Welcome to Poet's Corner. November is a great time for poetry around SLO. The Language of the Soul festival happens the 2nd and 3rd weekends of November. You can find a full festival schedule of who is where on The Poetry Page ourSLO.com/poetrypage. Many of the poets will be past SLO City laureates. I am looking forward to hearing Al Young, the current state poet laureate. His voice is hypnotic, the reality of his poetry the only thing that prevents a total trance. Check out Al Young's page at www.alyoung.org.

In his poem "What If Poetry Is God's Work?" Taalam Acey says:
"In this now
when politicians and clergy
have proved themselves unworthy
of your time and
televisions shows and
music videos have proved unworthy
of your mind
don't be surprised to find that
god is especially present
in poetry dens
using poetry pens"

Deborah Tobolah is a prime moving example of the prime mover's ample sample in this direction. Deborah is my POET OF THE MONTH. We first met when we worked together on the Arts Council's poetry committee. For no one have I more appreciation and admiration than this incredibly talented and creative woman. Her poetry is incisive and provoking, honest to the bone, rich in poetic devices, often subtle, always accessible.

Deborah is a giant "Arts in Corrections" candle at CMC. She teaches creative writing, poetry, and drama. We are accustomed now to wait for the next Deborah Tobolah production of a work created and performed by her inmate students. The effect of the work that Deborah does is astronomically immeasurable. Her ability to combine her poetic nature with her educational management capability is a talent I have not seen excelled.

Want to see her work? Go to ourslo.com/tobola. "The art of poetry has nothing to do with making a living; it has do with making a soul and making the world soul larger. It’s a calling and an answering. The poet is a poet no matter where he finds himself, no matter what befalls him."

Deborah has also, along with producing that new play, been finishing up her first novel. I heard some of this and I have to tell you, Tobolah knows what she is doing and she is doing it well. I am looking forward to my copy.

On October 28, 7pm Deborah and David Ochs will kick off the reprise and everlasting continuation of Sky World moving from Nipomo to Santa Maria. David Ochs has previously worked with Deborah and poetry at CMC. An open mike and dead poets in costume will be included.

Sky World is at Coffee Diem, 503 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. Just pretend you are a reporter at the Michael Jackson trial and you want a good cup of coffee. Find the charming house that looks like anything but a coffe house.

At Slo Deliverance on November 5th I will feature my friend of more than thirty years, retired psychologist, Connard Hogan. We used to play guitars together and sing folk songs in northern California and we hiked some mountains. Starting with Mount Shasta, Connard went on to hike every mountain in the western hemisphere over 14,000 feet. Then he did others such as Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt. Cook in New Zealand. Connard has written a book based on his mountaineering experiences. He is negotiating a publisher. He has also become quite a potter. He will be talking about and showing some of his recent work. He will also talk about his book and his recent work with the Red Cross in Alabama. Connard's wife, Janet, is retired tri-county director of Easter Seals. Connard and Janet both are active, I mean active, members of The Rotary Club.

Another Type Of Groove is the product of Cal Poly students. This exciting reading meets in Phillips Hall by the PAC. Besides an really exciting open mike with every kind of poetry imagineable, ATOG features world class poets every first Thursday at 7pm. The next ATOG will feature a mini-SLAM. Slam is not a kind of poetry. It is a kind of poetry contest. A panel of judges evaluates each poet's performance. For more info see ourSLO.com/slam. The Groove will also feature surprise guest poets. The off campus community needs to really show an appreciation for and support this reading.

These three events kick off an exciting month of poetry in this area.