Woiwode presenting at JC

Residents here tonight have a unique opportunity to witness some of the most celebrated poetry in the state in a non-conventional setting.

North Dakota Poet Laureate Larry Woiwode and Associate Poet Laureate Rick Watson will present “A Desert of Snow” at 7 tonight in the DeNault Auditorium in the Reiland Fine Arts Center on the campus of Jamestown College. There is no admission charge.

“It’s kind of a dialogue between music and the spoken word,” Woiwode said.

Watson will bring his own compositions on the guitar and pair it with Woiwode’s poetry.

Woiwode called Watson’s music original music with “a Dakota flavor,” and also that it’s not country or postmodern.

Watson himself called his music “high plain creole.”

“The folk word is not an obscenity to me, I certainly come out of the folk tradition,” he said.

Watson also set some of Woiwode’s poems to music and will perform those. “A Desert of Snow” is one example.

“In my mind the melody was already in my head when I read those words on paper,” he said.

He also said he’s just proud be to a part of this show.

“It’s kind of his show as far as I’m concerned,” Watson said. “I’m just honored to provide some musical mirrors.”

Woiwode said the music is part of the performance.

“There’s dialogue, there’s acting, there’s performance, there’s music, there’s singing — a lot goes on,” Woiwode said.

This is the first time the duo will perform in Jamestown, but they have done this same type of event four other times across the state.

Appointed by the North Dakota Senate and House and approved by the governor, Woiwode travels the state and does commissioned poems, writes songs and visits schools.

He also teaches at Jamestown College.

Through Woiwode’s travels and connections, he appointed 12 associate poet laureates, including Watson.

“I want to make sure the Legislature has plenty of applicants ready to go when I should leave the office,” he said.

Even though the term is a life-long appointment Woiwode said he might step down, just to see someone else fill the role.

He said he hopes to share some of his art as a poet on stage tonight.

“It’s live entertainment, it’s a mix of several genres and it’s entertaining and I think it’ll be uplifting educational, and a lot of fun,” Woiwode said.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: diversions, arts, books