17
MIXED MEDIUM
THE ARTS AROUND
EASTERN OREGON
JULY 13�20, 2022
Poet featured at First Draft Writers’ Series
Penelope Scambly
Schott lives in Dufur,
where she leads an
annual poetry workshop
Go! staff
PENDLETON — Penelope Scambly
Schott is the featured speaker at the First
Draft Writers’ Series, a monthly event at
Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main
St.
The gathering is Thursday, July 21, 7 p.m.
There are two options: attend in person at
the art center, or join via Zoom (access the
Zoom link at pendletonarts.org/fi rst-draft).
ABOUT THE WRITER
Schott has published a novel and sev-
eral books of poetry. She was awarded
four New Jersey arts fellowships before
moving to Oregon, where her verse biog-
FIRST DRAFT
Thursday, July 21
7 p.m.
Pendleton Center for the Arts
214 N. Main St.
Also on Zoom
pendletonarts.org
Penelope Schott/Contributed photo
Poet Penelope Scambly Schott is the
featured writer at the First Draft Writers’
Series on July 21 at Pendleton Center for
the Arts.
raphy “A is for Anne: Mistress Hutchinson
Disturbs the Commonwealth” received an
Oregon Book Award for Poetry.
When asked about specifi c themes in
her work, Schott said she’s “always been
guilty of over empathy.”
To illustrate, she shares the poem she
wrote when she was about 6 and living
in Manhattan. It was inspired by her view
from her 13th story window at the six-sto-
ry walk-up across the street.
Sad little skyscraper on a New York
City street,
If only it could grow a few more feet
Then it would be tall and could
reach the sky
and wouldn’t be thought of as small
at all.
She now lives in Dufur, a town of 635
south of The Dalles.
“I write about Dufur — about the land,
people I know, lizards in my rock pile,” she
said.
She’s led an annual poetry workshop
in Dufur for several years, and she and her
husband host the White Dog Poetry Salon
in Portland.
Her recent books are “On Dufur Hill”
(2020) and “Sophia and Mister Walter Whit-
man” (2021), co-written “with her equally
enthusiastic and devoted dog.” Releasing
this year is “Waving Fly Swatters at Angels.”
Her poetry, she said, is accessible to all
— even those who don’t care for poetry.
“My poems are clear and understand-
able,” she said. “You will know what I mean
and you may either cry or grin. I am telling
you the stories I would tell a friend and hop-
ing that makes you and me friends — at least
on the page and perhaps also in person.”
Her talk will be followed by a Q&A session
that includes discussion on the craft of
writing.
OPEN MIC
Those who would like to share an
original piece can sign up for the open
mic session that follows the Q&A. Up to
10 people can sign up for a time slot (3-5
minutes). For information, go to pendlet-
onarts.org or call 541-278-9201.
SUPPORT
First Draft is made possible through
the support of Oregon Humanities and the
National Endowment for the Humanities.
Your Hometown Realtor
Keisha Anderson
Real Estate Agent
541.910.8827
www.bluesummitrealtygroup.com