Indiana Poet Laureate

Poet Laureate Activity Photo Gallery
Part Two: October 3 - December 28, 2008
Click on the thumbnails for larger versions.
*Oct. 3 & 4 Ripest Moments* signings at the Great Lakes Booksellers Association convention, Dearborn, MI.**
	NK prepares to sign copies of his childhood memoir at the Great Lakes Book Assoc. conference, Detroit.
	The “feeding frenzy,” as sales rep. Becke Bollinger called it, begins.
	The book bag says it all.
	The frenzy is about to end: 100 freebies signed for indie booksellers in less than 30 minutes!
Oct. 5 reading with Airpoets Joyce Brinkman and Joe Heithaus, Gothic Chapel, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indy.
	Reading with “Airpoets Joyce Brinkman and Joe Heithaus in the Gothic Chapel, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indy. SF Bay Press and Amazon.com
	Looking out from within the Gothic Chapel.
	The work of James Whitcomb Riley, buried on the highest hill in the cemetery.
	Some contemporary poetry in the foyer.
	Tom Davis, who introduced and led the author grave site tour in the cemetery, explains to the IPL’s wife.
	Joyce and Joe relax before the reading.
	The IPL practices as preacher poet.
	IPL opens his pipes.
	Joe Heithaus reads.
	Joyce Brinkman reads.
	Two on one: reading a poem for two voices.
	Sarah Bolton, Indiana’s first female poet, “the first singer in the new land,” author of “Paddle Your Own Tomb.”
	Dan Paine, early poet, former soldier
	James Whitcomb Riley monument.
	Children were avid readers of Riley’s poetry.
	James Whitcomb Riley plaque.
	View of downtown Indy from the Riley monument.
	Booth Tarkington mausoleum.
	Meredith Nicholson.
	Clemens Vonnegut, novelist Kurt’s great-grandfather.
	Katharina Blank Vonnegut, Kurt’s great-grandmother
	Bernard Vonnegut, Kurt’s grandfather.
	Kurt Vonnegut Sr.
	Edith Lieber Vonnegut, Kurt’s mother.
Oct. 10 Artists' Reception at the New Indy Airport.
	Norbert and Katherine at the new Indy airport, on the way to the evening artists’ reception.
	Norbert’s poem in stained-glass panel by English artist Martin Donlin.
	The word section of Norbert’s panel.
	The name corner, bottom right.
	Norbert and artist Martin Donlin.
	Rob Dixon and Cynthia Lane in jazz performance at artists’ reception. Drummer Kenny Phelps is behind Rob.
	Alpha Blackburn, CEO of Blackburn Architectural Associates, introduces the airport artists.
	Norbert with beloved former Indiana First Lady Judy O’Bannon, a lover of poetry and great supporter of the arts.
	Norbert with son Daniel during sunlit open house for the public, in front of the “Back Home” panel.
Oct. 11 guest writer at the WriteStuff BookTalk literacy conference, Lawrence North High School, Indy. Interviewed by Ray Boomhower of the Indiana Historical Society Press.
	At the BookTalk conference at Lawrence North High School , as guest speaker with writer friends Dark Rain and James Alexander Thom.
	Lunch with conference participants at the BookTalk conference organized by Andy Murphy of WriteStuff.
Oct. 12 reading at Tim Grimm concert in the “Home Fields Advantage” series.
	Tim Grimm and wife Jan Lucas in the Home Fields Advantage House Concert series hosted by Cyndi Wagner.
	Tim Grimm singing solo.
	Norbert seen from back of the room as he reads after the break.
	Norbert reads some Bloodroot poems relevant to Tim and Jan’s songs.
	Barb & Chuck Stevenson’s grandchild listens to Tim’s guitar.
*Oct. 13 Bloodroot* and Ripest Moments reading, Wabash College, Experience Indiana Speakers series.**
	The left side of the audience at a Wabash College reading.
	Norbert from the front of the Wabash room.
	Norbert seen from the side, while reading from his childhood memoir.

October 18 book-release party for Bloodroot: Indiana Poems at the Dubois County Museum, with photographer David Pierini returned from Chicago.
