“The Plague Doctor” by James Morehead Explores the Fleeting Nature of Existence and Friendship

The Plague Doctor, the third collection of poetry by James Morehead (Poet Laureate – Dublin, California) is a mesmerizing collection of eerie, image-rich poems that explore the fleeting nature of existence and friendship, inspired by the world of art and artists. The poetry is accompanied by hand drawn ink artwork by Natalia Ardus, art by Mark Kulas and Tony Rubino, and photography by the author. Poet and singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Simmons writes in her foreword to the collection, “I’ve read this collection three, four, then five times. In my office, in the tour van and the green room, after yoga, and once bundled up beneath an ancient olive tree. Despite those many deep dives, it never seems enough to complete this foreword. So I returned; six, seven, ten times. Each reading has me focusing on something new, and a year from now, I know more discoveries will be made as my perspective shifts with my own experiences.”

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“She” Documentary Transforms True Crime with Aimée Baker’s Poetry of Missing and Unidentified Women [INTERVIEW]

On this episode we welcome poet Aimee Baker and filmmakers Jason Greer and Vanessa Cicarelli to discuss the award-winning documentary “She” based on Baker’s collection “Doe” which tells the stories of missing and unidentified women through poetry. “She” is available to stream for free on Tubi, Plex, and Roku.

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David J on Crafting the Lyrics for “Love and Rockets” (Part 2) [INTERVIEW]

This is the second interview in a two-part series with Daniel Ash and David J, lyricists and songwriters behind Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, and multiple other band and solo projects. I interviewed Daniel and David separately, with a similar set of questions. The success of their projects can be attributed, in part, to their distinctly different approaches to writing lyrics and crafting songs. Today’s episode features Daniel Ash with David J’s interview coming later this week. I spoke with Daniel and David while they were preparing for Love and Rocket’s first US tour in fifteen years. Below are excerpts from his interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast (Daniel’s interview is available here).

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Daniel Ash on Crafting the Lyrics for “Love and Rockets” (Part 1) [INTERVIEW]

This is the first interview in a two-part series with Daniel Ash and David J, lyricists and songwriters behind Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, and multiple other band and solo projects. I interviewed Daniel and David separately, with a similar set of questions. The success of their projects can be attributed, in part, to their distinctly different approaches to writing lyrics and crafting songs. This episode features Daniel Ash (David J’s interview is available here). I spoke with Daniel and David while they were preparing for Love and Rocket’s first US tour in fifteen years. The second part goes live later this week. Below are excerpts from his interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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Becoming Poet Laureate: James Morehead’s Experience Bringing Poetry into the City of Dublin

DUBLIN, CA–As the current poet laureate of the City of Dublin, California, in my second two-year term, I feel privileged to share my insights about making the most of this role. Being poet laureate isn’t just about writing and reciting poetry at civic events when requested, but about understanding the soul of your city and finding ways to connect the community through the literary arts.

I view poetry is a vehicle for capturing the Dublin’s narrative, embodying its heritage, its struggles, its triumphs, and its hopes. Just as Tracy K. Smith, the 22nd United States Poet Laureate used her position to connect rural communities through poetry, I am seeking to capture the rich diversity of Dublin, a city with a large immigrant population from around the world.

James Morehead (Poet Laureate – Dublin, California) reciting at a veterans event
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Katy Didden’s “Ore Choir” Crafts Erasure Poetry to Explore Icelandic Lava [INTERVIEW]

Katy Didden is the author of Ore Choir: The Lava on Iceland (Tupelo Press, 2022), and The Glacier’s Wake (Pleiades Press, 2013). Her poems, essays, and reviews appear in journals such as Public Books, Poetry Northwest, Ecotone, Diagram, The Kenyon Review, Image, 32 Poems, The Spoon River Poetry Review, The Sewanee Review, and Poetry, and her work has been featured on Verse Daily and Poetry Daily.  She has received fellowships and residencies from The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, the Vermont Studio Center, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, the Ragdale Foundation, the Hambidge Center, the MacDowell Colony, and the Listhús Residency in Ólafsfjörður, Iceland. She was also a 2013-2014 Hodder Fellow at Princeton University. Collaborating with members of the Banff Research in Culture’s Beyond Anthropocene Residency, she co-created Almanac for the Beyond (Tropic Editions, 2019). Katy is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing at Ball State University. Below are excerpts from her interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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Stephen Massimilla’s “Frank Dark” Creates Striking Poetic Landscapes Through a Painter’s Lens [INTERVIEW]

