Poet Laureate shares at Open Book Club

Montana's 2021-2023 Poet Laureate Mark Gibbons spoke and read from, "In The Weeds," his latest anthology of poems, Saturday, February 25 at Alpine Artisans Open Book Club. The Poet Laureate is an honorary post that comes with responsibilities to promote the appreciation of poetry as an ancient and ongoing form of expression, said the Montana Arts Council, sponsor of the Poet Laureate program.

"I say everyone is a poet," said Gibbons. "What's a poet? Someone who writes down the things that come to mind. Basically poetry is just being a human being."

Being in a poetry workshop by James Welch in High School gave Gibbons his first taste of poetry. Welch wrote about all that he had encountered in his life and taught students to bring those images into what the students were saying. Welch told students to write about what they know.

"People like me, from little podunk Alberton, Montana people don't become poets," thought Gibbons. 

"We did write poems in that poetry workshop, and ever since I was 16 years old, I've been writing poems," said Gibbons. " I can't stop writing poems, because I just fell in love with the idea of writing a poem and expressing myself in that way.

After teaching poetry and writing as a public school teacher for six years, Gibbons went to University of Montana to focus on the craft of poetry, obtaining his Masters of Fine Arts as well as completing Bachelors of Arts in English and Psychology earlier.

For the last thirty years Gibbons has taught poetry to children, as a public school teacher and through Missoula Writing Collaborative. In addition he has worked as a furniture mover, carpenter, fire fighter, truck driver and other jobs.

Gibbons read poems chronicling various aspects of his life, family and interpersonal discovery. Poems Gibbons shared from memory also highlighted the afternoon's event. He has published nine other collections of poetry.

"People came up to me after Book Club and said this was the best meeting ever, Mark is so entertaining" said Jenny Rohrer, Alpine Artisans Program Coordinator. "It's such a privilege to get to bring these authors to Seeley Lake and hear from them."

The Alpine Artisans Open Book Club started in 2007 with meetings at the Grizzly Claw in Seeley Lake. During the pandemic 220 people attended the largest Open Book Club gathering ever at the Homestead Cabin when John Maclean read from his latest book, "Homewaters." In 2001 they moved to the Community Foundation Building, West Wing. 

 "Sarah Wilcox, Grizzly Claw, is the key person behind the book club with her extensive knowledge of Montana authors and new publications," said Jenny Rohrer, Alpine Artisans. "Meetings are generally held monthly September-June."

"I'm really happy to be talking about poetry (as the poet laureate)," said Gibbons. "Poetry is living...it brings us together. That's something we always need as a culture and society, and maybe now more than ever."

The Montana Poet Laureate is a program sponsored by the Montana Arts Council. Poets are nominated in odd numbered years to the governor by the Arts Council. The program began in 2005, Gibbons is the ninth poet laureate.

The Montana Poet Laureate position recognizes and honors a citizen poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment.

The Poet Laureate also encourages appreciation of poetry and literary life in Montana, said Humanities Montana on their website. Humanities Montana is a private organization that works with the Poet Laureate to schedule presentations across the state through their Speaker's Bureau.  Cutline

Mark Gibbons expressively shared his poetry at the Open Book Club meeting in Seeley Lake.