Supporters of the Laura Riding Jackson Foundation gathered last Monday evening for a private cocktail reception to celebrate and hear readings by Poets Laureate Sean Sexton and Laurel Blossom and author Leonard Todd at the gorgeous Riomar home of LRJF Chairwoman Marie Stiefel.
“Indian River County is the second county in Florida to have a poet laureate,” said Nancy Offutt, of Sexton, a poet, artist and cattle rancher and the first person to be appointed locally to the honorary position.
“I’m thinking very seriously of ways to bring poetry to those in Indian River County who don’t ordinarily partake or who don’t even think about it. Poets laureate make an effort to try and foster a love of poetry in the general population. They don’t always succeed, but that’s what they need to do,” said Sexton, who has hopes of establishing a poetry corner somewhere. “People relish a place to read their poetry.”
After commenting that the author and poet tent at the recent Celebrate the Arts Festival had been placed in close proximity to the main stage, where musical performances drowned out their readings, Sexton added, “I want to be on the stage next time. I want everybody to hear some poetry.”
Blossom is similarly promoting literature and literacy as the first poet laureate of Edgefield, South Carolina. A former Vero Beach resident, she serves on the LRJF advisory board and is married to Todd. She treated guests to a reading of a poem written by Laura Riding Jackson, as well as a couple of her own, including “Joy I Said,” which was written as a tribute to Sea Oaks and Vero Beach, and “In Your Pocket,” which she wrote during National Poetry Month, specifically for Poem in Your Pocket Day. “There is such a thing,” said Blossom with a laugh.
Among other books and publications, Todd is the author of “Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave,” and was in town as a guest lecturer for the opening reception of the Dave Drake: Potter and Poet exhibition at the Vero Beach Museum of Art.
“Dave was a slave, owned by Leonard’s ancestors. He wrote poetry and sometimes put them on his pots, which of course was illegal because slaves were not allowed to be literate,” said LRJF co-founder Charlotte Terry.
Todd spoke to guests about the difficulties in deciphering the text of the poetry Dave painstakingly inscribed onto his graceful stoneware vessels as he was sold from one slave owner to another. “They’re very hard to read on the pots and also the spelling is idiosyncratic,” said Todd. “They’re witty and all seem to have more than one meaning.”
The LRJF has had great success with its teen writing workshops and now hopes to encourage adults to tap into their inner author with workshops spanning a variety of styles, including mysteries, science fiction/fantasy, memoirs and poetry.
“We’re starting an aggressive push to beef up our adult writing program,” said Terry, crediting board member Julie Weary with heading up the effort.
“This is the first year we’ve had four of them,” said Weary. “There are a lot of people who are interested in writing, so we’re trying to reach out to them.”
For more information, visit www.lauraridingjackson.com.