A4
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, FEbRuARy 25, 2021
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
A virtual FisherPoets Gathering
W
hen fishermen encounter
bad weather they wait
out the blow, anchored
in the cove or tied up at the harbor.
They are survivors — they don’t
take chances when Mother Nature
becomes rough.
In a similar vein, there’s news
about the FisherPoets Gathering, one
of the most sparkling events on the
North Coast’s calendar.
The good news is that despite the
pandemic it is going ahead with a
2021 program of poetry and musical
entertainment.
The not-so-good news is it will be
held virtually — with the audience-
tuning in online to capture the poets
in action.
Before Christmas, Jon Broder-
ick and fellow organizers had been
watching for any possible signs of
the pandemic safety restrictions eas-
ing. They made the correct deci-
sion to host the annual event — but
revamp its format to keep everyone
safe.
The gathering will begin Thurs-
day and run Friday and Saturday
with three 90-minute shows featur-
ing about 15 poets each. There will
be a 30-minute break for viewers to
fix a snack in between.
There are other activities planned,
all listed in Coast Weekend, or avail-
able as updates on the FisherPoets’
website.
Years ago, the annual gathering
was a delightful addition to the cal-
endar of cultural and artistic events
that signal how the North Coast
FISHERPOETS GATHERING
Follow the virtual events online at:
www.fisherpoets.org
Hailey Hoffman/The Astorian
Harry Moore, of Palmer, Alaska, plays guitar and sings about life as a fisherman at Astoria
Brewing Co. during the FisherPoets Gathering last year.
is so vibrant and varied. With the
Fort George Festival of Dark Arts,
which has been canceled because of
COVID risks, it added some needed
sparkle to relieve the February blahs.
The FisherPoets Gathering cel-
ebrates a core part of our heritage.
Although salmon runs have dwin-
dled, and the once-bustling canner-
ies are long gone, we’re still a fish-
ing hub. Crab pots still clutter our
docksides, while nets and lines are
as important now as they have been
during our history. And salmon run
predictions, a crab season delay or
changes in gillnetting regulations are
still news stories.
Broderick promises that several
dozen poets will be at the live shows
on Zoom and other platforms, per-
forming “from their kitchens and
their galleys, their patios and —
parked outside the public library —
their front seats.”
The slate includes stalwarts of
poetry and song. The Brownsmead
Flats will be among those providing
their singular brand of music.
And the 2021 pandemic version
of the gathering will introduce some
newcomers performing their work,
including Bob Allen, Jan Bono,
Meghan Gervais, Tony Mirose-
vich, Katrina Peavy and Charles
Tekula. All will offer themed poetry,
prose and song, which icon Dave
Densmore once told a reporter is
intended to “reinforce for the men
and women of the industry a sense
of pride in what we do and who we
are.”
We have waxed eloquently on
the authenticity of the festival every
year since it started in 1998. It has
grown in scale and scope to enjoy
an international audience and partic-
ipation, while intentionally holding
tight to its small-town flavor.
Unlike the larger Elko, Nevada,
cowboy poetry event, which features
professional entertainers, these per-
formers are all genuine participants
in their industry. FisherPoets inhabit
their folklore. Their hands, scarred
from fishing line cuts, and their
cheeks, reddened by gales, attest to
that.
The story is told — and it may
well be apocryphal — of a first-
time visitor asking a seasoned audi-
ence member whether the poets
were real fishermen. The long-time
attendee reportedly just grinned
and pointed to a performer’s boots,
which showed traces of fish guts that
hadn’t been washed off.
We’ll miss that this year. People
who like to “hang out in bars and
listen to wild sea stories” (as event
organizers tease) will be a tad disap-
pointed that the creative fun is not in
person. But this year, it must be.
uNLIKE THE LARGER ELKO, NEVAdA, COWbOy POETRy EVENT, WHICH
FEATuRES PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINERS, THESE PERFORMERS ARE ALL GENuINE
PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR INduSTRy. FISHERPOETS INHAbIT THEIR FOLKLORE. THEIR HANdS, SCARREd
FROM FISHING LINE CuTS, ANd THEIR CHEEKS, REddENEd by GALES, ATTEST TO THAT.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Water you talking about?
H
aving to boil drinking water in the
Jeffers Gardens area was an occa-
sional chore before Youngs River/Lewis
and Clark upgraded its filtration system.
I can’t remember if any boil water alert
came during a power outage, but if it did, I
was prepared, as I have a wood stove with
the ability to boil gallons of water at any
given time. What has me somewhat anx-
ious is the reports coming out of Texas,
where the public is under such an alert at
the same time there is no electricity.
Millions in the Lone Star State are
at risk, partly due to poor energy pol-
icy based upon “green” technology that
depends on the weather. As it turns out,
Texas relies on about 25% of its energy
output on wind and solar power which,
apparently, fizzle out during conditions
like those currently happening across
much of the country.
I just hope legislators in the Pacific
Northwest take into account what has hap-
pened this winter in the Midwest. It seems
a balanced approach to producing energy,
especially during extreme weather con-
ditions, would be the best way to ensure
citizens can get a healthy drink of water
during the middle of a storm.
MATT JANES
Jeffers Gardens
Above and beyond
n this day and time, the satisfaction of
above-and-beyond customer service is
a thing of the past. Well, unless you come
in contact with Teresa Olson at the Astoria
Pilot House. Let me explain.
My daughter-in-law, son and two other
couples are staying at the Pilot House for
my daughter-in-law’s 40th birthday, and I
wanted to do something extra special.
I spoke with Teresa on numerous occa-
sions, planning a special delivery for some
of her favorite goodies. Teresa was going
to receive those, and set up in their suite
for them on day of arrival, but Safeway
did not recognize the delivery address at
the Pilot House.
So Teresa volunteered for those items
I
to be delivered to her home address the
day before, and then take them over and
set up. She has done all of this over the
phone, and through text messages, with
a very happy voice and truly saying, “no
problem.”
I have never formally met her, but
hope I can, someday. I live in Georgia and
so I’m over 2,500 miles away, and for a
stranger to make my day be a little less
stressful making a fun surprise happen for
a complete stranger, is the best great cus-
tomer service I have ever received.
Thank you, Teresa and Astoria, for time
well spent finding a really sweet lady.
KAREN VINSON
Ranger, Georgia
Gotta love Astoria
s an Ocean Park, Washington, resi-
dent, I love traveling 25 miles south
to the thriving “metropolis” of Astoria. Its
hilliness reminds me of my former resi-
dence, San Francisco.
I like the batten-down-the-hatches
weather, the microbreweries, the Fisher-
Poets, the Goonies and the plaque at 12th
and Exchange streets noting Clark Gable’s
debut as an actor in 1922.
I love Astoria’s rich history, the Column
— whose 164 steps I climbed — and her
sense of cragginess.
I love the hipster quality of the city,
and its many fine restaurants, where I can
A
enjoy tasty repasts.
It’s not quite the toddlin’ town of Chi-
cago, as celebrated in song by Frank Sina-
tra. But she does harbor some toddlin’
characteristics.
Yes, Astoria looms large as
a go-to place for me, as well as for
Lewis and Clark, Gable and those
lovable Goonies.
Yes, I love Astoria, a town where the
sun shines through the pouring rain and
the weather suits my clothes.
Hooray for the “big city” to the south.
And thank you, business magnate John
Jacob Astor.
ROBERT BRAKE
Ocean Park, Washington