Burning Word 2004 excites and ignites

At Historic Greenbank Farm, Whidbey Island, WA, Saturday, April 24

The Washington Poets Association commemorated its 33rd anniversary by presenting Burning Word 2004, a spirited day long celebration of poetry, music, performance and workshops, featuring more than 25 award-winning poets and musicians.

The featured performer was internationally acclaimed Washington poet Tess Gallagher, who is also the inaugural recipient of the WPA's first Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at Burning Word.

The non-stop Main Stage featured the performances of respected poet and nature writer Tim McNulty, this year's judge of the prestigious WPA Stafford Contest; Seattle's talented Poet Populist Tara Hardy; widely-published WWU faculty member and WPA Carlin Aden Contest judge Jim Bertolino; and exciting young poet Dustin Fox.

Also featured were: dynamic poet and spoken-word artist, Carrington MacDuffie; grand slam winner and former Poet Populist Bart Baxter; and the accomplished Sarah Singer.

Other exciting Main Stage performers, listed alphabetically included: Kate Beles, Matt Gano, Cindy Williams Gutierrez, Lorraine Healy, Thomas Hubbard, Chris Jarmick, Natalie Martinez, Fionn Meade, Soham Patel, Deborah Poe, Philip Red Eagle, Cathy Ruiz, Liona Tannesen and Jane Winslow.

Main Stage musical guests included the always surprising Trickster Hero Orchestra, the wild gypsy funk of Sister Monk Harem, and the powerful original songs of Beverly Graham.

Burning Word's second venue at Greenbank Farm was the Jim Davis House, which hosted fascinating educational workshops and several open mics.

Well-known nature writer and poet Susan Zwinger included a walk on some of Greenbank Farm's 500 acres of protected land during her morning workshop. Michael Dylan Welch, this year's WPA Francine Porad Haiku contest judge and editor of Tundra, led a haiku workshop, Kara and Hawk Jones of Kota Press taught "Expanding Poetry - getting your poetry out there!" and Firesign Theater's David Ossman presented tips on delivering poems orally.

Artist Trust's Director of Grant Programs, Fionn Meade offered tips and insights, geared towards poets and poet performers, on creating a successful grant application, and WSU professor Leonard Orr offered Stepping Away from Logic, a chance to free creativity through playful chance techniques.

Burning Word Festival hosted a Book & Small Press Fair and a Poetry Book Exchange Table.

While at Greenbank Farm, Festival goers enjoyed expansive water views, strolling miles of beautiful trail, swapping lies at Whidbey Pies Cafe, and sampling wine at the Farm's Wine Shop.

Everyone was so high on the event that the WPA board of directors voted the next day to hold next year's event at the same site. Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 30.

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