Marfa Students Release New Book of Poetry

The Chinati Foundation and Marfa ISD, with support from Ballroom Marfa and Friends of the Marfa Public Library, will host a public program and reception in honor of the release of a new collection of poems written by Marfa Jr/Sr High students. The books were compiled, designed and crafted by students involved in the school’s Gifted and Talented program during a workshop with Chinati intern, Emma Perry. The event takes place Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 6 PM at Marfa Book Company, with student readings followed by refreshments. Editions of the hand-bound volumes, each with unique covers and student introductions, will be available, with all proceeds benefitting the MJSHS Student Fund.

The fifteen students involved in the project have met with Perry, a recent graduate of Kenyon College, for the past two months as part of their weekly class schedule. The students solicited poems originally written by their fellow classmates for The Next Read, a city-wide reading initiative by Friends of the Library focusing on the poetry of Robinson Jeffers, which took place earlier this year. The students compiled their classmates? poems and original artwork, discussed possible forms for the book by reviewing other books, magazines and journals, discussed cover designs and bindings, and made final decisions as a group to realize their own project. Students also participated in creative writing exercises and group critique, creating new poetry and giving feedback on each other?s writing and delivery throughout the course of the workshop.

Everyone is invited to celebrate the release of the book and meet the many talented students involved in the project. Perry and the students involved in the workshop will appear on Marfa Public Radio’s Talk at Ten on Tuesday, May 4 at 10 AM.

For more information please contact Ann Marie Nafziger or call 432 729 4362.