She wrote “Mushy,” which was selected to ride the buses in 2015. Fuller says she was inspired to write the piece specifically for this contest.
“Often when I start to write a poem I’m thinking about what’s inside my own heart and my own head,” Fuller says. “But knowing it’s going to be on the bus, changes a little bit the reason for the poem.”
Fuller appreciates the contest’s accessibility.
“Not everybody is going to sell a volume of poetry and not everyone gets anthologized,” Fuller says.
But, since Poetry Omnibus started in 2006, hundreds of poets have had their work shown publicly to thousands of people.
“We get so many comments from the tourists and the people that ride the bus,” says Carol Race who has been involved since its inception. “I love having poetry in public places, I think it’s just grand.”
Race worked with the first organizer Kristen Hutchinson who was inspired by similar programs in London and New York. The word omnibus is at least a triple pun, including its definition as a collection of literary works, an old term for a horse-drawn enclosed bus, and its similarity to “on the bus.”
To hear the poems recited by their composers, or get information on how to submit to next year’s contest, go to the JACC at 6:30 tonight. Otherwise, they’ll be on the bus throughout the year.
A look at Juneau’s year of arts, culture and music
‘Tis the season for the year-end wrap. Here are some of Juneau’s 2014 arts, culture, and music highlights.
Here are links to some of the artists, concerts, and events mentioned in this piece.
Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities
All Nations Children’s Dance Group
Sam Phillips on Crosscurrents, 1/5
The careers of many rhythm, blues, and boogie musicians were launched via the unique recording studio Sun Records – founded by Sam Phillips who was born on this date in 1923. Gavin and Wyatt lay down a track in session with a young Sam Phillips at the control board. You can join John who will be in the KRNN studio celebrating the music of Sam Phillips by tuning in Crosscurrents, 1/5 at 8 a.m.