Early risers (for poets, musicians and artists) gather around the newly planted tree in Forrest Park at 10:00 AM. Several times as many festival goers would filter in during and after the ceremony.
Mayor John Farris officially opens Forrest Fest at the tree planting ceremony with a greeting from the city of Lamesa
Movers, shakers and friends of Forrest Fest. - Thom the World Poet, Mikus Grinbergs, Connie Williams and Mayor John Farris look on after each member of the gathering expressed their sentiment about the occassion, and as the ceremony continues.
What would a ceremony be without a spiritual guide, and what keep the gathering more uplifted than a chant put to music (the question is rhetorical).
Connie and Steve Brooks join Cathy Martin-Bails in song, while Cathy's son, Joshua Martin, reenacts a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Everyone (who got up early enough) gathers after the ceremony to say, "cheese."
Art here, art there, art and . . .
(The photog surprises an art admirer.)
. . . poetry everywhere.
Two poets (Connie and Larry Thomas) discuss the finer points of literary publishing with Linda mayo at a group of tables where poets in attendance display their books, and where Joe King Carasco's shadow boxes are displayed (right foreground).
The morning was cool, very cool, and the shade or the trees in the park was not as inviting as it will be in another month or so, but relaxing and playing in the park was part of the order of the day.
Is it soup yet? Mmm, the only thing better than the smell of the mesquite smoked brisket and pork ribs on the grill was eaating it with our potato salad, cole slaw and all the savory Bar-B-Q sauce we could spill on our plates.
Julie Clark and James Cahill busy themselves setting up the fare for the pic nic, while hungry festival goers (Yvonne Nunn, Larry Thomas, and his daughter,) wait for the dinner bell.
James Cahill was also an exhibiting artist, and just pitched in to make himself helpful (and just maybe to speed things up).
While the rest of us were loading our plates in preparation of letting our belts out a notch or two, Thom the World Poet was pouring his considerable energy into his workshop for the benefit of dedicated poets, and interested others who may just have been enjoying the show.
Thom's workshop provokes the imagination and stimulates enthusiastic responsefrom poet and audience alike through stimulous-response exercises, employing an array of pictures, objects and musical stimulous provided by Steve Brooks.
You didn't know you had it in you? Working the crowd Thom draws the poet out of the most reticent bystander.
Thom is not a stand in one place kind of guy, and doesn't let those attending his workshops stay in one place either. Tom White of the Permian Basin Poetry Society matches Thom's enthusiasm with his own exhuberant cakewalk.
A moment of introspective reflection for David Breeden becomes a work in progress.
Mid way through the day, Connie decided that the refridgerator needed proping up. It wasn't the refrigerator that needed proping up though, as Connie takes a respite from the day's excitement. Hard worker, that Connie.
Gene Stafford took a little time to assess the progress in the workshop, while his pic nic lunch settles.
Traveling companions Amanda Kitchens, Eric "The Orchestra" Texeria and friend arrived late, but settled into the program after running down to the chuck wagon before the cook packed it all away.
Larry Thomas and David Breeden exchange a few observations on the finer points of the program.
Larry and Peggy Zuleika Lynch pose.
Larry returns the favor and takes my camera for a shot of Peggy and me. "Sizzlin" Jim Johnson. The title of sizzlin was not yet part of my persona, but the subdued eroticism of a poem I read later that evening led to Connie commenting that I added sizzle to the program.
I am, by the way, the photog and Webmaster for Forrest Fest, among many another duties.
Peggy gives Joe Reyna a few kudos for his art exhibit.
Members of the Permian Basin Poetry Society, a chapter of the Poetry Society of Texas read their poetry to musical accompaniment by fellow members, and performed an original ballad composition.
Next on the agenda were the Lubbock Loft's venue of Cowboy poets. Featured were Neil Green and Gene Stafford (Shown), Lamesa Balladeer who never fails to elicit a tear from his audience -- and he'll cry with you.
Steve Brooks, the festival troubadore, released his inner cowboy for the program.
