Hello New Zealand, Ukraine, Philippines, Malaysia, and Brazil!
Would you believe that summer break is almost over and it's time to start working on course materials for Fall semester? It's also time to finish all those blog stories I meant to complete in June. I have been resting, strolling, and thinking about so much of this summer's somewhat intense global, local, and national events. I have decided to take an important detour stroll down memory lane first.
Delores Fisher and D. G. Wills in 2019
Dennis Wills is a book store owner in La Jolla California. He also is a strong supporter of the arts. It is here in his book store that I got my start as a young San Diego poet.
A very young Delores Fisher, poet (before I blogging!)
His bookstore has seen and heard the great writers and poets from Maureen Dowd, Freeman Dyson, Allen Ginsberg, Christopher Hitchens, to Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Quincy Troupe and Eileen Miles.
http://dgwillsbooks.com/ Dennis Wills saw something in me early on and invested time and conversation. He was one of the major San Diego California intellectuals who nurtured my love of poetry and literature.
I got a chance to stop by and thank him for his mentorship last week as international poet Olga Garcia and I were on our way to commemorate the life of Megan Webster, a poet, educator, editor, translator, and mentor.
Megan was a school principal, ESL teacher, editor, author, blogger, and performer. She was a member of several memorable poetry groups from Haiku writers and traditional bards to performance poets. She was also published in many poetry anthologies including several editions of the San Diego Poetry Anthology. This commemoration for Megan Webster and her writings was organized and hosted by Seretta Martin.
Megan Webster
I knew Megan from poetry events at the now defunct Claire De Lune Cafe's Poetic Brew. During the height of the owner Claire's participation in San Diego's poetry scene, Claire De Lune Cafe was a national stop for published and award winning poets when they toured. Claire also gave artistic support to local poets, published or not. When our popular women's poetry group 4nth member Kathryn Rice Simmons died, it was Kelli Parrish-Lucas who proposed that we ask Megan Webster to join the group. We knew that no one could replace Kathryn, however, Megan stepped comfortably into the spotlight and began to add different dimensions to the group that made us even more versatile and able to continue to tell our poetic truths with strength. Her death left an emotional imprint on the hearts of many poets and educators who knew her---both nationally and internationally.
Clair De Lune Cafe, San Diego California
Last February, Megan, Olga Garcia, joined me at a poetry reading as a favor. I had been ill and did not think I was well enough to be on stage for the full time of the performance.We did not have time to coordinate schedules and performance pieces with Kelli-Parrish Lucas to re-create a 4nth moment. So, it was just the three of us. It was energizing! We did poems in English and Spanish. Olga's quiet double meaning-humor and Megan's dry wit. Her timing, facial expressions, vocal phrasing( she had a soft Welsh accent that would open into lilting cadences at the most unexpected moments) . . .it felt like old times.
The San Diego Poetry Anthology reading at the La Jolla Public Library was dedicated to reading works from the newest anthology as well as celebrating Megan's life work. A review of her book "Bipo;ar Express" reflects a shimmer of her unique perceptive insights http://www.wordgathering.com/past_issues/issue4/book_reviews/websterreview.html
Many memories and achievements were shared with the audience. Most of the poets who read, knew of or worked personally with Megan. Megan's daughter was in the audience and talked with each poet personally at the end of the event.
Poets gathered at the La Jolla Reading
Farewell my friend.
Delores Fisher
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