Time to talk to the poets

I may have the chance to meet Rita Dove this afternoon at a reception to mark the opening of Get Lit! , the annual literary arts festival sponsored by the Eastern Washington University Press. I’ll try not to make a fool of myself, no easy feat. Dove’s poetry is that curious blend of passion and wordplay that invites you to see the world through her eyes while making you think that you’re seeing things for yourself. Again, no easy feat.

Robert Bly might also be around. I interviewed Mr. “Iron John” several years ago about the men’s work that brought him more fame than his poetry ever had but which gave him more opportunities to recite the poems that he has been writing for more than half a century. Long a foe of war , whether in Vietnam or Iraq, Bly was an amiably gruff interview, willing to converse instead of merely answer questions but always giving off the feeling that he wasn’t about to suffer fools. It’ll be interesting to see what he’s like in person.

Both of them read, along with Madeline DeFrees and Bill Tremblay, at 7 tonight at The Met . And with their appearances, Get Lit! 2005 – which began its nine-day run on Friday – gets truly under way.