Information Link - Poetry Pole Group - OPB

[John Milliken]

Matt and Dave,

This digital introduction is a product of a walk taken by Matt Blair and John Milliken today to walk/map various poetry pole locations in the inner NE neighborhoods.  On our walk this afternoon, a neighbor on Alameda Ridge mentioned that she had had a conversation with Dave Miller regarding her pole.  I promised Matt I would make the introduction to Dave.  The Portland Poetry Pole Group, through Matt's efforts, is building an iPhone application locating all of the poetry poles in Portland.

As a side note regarding my pursuit of writing, poetry poles and regard for a sense of community, I offer the following:

I am a proponent, builder and installer of a number (not all by any means - just some) of these poles throughout Portland.  Besides providing me activity for my idle hands, a few dollars for cigars and decent whiskey, these posts further a sense of community.  Several government agencies (City of Portland) and NGO organizations (US Green Building Council) are behind the concept of a 20 Minute Neighborhood.  I think literary exchange and discussion among neighbors is a key component of that concept.   I moved to my neighborhood 23 years ago precisely for the reason that everything I require is within a 20 minute walk, mass transit or bike ride radius.  I have finally managed to include work within that circle as my office is only fifteen minutes from my house by bike.

I trust this introduction will further our common interests.

-John Milliken

"El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz"' (respect for the rights of others is peace )
-Benito Juarez

[David Cooke]

Sorry to have missed it moving took more time than I thought but isn't that how it always goes?

David Cooke

The Lawn Guy

PO Box 1552

Lake Oswego OR 97035

(503) 887-8238

[Matt Blair]

No problem, David. I hope you're getting settled into your new digs.
Let's all try to get together again in a few weeks.

I had a great walk and chat with John Milliken on Saturday, and
another great walk and chat with Tony and his wife this morning.

Walking from box to box has been inspiring, and the fresh air and
conversations have given me some needed input to make a few key
decisions about the design and priority of various aspects of the
project. I'm going to remove some features currently in the app that
aren't quite ready, and move forward a few others, so we can get this
app out in the wild.

We have 35 poetry boxes/posts on the list at this point, and I'm going
to check in with Doug Trotter for his list of addresses. The app and
website will both accept submissions of new locations, so we can keep
building the list over time.

By the way: which name is more commonly used? Poetry Box or Poetry Post?

Thanks,

Matt

[David Cooke]

I like poetry box but poetry post posts is used more I think.  There does seem to be some confusion with the double meaning of post in that some think it is just "posted" on the web.  One also has to decide between the yonic and the phallic when deciding between box and post.  I prefer box but I don't think we need to dictate this.

 

I unfortunately wasn't able to get out from all my boxes last Saturday, but this Sunday I will.  I am reading at Moonstruck Chocolate (45 South State St. in Lake Oswego) at 630pm.  I will be reading some published and unpublished (or hopefully soon to be published) stuff.  The coffee and candy is nice but I will be grabbing a beer at Maher's Pub (352 B Ave accross from the Safeway) before the reading come join me for one or both! www.poetryboxes.com is not taken but poetrybox, poetrypost, and poetryposts are.

 

David Cooke

 

Two of my poems...

www.hungermtn.org/edges

http://www.riverandsoundreview.org/Poetry/Issue3/Cooke.htm

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From: Matt Blair <elsewi...@gmail.com>
To: portland...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Mon, October 18, 2010 6:10:17 PM
Subject: Re: Information Link - Poetry Pole Group - OPB

[Matt Blair]

David,

I'm entertaining my parents this weekend, and it doesn't look like we'll be able to make it down there this evening. Have a great reading! I look forward to sharing a round of beer with you, and hearing your poetry out loud, sometime soon.

Matt

Sent from my iPhone