Stephen Massimilla is a poet, professor, painter, and author, most recently of the poetry collection Frank Dark (Barrow Street Press, 2022) and the 2022 co-edited social justice poetry anthology, Stronger Than Fear. His multi-genre, co-authored Cooking with the Muse (Tupelo Press, 2016) won the Eric Hoffer Award and many others. Previous books and honors include The Plague Doctor in His Hull-Shaped Hat (SFASU Press Prize); Forty Floors from Yesterday (Bordighera Prize, CUNY); The Grolier Poetry Prize; the Van Rensselaer Prize, selected by Kenneth Koch; a study of myth in poetry; award-winning translations; etc. His work has been featured recently in hundreds of publications ranging from AGNI to Denver Quarterly to Huffpost to Poetry Daily. Massimilla holds an MFA and a PhD from Columbia University and has taught there and at many other schools, currently The New School. He is also a prolific artist. Below are excerpts from his interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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Katie Farris Battles Cancer and Insurrections with Poetic Humor and Hope in “Standing in the Forest of Being Alive” [INTERVIEW]

Katie Farris’s work has been commissioned by MoMA and appears in American Poetry Review, Granta, McSweeneys, The Nation, and Poetry. She is the author of the chapbook A Net to Catch My Body in its Weaving, which won the 2020 Chad Walsh Poetry Award from Beloit Poetry Journal, and boysgirls, a hybrid-form book, as well as co-translator of many books of poetry. She holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Brown University. She is currently Associate Professor in Creative Writing at Georgia Institute of Technology. Standing in the Forest of Being Alive (Alice James Books, 2023) is her first book of poems. Below are excerpts from her interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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Viewless Wings Bringing Poets Laureate to the Bay Area Book Festival for Readings and Signings

BERKELEY, CA–Join Viewless Wings for an extraordinary day of poetry readings and book signings by celebrated current and former SF Bay Area Poets Laureate at the 2023 Bay Area Book Festival on Sunday, May 7 (11 am – 5 pm) in the Viewless Wings booth (#96). James Morehead (Poet Laureate – Dublin, CA and host of the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast), Sarah Kobrinsky (former Poet Laureate – Emeryville, CA), Kathleen Moore (former Poet Laureate – San Ramon, CA), and Kimi Sugioka (Poet Laureate – Alameda, CA) will be on hand, including the debut of Morehead’s newly released book, “The Plague Doctor.”

Don’t miss the chance to hear these accomplished poets share their work with short readings every 15 minutes, sell and sign their books, and engage with attendees about the captivating world of poetry. Bring the coupon below for $1 off any purchase at the Viewless Wings Booth (#96).

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Natalia Andrus on Creating the Eerie Ink Drawings for “The Plague Doctor” [INTERVIEW]

Natalia Andrus (Eerie Ink) is a freelance artist who works in multiple media, both digital and traditional. I had a chance meeting with Natalia at her SiliCon booth in San Jose last summer and immediately knew her style of art would be perfect for my new book “The Plague Doctor“. Fast forward to today and Natalia has completed three incredible black ink drawings inspired by poems in my book. I interviewed Natalia for the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast to learn more about how she transformed my poetry into exquisite ink art.

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Seven Poets Recite (Cathy Wittmeyer, Kristen Gundlach, Emma Paris, Joanne Jagoda, Jaime Lam, Sophia Zhang, Phynne~ Belle)

The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast April submitted poems episode, for National Poetry Month features seven wonderful contributions read by seven poets. Different forms and themes are featured. The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast explores the art of poetry through interviews with poets and artists including Safia Elhillo, A.E. Stallings, Dana Gioia, Yanyi, Olivia Gatwood, Lisa Marie Simmons and more. Subscribe today.

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James Morehead’s “The Plague Doctor” Book Launch Party and Signing: A Night of Poetry and Art

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] Dublin, CA–Join us for a special evening celebrating the release of James Morehead’s latest poetry collection, “The Plague Doctor,” at The Frame Company and Art Gallery, Dublin, California on Saturday May 6, 7pm. Morehead, recently confirmed as Dublin’s Poet Laureate for a second two-year term, invites you to immerse yourself in his mesmerizing new work at this exclusive launch party featuring a book signing, reading, and complimentary refreshments. Be among the first to experience this captivating collection, with signed copies available for purchase at a special event price. Limited free tickets are available now on Eventbrite.

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Morgan Liphart on Creating a Master Class to Inspire and Empower Emerging Poets [INTERVIEW]

Morgan Liphart’s work has appeared in anthologies and journals across the US, Canada, and England, such as Oxford University Press’ Literary Imagination, Popshot Quarterly, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Her first chapbook, Barefoot and Running, was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. She recently launched a groundbreaking poetry masterclass where students can learn step-by-step how to get their poetry placed in journals and magazines worldwide. When she’s not writing, she enjoys her career as an attorney and loves to adventure in the wild spaces surrounding her home near the Rocky Mountains. For more of her poetry, find her on Instagram at @mliphart or visit morganliphart.com. For her masterclass, visit poetry-masterclass.thinkific.com.

