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Clackamas Print
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Poetic justice served for planet
Mike Guldlce
train to Portland.
“It was 1957 or ‘58, and I had long hair and a long
beard, and I remember once I was in this bar, and this
guy comes up to me and says ‘Are you a beatnik?’
Box elder bugs, baseball and ballistic missiles. And I said, ‘Am I a what?’ That was the first time I
Doesn’t sound like the type of things one would gen had ever heard the word and I had just spent the last
erally associate with poetry? Well, clearly you have year-and-a-half being what most would consider a
not been exposed to the realist poet Clem Starck.
beatnik, but I didn’t know I was one. It was a great
He spoke at the college last
trip though; I spent a couple years
Thursday as part of the Sustainability
just wandering around the country,
Project. For those who don’t already
hitchhiking, writing and working odd
know, the project is a focus on the
- jobs.”
“I’m an
environment that promotes local and
Starck’s style is unique in that he
global sustainability.
prides himself in tackling the chal
environmen
Starck received the Oregon Book
lenges of writing poetry about seem
talist, a tree
Award in poetry in 1996 for his col
ingly non-poetic subjects. Working as
hugger who’s
lection, Journeyman’s Wages. He was
a carpenter to support his passion for
also a finalist for the award in 1999
poetry, Starck says that the two trades
definitely
and 2003.
are surprisingly similar.
aware of the
Even though he is not an envi
Whether building with words or
degradation of building with wood, it’s a craft dedi
ronmentalist poet, while reading his
poetry some will inevitably encounter
cated to putting things together so
the planet. ”
some pieces that depict certain aspects
they fit like a puzzle — with the end
of the serene nature of Oregon, some
result being ,a strong architectural
thing Starck has always embraced and
structure, or a lyrical liaison of words
Clem Starck
appreciated.
that flows with ease.
Poet
“I’m an environmentalist, a tree
Despite his many travels and stops
hugger who’s definitely aware of the
in various locations, Starck has set
degradation of the planet,” he said. “I
tled in Oregon on 40 acres of property
was happy to be invited here to read
that he has since made into a habitat
my poems, which aren’t particularly designed to be restoration zone.
environmental activist poems at all, but I definitely
I try to keep [Oregon] a secret; we don’t wanna
have that consciousness in the back of my head.”
get too many people in here. It’s the greatest place
As any good poet can attest to, life experience is in the world. I can’t imagine living in any other
the major fuel for material, and Starck has plenty of place. It has not yet been corrupted to the extent that
it. In a Kerouacian move during the 1950’s he gave other places have. I’ve even grown to love the rain,”
up on his formal education and hitchhiked via freight Starck added.
The Clackamas Print
^■ntematicTiaf tDi
-
11:15 a.m.
^Tenter
- Original Spanish play written by Instructor Irma Bjerre and
performed by the Spanish Club. ' '
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Cuba Che band to play Latino music; also free.
- Cha Cha and Salsa lessons.
12:15 - 1 p.m. - French Club performs
- Tunisian belly dance
- Puppet play
- Solo: “Un Jour Tu Verras”
- “Dejeuner du Martin”
- “Rappelle-toi Barbara”: a multi
media presentation of Jacques
Prevert’s romantic poem
1 - 1:30 p.m. - German Club presents scenes of travel.
1:30 - 2 p.m. - ASL students perform.
Brandy-Marie Faulhaber Clackamas Print
Award winning poet Clem Starck address!
es the audience. He read various poem!
he had written and answered question|
from the crowd.
CAMPUS NEWS
& EVENTS
TODAY’!!
The Clackamas Foreign Language Department and lad
guage clubs will host music, dance, poetry and art frol
around the world as a part of this year’s International Cel
ebration in the Bill Brod Community Center from 11 a.n
to 2 p.m. The entertainment is free, and language clubs wij
sell regional foods. For more information, contact the Fo
eign Language Department at (503) 657-6958, ext. 28131 I|he
■F
May 4
: ||I k
Poet Derek Sheffield, who received the North American È-llo
Review’s James Hearst Award, will be reading from his i <Jof
work. It will take place in the Literary Arts Center, Rool lute
220, from noon to 1 p.m. His reading is one of the even)
connected with the Sustainability Project at CCC. For
information, contact the English Department at (503)
657-6958 ext. 2284.
May 9
The Seasoned Adult Enrichment Program will discuss
curerit events, headed up by Joanne N. Baker. The pro
grams take place at CCC’s Harmony campus, beginning pt
9:30 a.m. in Room 191. For more information about SAEP
programs, contact June Routson at (503) 786-3856.
NOW HIRING z
DELIVERY DRIVERS:
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Looking for Friendly People With A Neat Appearance
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PO Box2806
Fri - Sat 11:00 a.m.
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Apply in store today!
.’ha
:ity
May 9
What does Clackamas Community College mean to yoi
Show your pride in Clackamas by entering a video, phon
collage, drawing, painting, or sculpture and capturing t|
Clackamas Experience in a powerful way. Submissions J re
due by Wed., May 9 at noon. Take submissions to Michel le
Baker in the Community Center, Room 152 (Studa it
Activities Office). You must include your name, phol
number, e-mail address and mailing address. For addition go
information, e-mail Michelle Baker at mbaker@clackama Bl
0(1
edu, or call (503) 657-6958, ext. 2245.
May 9
Club Carnival in the Community Center from noon to
1 p.m. Contact ASG at (503) 657-6958^ ext. 2245 f|>r
details.
-10:00p.m.
(SO3) St 5-5000
No inquiries from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 5:00 to 7:00 prit please.
May 12
A free workshop demonstrating different techniques for
composting yard debris will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the
Home Composting Demonstration Site south of Clairmont
Hall. It is cosponsored by Metro and. taught by instructor
Danielle Folliard. Preregistration is not required. For moire
information, call (503) 657-6958, ext. 2246.