Local Art Gallery Joins Haitian Relief Effort

By Rob Taylor

On January 13th a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean island of Haiti. Since then, aftershocks after aftershock have hit the island with an average magnitude of 5 on the Richter Scale. The original earthquake itself was classified as a major event. The aftershocks are classified as moderate to strong events.

The magnitude 7.0 quake -- the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century -- struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said.

As of Sunday January 24 the Haitian government in Port-au-Prince more than 150,000 of the 9,700,000 people who live on the island country have already been buried and thousands, if not hundreds f thousands are still missing. International relief efforts have been working around the clock to get food and water to the country, restore even basic services and, most importantly, search for the survivors, the dead and the dying.

This Saturday (January 30th) the Urraro Gallery, located at 152 West 12th Street in Erie, will host a benefit to raise money to help with the disaster relief fund for Haiti.

Rock and Arts for Haiti line up:
3-4:30 The Crawlers
5-6:30 Docksider House Band from the 90's
7-8:30 Matty B Unpickled
9-10:30 East Ave
11-12:30 Ahimsa Beat.

The Lake Erie Belly Dancers will perform and Like My Thai will be on hand with Thai food. Local Art will be displayed and a portion of the proceeds will go to Haiti.

There is a $5 minimum donation. Hope to see you see you all!

If you can't attend the event click on the image below to help.
 

A Profile Of Our Poet Laureate

by Rob Taylor

The term of Poet Laureate (plural: Poets Laureate) means a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events. It was first used for poet Francesco Petrarca (1304–74) of Rome. Petrarca is perhaps best known for his sonnets to the fair-haired, blue-eyed Laura, took the title of "poet laureate" in 1341 for the poem "Africa".

After 668 years the term of Poet Laureate has been granted to local poet and Gannon University Associate English Professor Berwyn Moore.

When you think of someone with a title such as Poet Laureate it conjures up a certain image and when you add that the same person is a English teacher and you get the image of someone who keeps their nose in a book, doesn't socialize well and is usually grumpy...well Berwyn Moore is quite the opposite. She is warm, friendly and more than happy to talk to anyone who wants to talk to her. She even has xeroxed copies of cartoons on the wall of her office...so how unfriendly could she be?

Moore is one of the most prolific poets in the area. She said that she currently has two collections of her work published, hundreds of other published in different places as well as hundreds more waiting on her computer and in a filing cabinet waiting to be published.

She added that she started writing early in life but when she got to college she didn’t jump into an English major as you would expect she would. “I waited for 21 years after high school to go back to college,” she said I started out with a nursing major and two others, including psychology before I started an English major.” Eventually she ended up earning a Master Of Fine Arts in poetry from Bowling Green State University. Despite the number of changes in her field of study she said that she never stopped writing.

Moore said that she has a number of sources for her poetry but a great number of pieces come from everyday life and dreams and that she writes in several styles including narrative, open form and sonnets. “Poems are about experiences, both real and imagined, and they also, through their "making," create new experiences for the reader / listener. The images in my poems come from both lived and imagined experience, which I believe is true for many poets, but my poems sometimes blend literal and actual experiences with those from dreams.” She added that, in addition to poetry, she also writes fiction, short stories and non-fiction.

When asked who the poets was who was the largest influence in her work she was quick to respond that he favorite poet is Elizabeth Bishop. “I connect with Bishop's poems, and sometimes feel as though I'm collaborating with her, as in her poem, "The Waiting Room." After reading this poem the first time, I empathized with Elizabeth's (the child's) epiphany and thought, yes--that's how I felt when I almost fell off the edge of the world, too. I also love the fiction of Flannery O'Connor and Toni Morrison,” she said.

She said that it it is a true honor to have been named Erie County’s first Poet Laureate and she believes that she can use the position as an outreach to help the people of Erie County find a love with poetry. Moore said she is already doing a great number of appearances at poetry and non poetry related groups. “If a group wants me to come and talk to them about poetry and my calendar is free…I am more than happy to attend their event,” she said. Moore has done several poetry shows since she gained her title including Poetry Scene at the Erie Bookstore, poetry readings at the Jive Coffeehouse and the Last Wordsmith Book Shoppe in North East Pa.

Here is a list of some of Berwyn Moore’s accomplishments:

Books:
O Body Swayed (Wordtech Communications, 2009), Dissolution of Ghosts (Cherry Grove, 2005)
Anthologies:
Common Wealth: Poets of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005), Life on the Line (Negative Capability Press, 1992)
Journals:
Alehouse Press, Bellevue Literary Review, Cimarron Review, Comstock Review, JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association, Kansas Quarterly, Margie, Nimrod, Poetry Northwest, River Walk Journal, Runes: A Review of Poetry, Shenandoah, Southern Review, Wild Violet
Prizes:
"After the Light," winner of the Bellevue Literary Review's Magliocco Prize for Poetry (2007) "Pins and Needles," Second Place, The Pinch Literary Award in Poetry (2009) "Tweezing the Bones," finalist, Editor's Best Poem Award (2007), MARGIE: The American Journal of Poetry.

To find out more about Berwyn Moore check out www.facebook.com/berwynmoore
 

Help Women At Junior's Last Laugh!

The evening features comedian Greg Warren, who has been seen on Comedy Central and BET, as well as the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Half of the ticket proceeds will be given to the House of Healing, but you MUST mention the House of Healing when you call Junior's to reserve tickets at 461-0911. A 50/50 Raffle and Gift Auction will also be held. Doug's Punchline Bar will open at 5pm and the Showroom will open at 5:30 with a full menu and dinner specials. The event will be held on February 4, 2010 at 6:30 pm. Ticket Price is $13. for more information check out www.jrslastlaugh.com or www.houseofhealing-erie.org

House of Healing is a grassroots effort to offer a positive alternative to incarcerated women for the sake of their children. It is the only agency of its kind in Erie County. By preparing women to become responsible citizens we strengthen the local community.

A local judge, George Levin, found that all too often a prison sentence for women was not beneficial for the woman, her already-stressed family or the community. Judge Levin initiated a task force to address the problem and in 1997 the task force incorporated as a nonprofit agency and House of Healing was founded.

House of Healing believes that keeping mothers and children together during a time of rehabilitation makes for stronger families and ultimately a stronger community.

The women served at House of Healing are not violent threats to society. At House of Healing, they must face themselves, work hard to overcome the root causes of criminal behavior, and be committed to making major changes in their lifestyle. As the women enter the job force and eventually set up their own households when they complete the program, they become productive tax-paying citizens.

House of Healing is in its 8th year of operation. During that time 100 families have participated in the program. For those who graduate and even those who don't, we become family. This house is a home where the door will always be open--for a listening ear, comfort in time of need, participation in holiday celebrations. For many, House of Healing is their first experience of acceptance and security. The on-going support we offer in our after-care program and weekly children's gathering for past and present residents may be the difference between success in a new life or failure.