James Morehead interviewed Morgan for the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast to discuss her new Poetry Masterclass: Writing and Publishing Powerful Poetry in Journals and Magazines.

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City of Dublin Poetry Walk Returns for National Poetry Month 2023 with Poems Displayed in Local Businesses

DUBLIN, CA–Viewless Wings, in collaboration with the City of Dublin, today launched Dublin’s second annual Poetry Walk for National Poetry Month 2023. For the month of April, 25 locations across Dublin are displaying poems curated from 100 submissions by Tri-Valley residents and beyond. Submissions were curated by City of Dublin Poet Laureate James Morehead (who was recently confirmed for a second two-year term). Residents and visitors are encouraged to share selfies with poems on social media using the hash tag #DublinPoetryWalk. Explore the City of Dublin and read them all.

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Dana Gioia on Exploring Lyrical Forms in “Meet Me at the Lighthouse” [INTERVIEW]

Dana Gioia is the former Poet Laureate of California. An internationally recognized poet and critic, he is the author of seven collections of verse, including Interrogations at Noon (2001), which won the American Book Award, and 99 Poems: New & Selected (2016), which won the Poets’ Prize for the best new poetry volume of the year. His critical collections include Can Poetry Matter? (1992), which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Award, and Studying with Miss Bishop: Memoirs from a Young Writer’s Life (2022). His poems have been set to music by numerous composers, including Morten Lauridsen, Ned Rorem, Lori Laitman, and Dave Brubeck. Gioia has also written four opera libretti and edited twenty literary anthologies.

James Morehead interviewed Dana for the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast to discuss his latest collection “Meet Me at the Lighthouse” (Graywolf Press, 2023). Below is an edited excerpt from the full interview (which also includes Dana reciting selected poems.)

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Sandy Longhorn on Storytelling Through Poetry in “The Alchemy of My Mortal Form” [INTERVIEW]

Sandy Longhorn has received the Porter Fund Literary Prize for Arkansas authors and the Collins Prize from the Birmingham Poetry Review. She is the author of three books of poetry: The Alchemy of My Mortal Form (Trio House Press, 2015), The Girlhood Book of Prairie Myths, and Blood Almanac. Her poems have appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, North American Review, Oxford American, and elsewhere. Longhorn studied poetry at the College of St. Benedict (St. Joseph, MN) and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She now teaches in the Arkansas Writers MFA program at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR. Below are excerpts from her interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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Lisa Marie Simmon’s NoteSpeak 12 Perfectly Fuses Poetry and Jazz [REVIEW]

I first interviewed poet, composer, and jazz singer Lisa Marie Simmons on Season 1 of the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast about her unique ability to interleave spoken worth poetry with jazz. Simmons, with her partner jazz pianist Marco Cremaschini, recently released NoteSpeak 12 on Bandcamp and Ropeadope.

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James Morehead Premieres “When no one else will” at City of Dublin Volunteer Recognition Event

DUBLIN, CA–The City of Dublin filled the Shannon Community Center last night to celebrate volunteers who contributed to the Dublin community in 2022. Mayor Melissa Hernandez and other elected officials recognized Dublin’s Young Citizen of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Organization of the Year, and special Mayor’s awards. James Morehead, Poet Laureate – Dublin, CA (recently confirmed for a second two-year term) opened the celebration with an original poem “When no one else will”.

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Eric Stiefel Playfully Welcomes “Nothingness” in His Latest Poetry Collection [INTERVIEW]

Eric Stiefel lives in Athens, Ohio with his dog, Violet.  He is a PhD candidate at Ohio University, where he teaches poetry and composition .  He received the Sequestrum New Writer Award for Poetry in 2018, and his work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, the Penn Review Prize, and others.  He earned his MFA from Washington University in St. Louis and his undergraduate degree from NYU.  His first collection, Hello Nothingness, was published by Main Street Rag in 2022, and his work has been published in journals across the globe. Below are excerpts from his interview with James Morehead on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.

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City of Dublin Poetry Walk for National Poetry Month Returns for Second Year (April 2023)

DUBLIN, CA–The City of Dublin and Viewless Wings, led by Dublin Poet Laureate James Morehead, are collaborating on the City of Dublin’s second annual Poetry Walk during National Poetry Month (April 1-30). Modeled after a similar event in Rutland, VT, Dublin’s Poetry Walk will feature poetry submitted by local and national poets displayed in local business storefronts. Residents and visitors will be able to download, or access online, a Poetry Walk Passport with a map to visit all participating businesses.

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