Poets En Plein Air

The unexpected creative connection and sustenance that comes from drawing poets in the wild

I save this practice for rare occasions, only for when it feels right. Last night at our local bookstore’s poetry recital I brought my sketchbook and quietly sketched portraits of the two poets who opened their hearts to us. What follows is a short reflection on that experience and a poem (plus the sketches!).

The event: Christopher Jane Corkery read from Love Took The Words and Linda Flaherty Haltmaier, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Andover, MA, read from her new poetry collection Shadows Set To Burn at the Andover Bookstore, the oldest independent bookstore in the US!

Poet Christopher Jane Corkery gathers her papers prior to the poetry reading at Andover Bookstore.

I’ve only ever done it once before - two years ago at the same bookstore - that is, sketched a poet while she read. I wrote about the experience here.

Some might think it’s rude. But, I do it quietly and without fanfare. I’m there to experience their poetry, but in a different way than others perhaps.

There is something tantalizing and intimate about drawing a person’s likeness while they are reading their poetry. They are in a different state of being when they read. They become the words, they become the poem. It also helps that they are usually in one position long enough for me to sketch!

While I’m listening to their words, I’m moving my hand to capture shape and form, attentive to the contours of their faces and the shadow. I stop when struck by a particular line, contemplate, and then continue. The end result is a visual representation of my experience, something tangible that is of them and me, together.

Tell me, do you do this when you go to book readings, poetry recitals, and other public events? I can’t be the only one.

In short, the whole experience was profound: the recitals, the sketching, and the sharing.

I wrote a poem about it to capture the essence of its specialness and to share the experience, with you! Photos follow below.

Poetry En Plein Air

Twenty of us gather

In front of the fireplace.

Two poets shuffle papers,

Turn to marked pages.

—

Anticipation builds,

The sharing starts.

My heart opens,

As does my sketchbook.

—

My hand moves

As does my soul.

I capture the down-turned face of one,

the up-turned face of the other.

—

Both unlock the secret doors

To their hearts,

Inviting us in, to shadow

Their hearts’ aches and breaks

At the loss and beauty of life.

—

I want to capture

These poets en plein air,

Out in the open,

Offering their wildest and

Tenderest gifts to us.

—

Words float from their mouths

Up to the rafters, onto eyelashes,

Rest on shoulders, and perch on noses.

—

A few land delicately on my page.

Tickling my senses

Delighting synapses.

—

I affix them to the page

Carefully capture the shadow

Apply some water

All while listening.

—

Afterwards, we shuffle our chairs to the back

Clear the floor and make our way to the front

To greet our heroines who have shown us how to be courageous.

—

With a shyness, I ask them to autograph

Their books - and would they mind?

Doing something a little different?

Sign my sketchbook?

—

I explain it away as an odd quirk of mine,

Sketching poets while they recite.

Their eyes light up as do mine

With a recognition of some sort.

—

I add that it makes the experience

All the more memorable for me.

And I hope for them too.

The Sketches

They are simple and just made with two tools I grabbed on the way out the door: a tan derwent inktense pencil and a tombow brush pen (oh, okay, three! a water brush).

I’ve gotten past the embarrasment of sharing my rough sketch portraits. I’ve learned that people I sketch are overwhelmed and thrilled (usually) that someone noticed them. It’s unexpected and special.

The Autographs

I’m a fan girl. These women recited heart-wrenching and beautiful poems. I had to buy the books and get their signatures! Turns out Linda is a painter and noticed me drawing during the reading (oops, not my intention).

I’ve already devoured some of their poems this morning. I highly recommend both poets. Here’s a short excerpt from Linda’s “Darkness, looming”

My tricks are failing,

the ways I dull and distract myself

from the abyss.

I dangle on the edge,

kicking for a tree branch to appear underfoot,

jutting out like cantilevered hope.

CANTILEVERED HOPE! You’ll have to get the collection to read the rest of this poem. It melts me!

I’ve been writing poetry

If you’re writing poetry, so am I! Drop me a link to your poetry and join me at the “Hack Shack - A Writer’s Haven” a place where I drop my poetry these days.

In invite you to read a poem I just dropped today on The Hack Shack about the magnolia I met on the way to the poetry reading. Are you crushing hard on magnolias this Spring? If so, let me know (and send me a picture of your tree!)

Thank you for reading! If you are new here…

I write on occasion about creative experiences in my life, specifically intersections of art, poetry, and community. I also write about the Nakivale Young Talent Community, a youth refugee-led artist collective in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. The Refugee Artist Support Circle is a separate section of The Creative Convergence; all paid subs to this publication benefit the artists with supplies, food, and fresh water.

Until next time, bloom in all the ways you know how!