“I
like going to places that
aren’t necessarily set up for poetry
and seeing who responds to it,”
he says. “For instance, back when
we were having the Individual
World Poetry Slam for the second
time, we put together a reading at
Pig Out in the Park. No one there
was expecting poetry. Some of
them were like, ‘Why are these
people yelling words at me over
the microphone?’ But some of the
people really enjoyed it.”
With assistance from Spokane
Arts and the City Council, he’s
also helped to usher in Poetry at
the Podium, which introduced
poetry readings to a slot normally
reserved for words of affirmation at
council meetings. There he’s read
at least two of his pieces, “How to
Ride a Bicycle” and “For the Looff
Carrousel.” The first appears in a
forthcoming collection of poems
based on his childhood; the second
was written to commemorate the
reopening of the popular landmark
in the newly renovated Riverfront
Park.
Photo credit: Don and Julia Photography
Amid all the new developments,
Anderson has continued to serve as
a casual poetry ambassador among
the community at large. And for that,
working as a barista at Boots Bakery
in downtown Spokane has provided
an unexpectedly effective platform.
“I’m the first poet laureate who isn’t
also a teacher at a college,” he says.
“It’s kind of funny to see people say,
‘Oh, hey, you’re the poet laureate!’
Then I’ll hand them their coffee.
‘Yep, that’ll be $2.72.’”
Photo credit: TooFarNorth on Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA
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