Obama speaking to Asheville, NC 10.5.08, Asheville High School

When Obama came to town, I decided to walk down Charlotte street on my way to WPVM, but I got side tracked by the police cars, the people lining the road, and the possibility that Obama might drive right past us all. I think it was all those episodes of the West Wing I used to watch with my parents that really made me feel like I wanted to see the motorcade.

After I did, I decided to walk the rest of the way to Asheville High to record the speech and catch some interviews.

I then spliced up what the public had to say and made a montage. Obama Montage

Spirit of Black Mountain College Festival, Michael Rumaker: Fairies Are Dancing All Over the World

Black Mountain Days is Michael's memoir of his experiences at the College

I was given the opportunity to visit Hickory, NC, for the Spirit of Black Mountain College Festival where I drank wine with, listened intently to and recorded many brilliant and powerful poets/writers/performers/musicians from across the country.

This post offers a taste of one of the artist’s at the event: Michael Rumaker.

As the only former Black Mountain College student in attendance at the festival and the last living voice of the “black mountain college poets,” it was an honor to be in Michael’s presence. When I first arrived at Lenoir-Rhyne College (no, no, no UNIVERSITY), to catch the tail end of Gallway Kinnel’s reading and discussion, Michael introduced himself to me by pointing in my direction and saying, “well, what are you doing here? You’re a young woman!”

I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else, Michael!

To listen to Michael’s poem, “Fairies Are Dancing All over the World,” visit this link:

Michael Rumaker- fairies are dancing all over the world

It is a rough cut on purpose in order to allow Mchael’s kindnesses and eccentricities to come out.

I hope this poem inspires you to write and believe in the spirit of the fairies Michael finds in the eyes of the black kid talking in front of the juke box and the blood of Henry Thoreau.

Gina Loring: Somewhere There is a Poem Def Poetry Jam

Somewhere there is a poem. I agree with this attitude and have found myself thinking in it when I am overwhelmed, when I was sweaty palmed at MoDaddy’s listening to Woody Wood and Hollywood Red after eating dinner there with my parents who had just come into town to help me move into a new apartment on the same day that I started my new job. Things seemed heavy and difficult to move not just because of their weight, but because our habit of life gets rooted and suspicious of change. So when the glass of red wine did not release me, I asked the bar tender for a pen and piece of paper and sat amidst the crowed, searching through myself because “somewhere there is a poem” and it was about time I hammered it out.

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