	Dave and Norb sign copies in the DCM lobby before the event.
	Relatives talk before reading begins.
	One side of audience listening.
	While Norb reads, Dave projects his images.
	We sign Bloodroot.
	Eternal refreshments.
	JHS 1961 classmate regulars.
	Two sign at once (bookends).
	An invaluable young reader!
	Norb and Dave rejoice.
October 22^nd reading at C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.
	Reading from Bloodroot.
	Answering questions.
	With Dean Kathy-Mill-Miller & Nassau County Poet Laureate Max Wheat.
October 23 reading in the Bryant Library, Roslyn, Long Island.
	Under the image of William Cullen Bryant, who founded the library in Roslyn.
	Behind the lectern in the Bryant Library Community Room.
	With Sea Cliff poet Stefanie Lipsey in the Bryant Library.
	With Great Neck friends Janie and Jon Peterson in the Bryant Library.
October 25 “Poems Born of Collaborations,” with slide show, at the Sea Cliff Creative Arts Studio.
	The doorway from the outside.
	The book table, before wares are displayed.
	The audience gathers.
	Dave Pierini “Weeping Willow” image.
	Darryl Jones Polaroid manipulation for “The Blue Road.”
	Reading a poem from Bloodroot.
	The tasteful and tasty refreshments table.
October 29 taping of interview with Sharon Gamble for “The Art of the Matter,” WFYI, NPR and Randy Starks setting up for later TV interview with Indianapolis Marion County Public Library’s Jon Barnes.
	The welcome sign at the new Meridian Street headquarters of WFYI.
	Banners for the various WFYI productions, including “Across Indiana” with Michael Atwood.
	With Sharon Gamble and Bloodroot in the studio.
	Randy Sparks sets up to interview NK in the Fiction Reading Room of the IMCPL’s new Central Library, for broadcast on public access TV (available on YouTube), same afternoon, only a few blocks away from WFYI headquarters.
	The fireplace backdrop for the Fireside Chat on Poetry.
Nov. 2 poetry and jazz performance in the Community Room of Jasper Arts Center.
	Monika and Peter rehearse.
	Some of the audience before the show.
	The Jasper Community Arts crew, with JMS teacher Susan Ahlbrand, left: Donna Schepers (school liaison), middle; Kit Miracle , JCA director, right; and Sherry at the ticket table.
	Norbert & Monika.
	Monika & daughters with Kit after the show.
	Norbert with a young reader-listener.
	Books for sale.
Nov. 3 Jasper High School morning poetry presentations & afternoon seminar on teaching poetry at Let’s Do Lunch.
	The JHS auditorium before the first group of students enter.
	With cousin Janie Krapf Winters , JHS librarian.
	The crew at Let’s Do Lunch, where afternoon seminar on teaching poetry was held, l-r: Donna Schepers , Katie Merkle, Susan Ahlbrand.
Nov. 4 Election Day poetry presentations at Jasper Middle School to Mrs. Ahlbrand’s two eighth-grade classes, who had been reading and studying the poetry of NK. Each of her 60 students wrote a letter telling what their favorite NK poem was, giving reasons why, and wrote a poem using one by NK as prompt. These letters and poems were presented in two keepsake albums for the IPL.
	With Susan Ahlbrand at JMS before a JW Riley poem.
	Riley’s poem “Country Pathway.”
	The keepsake poetry albums from Susan Ahlbrand’s 8^th-grade classes.
	The dedication page of one album.
	The dedication page of the other album.
	An album table of contents.
	A two-page album spread.
	A single page.
Nov. 6 and 8 productions of Empowered by Poetry: Whirl of the Divine, devised and designed by actor and Butler Univ. theatre professor Diane Timmerman. This event (poetry, dance, theatre, music [not live]), which took place in the theatre of the new Central Library, was part of the Indianapolis Spirit and Place Festival.
	Director Diane Timmerman, reader Heidi Fledderjohn, and NK.
	A discussion with the audience after the performance
	The performers mingle.