Neil Greene, the Gray Green Texas Sage, warms up the crowd by declaring his pride in the fact that he still had all his teeth at his age, just before pulling a can out of his pocket and rattling it to prove his claim.
The audience was rapt.
Neil Greene's largely humerous repoitore demonstrates this significant aspect of Cowboy poetry, and his song, "Get your Fanny Back to Texas," keeps his audience laughing. A near audacious narrative, his lyrics describe a short lived move to California with his wife, Fanny.
The audience was rapt.
Julie Clark kept the poetry coming with an impromptu open mic prededing the awards for the festival poetry competition.
Maggi Hemmingway and her friend, another Connie, blazed a trail all the way from Grand Prairie to Forrest Fest. Meeting for the first time, Director Connie and Maggi fleshed out their cyber acquaintance in the real world.
Tanya Keyser, San Antonio poet and web mistress woes the audience with rapacious spoken word.
Pic. #35 -- Sister Kittie
Kittie Keyser takes home first place for Adolescent Poetry in the forrest Fest competition. An amazing young poet with a flare for the spoken word, she has twice been published in the Austin International Poetry Festival youth Anthology, helps sister Tanya with their Web site and publishing their provocative work.
Rachel Platten, an original member of the Lubbock Loft and Forrest Fest, reads during the Lubbock hosted venue. Many of you remember Rachel's remarkable poetry from 2004 when she frightened us all to death with her "Worm of Insanity." Rachel's father, Steve, was the artist for the Posters this year.
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Amanda Kitchens was our milk carton poster child last year. No one working on the web site could remember her name. As before, her original work and urgent spirit captivated the audience, and Forrest Fest was delighted to see her appear. Mystery solved.
Cathy Martin-Bails reads the poetry of the youngest poet, her daughter, Holana Martin, who composed a remarkable poem during the workshop.
David Knape was among the contestants who attended to receive his award.
The staff conspired to give Connie a special award for her inspired dream of a poetry and arts festival, and her hard work and dedication to making that dream come to life. To keep it real and in keeping with the vision of an all inclusive celebration, she was honored with a crown of laurel and a plaque declaring her Poet Lariat (yes, Poet Lariat) of Forrest Fest, because she was the head honcha for the roundup.
Thom, dressed in colors that reflect his nature and poetry, hosted the reading by the invited poets, and reads his compositions with accompaniment by Eric "The Orchestra" Texeria.
Thom, whose lyrics and vocals invoke recollections of Bob Dylan, stood in with Steve Brooks during part of his segment. Steve, a masterful musician, harmonized with and complimented Thom's vocals in a way that made the effect almost uncanny.
Dr. Chris Ellery, who first encouraged Connie to explore her inner poet while a student at Angelo State University,
Peggy Zuleika Lynch, known as much for her focus on love poetry as her efforts to promote poetry and poets,
Accompanied by Steve Brooks, Kathleen Romano's sensual performance poet delivery of her idylls and odes as a medley was a crowd pleaser that also drew praise from Chris Ellery, who remarked that she was among the few whom he had heard who could make it really work.
Expect nothing less than mesmerizing from Dr. David Breeden; he gets into your soul with his insightful recognitions of human desire and longing. And he tells us, to paraphrase one of his dead on poems, in a compelling certain voice, that he wants to be a member of a secret organization so cloak and dagger he won't even know the name of it.
Houston poet Larry Thomas, a master at describing the West Texas landscape and the relationships built around this often harsh climate and many of our thrifty upbringings, is surely the ranking country gentleman poet in Texas. His uplifting presence was a boost to all Forrest Festers.
Peggy Lynch and Julie Clark grin at the lines of poets signing up to participate at Forrest Fest. Or was that at the tip jar that was filling up? Thanks to everyone for their generous support.
Connie appreciates that poetry is as much a performance art as it is a literary art, and prepares to close the show with a reading of her poetry.
Fellow poets and performers react as they attentively listen to our Poet Lariat recite her poety.
Connie Williams, the Forrest Fest Poet Lariat, performs.