November 26, 2007 - The Washington Poets Association today announced headliners for the 2008 Burning Word festival to be held April 26, 2008 on Whidbey Island.

Anne Waldman

Leading the program will be Anne Waldman, co-founder of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Colorado's Naropa University, a noted performer, teacher and author of more than 40 books and small-press editions of poetry.

“Anne Waldman represents three of the most important strains of post-World War II - new American poetry, the New York School and the Beat movement,” said Paul Nelson, president of the Washington Poets Association. “We believe Northwest poets and readers will agree that we're very fortunate to feature Waldman at the 2008 Burning Word festival.”

Joining Waldman as headliners will be Cuban-born poet José Kozer; Canadian poet and essayist Lionel Kearns; and poet, filmmaker, translator and poetry editor Mark Weiss of New York City.

José Kozer

Kozer is one of the lights of the neobarroco movement in Latin American poetry and the leading Cuban poet of his generation. His work has been translated into numerous languages and studied in many university literature programs. His book No Buscan Reflejarse (2001) was the first poetry collection by a living Cuban exile to be published in Havana.

Lionel Kearns was a member of the Tish group in the 60's, and a participant in the British and North American Concrete movement in the 70's. He has remained a prominent Canadian poet and mentor for the last 5 decades.

Lionel Kearns

Of poetry, Kearns said, “There has to be something compelling there, something unique, something useful. That is the challenge. That is what we poets try to do, tricking language into patterns so memorable that they stay with you forever.”

Mark Weiss has wide-ranging creative interests, combining poetry, filmmaking and social sciences. He has founded and directed many poetry series in New York City and founded Junction Press. Weiss is a respected editor and translator of poetry, working with José Kozer. Weiss' anthology, The Whole Island: Six Decades of Cuban Poetry, is forthcoming in 2009 from University of California Press. He lives at the edge of Manhattan's only forest.

Mark Weiss

“Our headliners represent the wonderfully diverse world of poetry-in genre, culture and style,” said Burning Word Director Sue Ellen White. “We are continuing to build that diversity as we seek nominations of regional and local poets to share billing with our exciting headline poets.”

The Burning Word poetry festival has had a successful four-year history at Whidbey's scenic Greenbank Farm and has built a reputation as a vibrant festival representing the wide range of poetic interests in the Northwest.

“Burning Word has shown increased attendance every year and in 2008 we expect a large crowd to experience Anne Waldman, who is known for her dynamic performances and commitment to social justice,” said Nelson.

Burning Word invites people to nominate poets and to volunteer to be part of the festival production.

For more information:

• Visit the Burning Word web site.
• See the contact page for email information.
• Call (253) 753-6328 or (360) 341-2434.