	NK (IPL, who read his “God’s Country”), Richard Brendan (of JourneysFire International, who read “Axiom for Wildness” by John O’ Donohue), and Michael Atwood (of “Across Indiana,” who read JW Riley’s “An Order for a Song)
	Performers mix and discuss.
Singer-songwriter and actor Tim Grimm organized a “Hoosier Dylan” event in which six individuals or groups performed songs by Bob Dylan and the IPL read Dylan-related poems between acts. The performance was staged in the Crump Theatre (built 1874) in Columbus, IN on Nov. 7 and in the Royal Theatre in Danville, IN on Nov. 8. The performers were Tim Grimm, Stella and Jane, The White Lightning Boys, Gordon Bonham, Jennie DeVoe, and Jason Wilber.
	Tim Grimm’s guitar case, with a Dylan sticker/quote.
	Tim Grimm rehearses at the Crump. Drummer Jamey Reid did the drumming for Norbert & Monika’s CD Imagine.
	Jennie DeVoe rehearses at the Crump.
	Gordon Bonham & Jason Wilber rehearse.
	Neil Heidler on bass with Gordon Bonham. Neil is on many tracks on Norbert Krapf and Monika Herzig’s CD Imagine – Indiana in Music and Words.
	Jan Lucas Grimm wails away on the harmonica.
	Jason Wilber performs.
	Stella & Jane CD on sale at The Crump. Thanks to Keith Chambers for the photo.
Nov. 8 at the Royal in Danville.
	Jennie DeVoe and her band (Brett and Jeff) during rehearsal at the Royal, Nov. 8, in Danville.
	Neil Heidler and Jennie DeVoe during rehearsal at the Royal.
	Guitar pals Gordon Bonham and Jason Wilber.
	Tim, Suzie (of Stella & Jane), Jennie, NK
	Bobbie Jane Lancaster of Stella & Jane waits to go on.
	The IPL reads Bob-related poems.
Nov. 13 “Knight for Etheridge” tribute as part of Together Again: Music & Poetry series at the American Cabaret Theatre. Chatterbox Jazz Tavern David Andrichik talked about Etheridge Knight coming to the Box and read an EK poem, as did NK, Eunice Knight-Bowens, E’s sister, Richard Pflum, Tasha Jones, Mijiza Soyini, Joyce Brinkman, Michael Collins, Karen Kovacik, Mitchell Douglas, Jim Powell, JL Kato, Rohana McCormack, and Carl Hines. In reading a poem by Etheridge and one in tribute to him or influenced by him, the poets were backed by a jazz trio of Carl Hines on piano, Frank Smith on stand-up bass, and Lawrence Clark III on drums. After the ACT tribute, some of us carried on the festivities and the tribute at the nearby Chatterbox, where Etheridge, as a resident of the nearby Barton Towers, read poems and conducted his Free People’s Workshop.
	Before the tribute, at the ticket table: NK in his Chatterbox shirt, Mark Kesling (ACT CEO), Erin Monahan (PR), and Trina Dingle (Box Office).
	Robert, a guest from the nearby Barton Towers, where EK lived the last years of his life.
	Katherine K. and guest Anthony, a neighborhood survivor of Hurricane Katrina.
	Pianist/poet Carl, poet Mijiza, and drummer Larry before the show.
	Jim Powell and Karen Kovacik get ready to read.
	Former Indiana Poet Laureate and poet JL Kato.
	Etheridge’s sister Eunice welcomes everyone and reads a poem.
	Performance poet Tasha Jones reads.
	Mitchell Douglas reads.
	David Andrichik welcomes us to The Chatterbox, just down the street.
	The jazz trio cooks.
	Part of our group watches one of us recite Etheridge with backing from the trio.
	Mijiza and Carl.
	The Etheridge Group on The Box stage after the music shut down.
Nov. 15 Bloodroot book-launch reading at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, at the new Central Library, in the Riley Room.
	Emily Berger, program director extraordinaire, introduces the IPL
	Daniel and Len Krapf ready to listen.
	The IPL as reader wears his principles on his shirt.
	The ladies schmooze before the reading begins.
	Bookmamas team ready with IPL books.
	The IPL signs his Ripest Moments memoir.
