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July 2013 Danville Poets Society: Sharing the Art of Linguistic Alchemy By Jody Morgan
Serving Danville
Members of the Danville Poets Society (Poets Society) meet monthly to share their passion for spinning simple words into complex threads of meaning. Initiated in the late 1980s as an adjunct to the Danville Area Cultural Alliance (DACA), the Poets Society originally exhibited framed poems for sale in the gallery space DACA leased from the town above the Village Theatre. When the second-story fine arts gallery closed and DACA disbanded, founding member Paul Sheckler kept the Poets Society going. During the time the Poets Society operated under the DACA umbrella, the group published a number of anthologies and also sponsored poetry contests. Robert Eastwood, leader of the group for the last ten years, learned about its existence when he entered some pieces of art work in a DACA exhibit. In addition to crafting poems, Eastwood draws and paints in acrylic, watercolor, and oil. When the town reclaimed the 233 Front Street space, Eastwood found space for society meetings in conference rooms, at local businesses and at members’ homes.
June 1st was a historic day for the Bounty Garden as the community celebrated the grand opening of this service garden in Hap Magee Ranch Park. The Garden teaches volunteers to raise organic vegetables and all produce raised is donated to the Food Bank of Contra Costa. The Bounty Garden has already donated over 600 lbs. of vegetables from the winter test season and their off to a ‘bountiful’ start with summer just beginning. Pictured above are Chris Koenig with his daughters Tatum and Brooklyn. Photo by Rich Reed.
Poets Deborah Grossman, Robert Eastwood, and Jan Hersh take a quick meeting break. Photo by Jody Morgan.
The workshop element once part of each meeting has yielded to the members’ preference for focusing on feedback. “I have always found that monthly meetings stimulate my writing and that I gain a great deal from the feedback,” Eastwood explains. “Poetry requires a discipline of revision, and the group input assists that necessary work.” Susan Wilson agrees: “It’s important to have a poet’s community in which to share and trade poems and ideas. Writing is a solitary endeavor and it helps to connect with others who also love the act and the art of writing. Feedback on new work is also very valuable.” Each month 8-10 of the 28 members gather for two hours, exclusive of social time before and after. Each poet brings two pieces to read aloud. Each in turn passes out copies of one of his or her poems to every member present. The group provides thoughtful criticism and enthusiastic encouragement following each reading. Line breaks and punctuation, order of concepts within the piece, phrases that capture the imagination, and images that need re-working are examples of what the discussion may include. Each member comments aloud in turn, but is also able to return the poem to the author with private written comments. Then the second round begins.
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Totally Trains
Trains will be running through the depot in downtown Danville once again. You may not be able to hop on board these locomotives, but your imagination will certainly be able to take a journey through the old glory days when railroads expanded horizons and changed the course of history. The Museum of the San Ramon Valley presents the “Totally Trains” exhibit in the Freight Room from July 9 through August 18. The Museum’s own Train Club has been reinvented with a new enthusiasm and dedication toward reviving the Museum’s train collection. First Volume IV - Number 9 appearing in 2000, this layout was designed 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 and constructed by an enthusiastic group of (925) 405-6397 train buffs. In the ensuing years, outside train Fax (925) 406-0547 clubs were invited to display their layouts. Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher The need to utilize the Museum’s collection in See Poets continued on page 10 editor@ order to save it prompted the formation of the yourmonthlypaper.com PRSRT STD revitalized Train Club. The Club’s members U.S. Postage opinions expressed herein belong have been meeting for over a year to bring The PAID to the writers, and do not necessarily this wonderful exhibit back to the Museum. reflect that of Danville Today News. Permit 263 Danville Today News is not Alamo CA The Totally Trains exhibit features the Mu- responsible for the content of any of seum’s collection of “O” Gauge trains. These the advertising herein, nor does ECRWSS publication imply endorsement.
See Trains continued on page 7