FROST.....NEWSLINE

-------------THE IMPORTANCE OF MARK SCHORR---------

It was great to see the plaque to Mark Schorr
being dedicated at the Lawrence Public Library,
and to see Natalie Schorr's appreciation of all
the people in the room.

The thing is, most of the people in the room have,
over the years, received Mark's direct personal
interest, support, consolation and consultation, as citizen poets.
This is in the true spirit of the 'hoots' he loved so much.

Whether it was helping many of us
'involuntary/natural' poets on making our books, or
cajoling various people to step through the fear and
write and stand and present,
or shuttling and phoning around to promote poetry
in general,  he was developing just about everyone.

You can't teach or mentor a poet per se;
you have to take an interest in what gets each one going,
what they need and when, and wait for the harvest.
I was fumbling around for words like 'father' or 'friend'
or 'leader', but nothing quite fit.  I like to think that
he was a "gardener", and I try (in my own way)  to
do something like that live, to spur on the flavors I find
 at the hoots.  People find themselves, and explain themselves,
 at this events and through poetry. There is some ancient purpose.

So...it's no wonder Natalie was lifted a bit by all of us
at the Frost ceremony and reading....
She was looking out across a garden Mark tilled and fed.
We personally grow on poetically, to this day.

So, even though I develop my own sometimes crazy flavors,
I am always thinking of how to make hoot events about
you, whoever you are, and how we can find the best
you've got.  The "All Literation Nation" idea adds the concept
that we can all move around and spur each other on.

Refining the discovery and expression of true, original,
deep thoughts has never been more important than now.
What Mark Schorr did for all of us should happen so much more
often everywhere. People running events  all around us
can be gardeners, too.  They already know the awesome
characters and words that show up on their shores.

Maybe this was the rich village life talking around the fire
that we are missing these days...people growing each other.
It all starts with taking a personal interest in our neighbors,
if Mark's example holds true. Poets are needed now, not to
forget all Mark's past activism.
Let's grow a nation.

  ----JK , 2017