What could be finer than drink some wine, listen to poems, and talk about two of life’s most wonderful, mysterious and sensual experiences–our physical attractions to each other and our spiritual attractions to god. Sex and spirit. That’s how we’ll begin the new Poetry Club in Telluride on January 8 at Arroyo’s fine art gallery and wine bar on 220 E. Colorado Ave.
Led by Art Goodtimes,who will be sharing from Lenore Kandel’s collected works, and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, who will share from Daniel Ladinski and Nancy Owen Barton’s new collection of Rumi poems The Purity of Desire, the evening is open to anyone who wants to join us, though we’re looking for members to support the new club. $25 annual memberships will be available. Members will receive regular updates on monthly meetings and special events. Membership contributions will be tax-deductible. The first person to sign up that night receives a free copy of The Purity of Desire.
Daiva Chesonis of Between the Covers will be offering chits to all attendees giving a 10% discount on one book at the bookstore. The first member to sign up at the Tuesday inaugural meeting will also receive a free poetry book.
“In Western culture, the erotic and spiritual are sometimes seen as opposite poles, but in many traditions – including indigenous cultures of the Americas – they are complementary aspects of the sacred,” explained Goodtimes.
After the reading and discussion, which the Wilkinson Library will film and post on YouTube, there will be an unfilmed gourd circle, where folks can bring erotic and spiritual poetry to share – either their own work or from poets they love, or they can just listen in as part of the circle.
The series will normally be held on the first Tuesday of each month and is thanks to the non-profit umbrella of the Telluride Institute and in collaboration with the Wilkinson Library, Arroyo Telluride and Between the Covers Bookstore.
For more information, contact Art Goodtimes, 970-327-4767, or Rosemerry at 970-728-0399.