The Two Boots Word Vault

Today want to continuing our listen to the recordings from Poetry Speaks the 2001 collection from Soundbooks Inc. narrated by Charles Osgood. These are three of my favorite early 20th Century American poets: Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, and Robinson Jeffers. 

The first Australian Minnesota Men's Conference took place September 9 through 12 in Woodford, Australia.  Ben Dennis, Miguel Rivera, Walton Stanley and me were invited to facilitate.  After four successful and profound day with over 50 men, our guide and host, Phili Krynski, took us into the beautiful Bunya mountains where we met indigenous elders, hiked the beautiful, lush woodlands, played with colorful parrots and recited poetry in the wilds. Here are the recordings of some on the poetry. First Ben, then Walton, Miguel and me. Then Miguel again and Walton with a favorite Antonio Machado poem.

In 2001 Sourcebooks, Inc. of Naperville, Ill. released a collection of poems recorded in the celebrated poets' own voices. In this episode I include some of the earliest recordings of poetry from the 1880s by Tennyson, Browning, Whitman. and Yeats. 

Over the years many have asked me, "What was it like to teach at Red Wing?" This episode is a recording of a short essay report about what it was like to be a teacher at the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Red Wing.

Each year at the Minnesota Men's Conference, each day begins with poetry. Men read and hear poems aimed at the masculine soul. This recording is from the first morning of the 2012 Conference, Bears at the Tree of Slumbering Honey. Danny Deardorff, Martin Shaw, Thomas R. Smith, myself, Doug Von Koss, and Tom Gambell read.

In 1983 I went looking for a newspaper position. Instead, when I met a man who had the very kind of job I sought, I found an affirmation that my path was not in the journalism/mass communication direction.

On September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, a group of men who met through the Minnesota Men's Conferences gathered in my mother-in-law's garden for a concert of acapella songs at various conferences. We have sung as the Sturgeon Lake Bottomfeeders. Many variations of the group have sung at various times and in various places, not professionally, but for the simple love of singing.  On this recording the men are Bob Roberts, Craig Ungerman, Jack Gunderson, Tom Mitchell, Phil Norrgard, Jay Leeming, Tim Frantzich, Jonah Frantzich, David Ballman, Doug Von Koss, Maurice Wren, Timothy Young, and Jonny Bloor.   Tim Frantzich leads us on Build a Golden City, David Ballman cuts loose on Help Me Climb.

In late August and early September 2008 a number of poets, musicians, and storytellers associated with the Minnesota Men's Conferences and Robert Bly had been invited to the UK to perform over a period of two weeks. This troupe of artistic brigands included Robert Bly, Martin Shaw, Danny Deardorff, Judith-Kate Friedman, Thomas R. Smith, Jay Leeming, Ben Dennis, Timothy Young, the Brothers Frantzich, Tim and Paul, and Gioia Timpanelli.  We were guests at the West Country Storytelling Festival, various coffeehouses, radio programs, schools, and other venues.  Martin's home in Ashburton, Devon served as our base, and friends, Jonny Bloor, Sarah Delfont, Joe Delfont, and many others gave us generous assistance throughout.  This episode shows how much fun we had sharing poems.
The opening music is from Pundela's Farewell by The Spirit House Quartet. The end music is the musical accompaniment of Glen Helgeson on the poem Tears with Timothy Young on their CD, Riding a Dark Wind

In 2007 Robert Bly introduced me before I read for the Minnesota Men's Conference. This was one of my favorite readings. A number of the poems were published in my second book, Herds of Bears Surround Us published by Red Dragonfly Press in 2010.