	The Krapf clan with writer Cheryl Moreland.
Nov. 16 Jason Wilber performance in the “Home Fields Advantage” Indy house concert series, in its fourth year, founded by Carrie Allen Fields and hosted by Cyndi Wagner.
	Norbert and Jason Wilber, both southern Indiana boys. Jason plays guitar for John Prine, Iris Dement, Greg Brown, Tim Grimm, and others.
	Norbert reads poems after the break. Norbert plays poems for pianist Monika Herzig and the Acoustic Project but also does solo poetry gigs.
	Norbert, seen from the merchandise-dining room, reads from Bloodroot.
Nov. 17 Bloodroot reading at Irvington Branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library.
	Members of the audience ready to hear poetry.
	Irvington singer-songwriter Bill Price of the group The Brains Behind Pa. Norbert read poems at their house concert in the “Home Fields Advantage” series. The group also includes Gordon Bonham, who was part of Hoosier Dylan.
	Carolyn and Kathleen of the ever loyal Bookmamas, 9 Johnson Street, Irvington!
	Bookmamas info.
Nov. 18 signing with Mary Lee Fowler, author of a memoir, at the Indiana Historical Bureau.
	Krapf and Fowler spoke at a conference reception for Indiana librarians in the Indiana State Library and signed books.
Nov. 23 reading at Glendale Branch of the IMCPL.
	The audience listens intensely.
	Signing books sold by Bookmamas. The Jasper Middle School albums move people who look at them.
	Daniel and Alexandria enjoy the ambience.
Nov. 30 reading as part of holiday concert by Gordon Bonham and Bill Price at Underground 9 Studio, Bookmamas, Irvington.
	Stage ready for the show.
	Gordon and Bill tune.
	The audience is ready.
	Norbert reads poems from Bloodroot to begin the first set.
	Gordon and Bill perform songs together.
	Gordon bottlenecks (neck of a wine bottle).
	Close-up of Gordon bottlenecking.
	Bill plays guitar during one of his songs.
	Gordon backs Norbert at beginning of second set during performance of Yank Rachell tribute, “Pigbelly Blues.” Gordon played with Yank for ten years.
	Gordon, Norbert, and Bill after the show.
Holiday Author Fair Dec. 6 at the Indiana History Center. Some 90 Indiana authors gather to sign and inscribe books for the public bought in the Basile History Market.
	The authors have lunch and catch up on gossip and literary scoops before the signing begins.
	Lou Harry, Barb Shoup, and Joyce Brinkman catch up.
	Event coordinator Becke Bolinger lays down the rules to the rambunctious authors.
	The IPL’s books and CD.
	The IPL reads from Bloodroot and The Ripest Moments.
	Novelist and Indiana Writers’ Center Program Director Barb Shoup in the children’s/young adult section on the mezzanine.
	A view from the mezzanine.
On Dec. 9, four of the “Airpoets,” Joyce Brinkman, Ruthelen Burns, Joseph Heithaus, and Norbert Krapf, read from their anthology Rivers, Rails, and Runways at the Library of Congress. Jeannie Deeter Smith was not present.
	At the new Indy airport, Norbert and Katherine found Joyce Brinkman seated at the airport gate before the stained-glass panel that incorporates Norbert’s poem.
	The four Airpoets meet at the breakfast table to plan the day’s strategy and discuss new poems: Joe, Norbert, Ruthelen, Joyce.
	The plaque in front of the Thomas Jefferson Building, home of the Library of Congress.
	The flier announcing the Indiana Airpoets noon reading.
	Detail of the reading flier.
	The four poets in the TJ Bldg., on the way to the Whittall Pavilion, location of the reading.
	Joyce signs the reading release form as witnesses look on.
	NK signs his release form at the poetry pulpit as Katherine witnesses.
	The Burns family at the lectern.
	The Heithaus family at the lectern.
	The reading with slideshow (airport stained-glass panels that include poems) begins.
	Joyce the executive producer kicks off the show.
	Norbert with Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, former Poet Laureate of Virginia.
	Norbert with Gene and Rose Berg, Jasper natives from Washington who read about the reading in The Washington Post.
