Author reading poetry at SFCC’s Lit Live!

It’s too bad that so many people know Robert Bly only as the author of “Iron John.”

While there’s nothing wrong with the book, which served as the focal point of the men’s movement that began in the late 1980s, it’s only a small part of what the Minnesota-born poet has accomplished in his life.

Bly is in the news because he will appear Friday at 7 p.m. at the Spokane Falls Community College Music Auditorium as part of the school’s Lit Live! Literary Program.

He will read his poetry accompanied by a quartet of Spokane drummers: Rick Rubin, Ken Maupin, Richard Dalke and Ian Cunningham.

After the reading, Bly will engage in a question-and-answer discussion and then hold a book signing. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For further information, call 624-1873.

Those who caught Bly at his last Spokane appearance, for last year’s Get Lit! program, know that he is a charismatic performer. He’s likely to break the reading of a poem to explain its meaning, or emphasize the ideas he’s expressing, or simply to pose rhetorical questions.

Bly has the résumé to do all of that and more. A native of Madison, Minn., the 79-year-old author has written not only poetry (more than 30 collections) and nonfiction, but also has translated the work of some 22 poets (from Spanish, Norwegian, French and more ) and edited magazines (The Sixties) and several anthologies of poetry and fiction.

His own poetry collection, 1967’s “The Light Around the Body,” won the National Book Award.

I probably don’t need to say this, but I will: Bly’s coming here is a big deal. The folks at SFCC who arranged his appearance deserve more than just thanks. They should get a round of applause.

Last-chance limericks

Those seeking to enter The Spokesman-Review’s 2006 Limericks Contest have one more day to get their work in.

The topic for this year is Pacific Northwest history. Some of the subjects that entrants have tackled so far are Lewis and Clark, Native American life, the founding of Spokane, the Indian chief Qualchan, Cannon Hill Park and much more.

The standard limericks style (five lines of aabba rhymes, anapestic meter, with the b lines shorter if not sweeter) should be adhered to. But we tend to grade cleverness ahead of mere style.

Send your entries online to limericks@spokesman.com (deadline is noon Monday), or by mail to S-R Limericks Contest, 999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201 (mail must be postmarked no later than Monday).

Good luck. The top three winners as chosen by our panel of judges will receive, respectively, $100, $50 and $25 gift certificates to Auntie’s Bookstore.

All whose work is chosen for publication will be invited to read publicly at Auntie’s on March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day – at 7:30 p.m.

Praise the vets

As part of Joe Kamps’ reading of his novel “The Foxhole Angel” on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Auntie’s Bookstore, three veterans of World War II will talk about their experiences: Dutch Wilhelm, Don Kamps and L. Martin.

As author Kamps says, “WWII veterans will not be with us forever, and this may be your best opportunity to meet genuine heroes face to face.”

Meet the past

The bicentennial celebration of the Lewis and Clark expedition has been in the news a lot lately, which is why the program titled “Meet Toussaint Charbonneau” put on by the Latah County Historical Society should interest those who care about regional history.

It will be presented today at 1:30 p.m. at the 1912 Community Center, Third and Van Buren, in Moscow, Idaho.

Garry Bush, who taught for more than 35 years in public schools in Idaho, Washington, California and Oregon, does an interpretive portrayal of Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trader who worked as a guide, cook and interpreter for Lewis and Clark.

Tickets are $5 ($4 for historical society members). Desserts and beverages will be served at 1:30, followed by a short meeting of the society and Bush’s performance at 2:30. For more information call (208) 882-1004.

Book talk

•Poetry Reading Group (230-0950), 3 p.m. today, Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington (838-0206).

•Literary Freedom Book Group (“The Love Wife,” by Gish Jen), 1 p.m. Saturday, Auntie’s Bookstore.

The reader board

•J.D. Kamps (“The Foxhole Angel”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Auntie’s Bookstore.

•Ignite Community Theatre, reading of “Barefoot in the Park,” 7:30 p.m., Friday. Auntie’s Bookstore.