Meet Dana Gioia, Poet Laureate of California (+Video)
I'm fortunate to call Dana Gioia, celebrated poet and critic, my friend. After listening to Dana speak at an event in Washington DC several years ago, when he was Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), he and I kept in touch. Over the years, we have exchanged our books with one another and Dana has been kind to invite me and my wife, @dianarpo, to attend his poetry reading as well as select poetry of mine for publication in an esteemed literary journal, Virginia Quarterly, that he edited.
As an example of Dana's cultural significance when, in 1991, he published his provocative essay "Can Poetry Matter?" on the role of poetry in mainstream America in the Atlantic Monthly, it received more public response than any other piece in the magazine's history. Ten years later, with the debate still lively and heated, Dana developed these ideas into a a well-regarded book of literary criticism and rallying cry for poets to try and make their mark on the popular culture.
Recently, Dana was appointed Poet Laureate of California and it does me honor to share his work with the Steemit community. Below, is a stirring new video poem of his, directed by his son, Mike Gioia (whom I hope to work with in the near future). As a writer of faith, the pilgrim's spirit is palpable in Dana's questing work and this poem is no different—concerned as it is with mysteries big and small, as well as how we might receive and decipher the winks and nudges along our path to lead a good life.
The stars now rearrange themselves above you
but to no effect. Tonight,
only for tonight, their powers lapse,
and you must look toward earth. There will be
no comets now, no pointing star
to lead you where you know you must go.
Look for smaller signs instead, the fine
disturbances of ordered things when suddenly
the rhythms of your expectation break
and in a moment's pause another world
reveals itself behind the ordinary.
And one small detail out of place will be
enough to let you know: a missing ring,
a breath, a footfall or a sudden breeze,
a crack of light beneath a darkened door.
To learn more about this fine writer and cultural figure, please, visit Dana Gioia's website.
I enjoyed this poem, very much. The reading was wonderful, too. I felt sheer wonder as he shares his own work, too. What a privaledge to know such a man personally. Thanks for sharing his poetry.
Yes, Dana is certainly a poet worth knowing and a man of many talents — he’s even written three opera libretti, and his work has been set to the music of many composers: danagioia.com/opera/
Glad you appreciated this short intro to his work 🙏🏼
Very much so. It was a rare treat.
Hello @yahialababidi, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Always happy to hear from you and, if you like, happy to submit to an interview :) Here's a print one I did a couple of months ago: https://steemit.com/creativity/@thenewalchemists/interview-with-yahialababidi-master-of-aphorisms as well as a video, a month earlier.
Really amazing poem! Very nice to know about Dana Gioia who is great poet and nicely directed this poem by his son ,liked this, thanks to share.
Glad you enjoyed this little presentation of his work :)
A very nice poem by a very passionate person.
Have a nice weekend!
Yes, passionate is a good way of describing him :)
Happy weekend to you, too 🙏🏼
fabulous one!!!!