	N & K in the corner.
	Indiana poets laureate after the reading.
The Airpoets read Dec. 13 at the Putnam County Public Library, Greencastle, where Joe Heithaus lives and teaches at DePauw University.
	The Airpoets poster produced for the Putnam County Public Library reading.
	Airpoets poster detail, explaining how the five poets came together to form a group and write poems that became Rivers, Rails, and Runways (San Francisco By Press).
	Joyce Brinkman and Ruthelen Burns sign memorabilia before the reading.
	The audience ready to listen.
	The five poets ready to read.
	The anthologies lined up to take off and be bought and read.
	Joyce reads her airport window poem.
	Joe reads his window poem.
	Ruthelen reads her window poem.
	Norbert reads his “Back Home” window poem.
	Jeannie Deeter Smith reads.
	The five Airpoets read their whisper poem, “A Whisper of Honey,” which appears in the Winter issue of The Tipton Poetry Journal. Each of the poets wrote one stanza, after seeing only the previous stanza.
	Jeannie and Ruthelen sign Rivers, Rails, and Runways. SF Bay Press and Amazon.com
	Joyce, Norbert, and Joe sign.
*Dec. 20 signing for The Ripest Moments* and Bloodroot at the Greenwood Borders, Indianapolis Southside.**
	A sign on the entrance door gives the details. Snuck in by the IPL is the bookmark created by the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library on the occasion of three readings in the system.
	The book table, dressed up in festive seasonal red. More bookmarks to mark the occasion.
	The main reason to do signings in chain bookstores is to get your book(s) into the system. Events which allow people to hear you reading your work generate better immediate sales, but getting the book(s) in the door and leaving signed copies behind are the chief benefits.
Dec. 21 CD release party concert for Monika Herzig’s excellent new CD with Owl Studios of Indianapolis, Peace on Earth, which concludes with Norbert Krapf ’s “The Schneebrunzer,” with Monika’s jazzed-up “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” as ironic backing.
	Front cover of Monika’s CD.
	Back cover of Monika’s CD, which lists all the tracks, including the naughty last one, which is also included in Bloodroot: Indiana Poems.
	Familiar friends Chuck & Barb Stevenson and Mrs. IPL wait for the show to begin.
	Emily Berger , who has served as an excellent adult programs director and is moving on to head fundraising for the IMCPL, introduces Monika.
	Monika greets the audience and introduces her band.
	Monika at the piano.
	Monika, with husband Peter smokin’ on the guitar during “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”
	Wendy Reed does vocals on two songs which Monika composed and also wrote lyrics for, “Children Sleep Softly” and “Ballad for a Snowman.”
	Kenny Phelps plays extraordinarily subtle drums.
	Frank Smith plays superb standup bass.
	Carolyn Dutton, who plays on half of the tracks of Monika and Norbert’s Imagine – Indiana in Music and Words CD, as well as on Peace on Earth, always wows the members of an audience, especially the IPL.
	Tom Clark solos soulfully on sax.
	Norbert recites “The Schneebrunzer,” Monika’s “favorite poem,” according to the liner notes. It may be that the poem makes Monika nostalgic for her Swabian childhood.
	The children’s chorus ready to sing along on John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
	An exuberant Monika.
	The merchandise ladies sell CDs and give out and eat candy
Dec. 28 house concert by Otis Gibbs in the “Home Fields Advantage” series. A native of Wanamaker, Indiana, Otis returned from Nashville, TN to give the concert.
	Otis Gibbs’ guitar is ready to go after the five-hour drive from Nashville, TN.
	The Stevenson clan (three generations) is ready for some good music and poetry.
	Otis as seen from the Indiana Poet Laureate reserved box seat.
	Otis up close.
	Otis listens from the dining/merchandise room while the IPL reads.
	Norbert read poems from Bloodroot and a previously unread poem, “Come with Me,” for the birthday of Cyndi Wagner, who hosts the house concerts.
	At least one member of the full house loved hearing both music and poetry.
Continue on to Part Three of the IPL Photo Gallery Return to IPL Main Page