‘A Fifth of Never’ is just one book in Danny Wilson’s vast collection of poetry books. Photo: Amazon
In honor of National Poetry Month:
Danny Wilsonis a poet originally from Greenville, NC and currently residing in Albuquerque, NM. After years of military service, he is now retired and focusing on his poetry. He has written over 100 poetry books in the last nine years with no intention of slowing down. So if you are searching for some new poetry to speak to your heart, check out these titles. (Danny Wilson, 2023)
These are some of his poetry books:
“A Fifth of Never” – Visiting human consciousness on a daily basis. Isolated moments painting a vivid picture of quirks, eccentricities, and ideas. Bringing together a somewhat messy analysis of the psyche. Leaving the reader with a painting that challenges thought. Perhaps adding to the dynamic of what it means to be human.
“Manic Monday” – Touching emotions, the thought process, and the soul. A journey in the realm of the possible that visits another place. Winding up at a destination that is cathartic as well as enlightening. Pushing the notion of free expression while embracing things that tie all human souls together. Each day provides a learning curve and adjustments that ultimately make tomorrow exciting, desired, and worthy of pursuing.
“Fading Forward” – Existing between complex worlds…..Seeing the beauty of fellow truth-seekers…Tired eyes reaching for a brass ring….Pet sounds fade to the twilight zone…
“Quiet Room Speaking” – Ears ringing 24/7…..I try to make sense of a senseless life anew….Hanging out with the folks at Denny’s….My inner psyche grows with the complexities of human dynamics….
“Tarheel Bluedevil” – Seeing the honor in my fellow man/woman. Striving to co-exist with grace. I play a game of chance now. My heart leads the way. Forever humble…
“Librarian Art” – Reality within the confines of Denny’s…..My muse taking poetics to another level….Mom/Pop illuminating the Matrix….Finding yesterday’s child….Always!
“Nellie Wilson Speaks” – The house of pain?….I find the illusion to be complex now….Ms Pharo pointing a sympathetic finger anew….Thoughts of [more]…..
The Briscoe Western Art Museum presents The Poetry of Art: National Poetry Month Celebration and Reading. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
Celebrate National Poetry Month by enjoying an afternoon of poetry inspired by art as the Briscoe Western Art Museum hosts “The Poetry of Art: National Poetry Month Celebration and Reading” in honor of San Antonio’s 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest on Sunday, April 10, 2p.m. – 4p.m. The free reading and celebration is part of National Poetry Month San Antonio and will be held in the Briscoe’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, 210 W. Market Street, San Antonio. Admission to the reading is free. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)
Showcasing poetry inspired by select artworks at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the McNay Art Museum, Ruby City, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Witte Museum, “The Poetry of Art” will feature local poet laureates reading their work and Jim LaVilla-Havelina, San Antonio’s National Poetry Month Coordinator, as well as adult and youth winners of San Antonio’s 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest. Former San Antonio poet laureate Carmen Tafolla will read a poem inspired by a piece of art from the Briscoe, while other San Antonio poet laureates will be on hand to read their poems based on works from other local institutions. The pairings featured in this year’s ekphrastic poetry effort include Jenny Browne, the McNay Art Museum; Jim LaVilla-Havelin, San Antonio Museum of Art; Octavio Quintanilla, the Witte Museum and current San Antonio Poet Laureate, Andrea Vocab Sanderson, Ruby City.
An ekphrastic poem is based on a piece of art, taking an existing piece of visual art and using written words to describe and expand on the theme of that work of art. Many of these poems explore hidden meanings or an underlying story. Each local art institution selected one work from their collection to feature in the 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest for adult and youth poets.
The featured works include:
The Briscoe Western Art Museum, With No Roof but a Resistol, Bruce Greene.
The McNay Art Museum, The Sole Sitter, Willie Cole.
Ruby City, Hub, 3rd Floor, Union Wharf, 23 Wenlock Road, London N1 7ST UK, Do Ho Suh.
San Antonio Museum of Art: Landscape of Four Seasons, Unkoku Togan.
The Witte Museum, Carretta Wheel from a Tejano Freighter.
From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.
April online events at Pearl include Typewriter Rodeo Poems for National Poetry Month. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.
Prompted by COVID-19,Pearl has launched several online program offerings for the month of April. April programming includes a celebration for National Poetry Month, online story time brought by the Twig Book Shop and a new Interfaith Project with messages of hope and resilience from some of San Antonio’s spiritual leaders. (Pearl, 2020)
The April line-up is as follows: Miss Anastasia Storytime
Miss Anastasia brings her popular story time adventures online. Join Miss A on her Instagram page every Friday at 10:30a.m. to catch her fun and spirited readings of popular children’s books, brought to you by the Twig Book Shop at Pearl. This event is free and open to all ages.
Every Friday in April (10, 17, 24) | 10:30a.m. | Online on Instagram
Typewriter Rodeo Poems for National Poetry Month
In honor of National Poetry Month, Pearl has commissioned Typewriter Rodeo to create four custom poems to share on Pearl’s social media channels every Tuesday in April. The poems touch on themes of resilience, innovation and the importance of staying emotionally connected yet physically distant—all of which are important now more than ever. This program is in partnership with the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture. This event is free and open to all ages.
2020 Interfaith Project
While this time of year usually brings many opportunities for gathering, we must now find ways to stay connected amidst physical separation. Given all the uncertainty, we can turn to each other and members of our San Antonio interfaith community for words of comfort and faith. Throughout the month of April, Pearl will share messages of hope and resilience on its social media channels from some of San Antonio’s spiritual leaders in honor of Easter and Passover. Dates include 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 on Facebook.
Partners for this program include:
Reverend Michael Newman – President, Texas District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Rev. Michael Newman is the president of the Texas District LCMS. He has served as the MMF for Area C since July of 2008. Before serving the Texas District he served in pastoral ministry since 1987 in congregations in Texas, Illinois, and Minnesota. He has been blessed to be involved in the leadership, development and growth of a mission congregation and has served congregations both large and small. His ministry journey has included participation in multi-ethnic ministry, international mission trips, the planting of new ministries, radio and television ministry.
Rabbi Levi Teldon – Assistant Rabbi, Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning. Rabbi Levi Teldon was born and raised in a loving Chabad family on Long Island. At 14 years old he was shipped off to study at Yeshivas on two continents and Detroit and wisely chose to become a rabbi at the age of 23. A true born-again Texan, he teaches and co-directs programming at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning in S. Antonio with his wife Rochel, and is the co-founder of Young & Jewish San Antonio
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller – Archbishop of San Antonio. Born in Mexico, Gustavo García-Siller was named Archbishop of San Antonio by Pope Benedict XVI on October 14, 2010. Previously, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Chicago Archdiocese on January 24, 2003 by Pope John Paul II, where he served as Cardinal Francis George’s liaison to the Hispanic community. On a national level, Archbishop García-Siller currently serves on a number of committees for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): The Cultural Diversity Committee on Hispanic Affairs, African American Affairs, Committee on Hispanics and the Liturgy, the Committee on Migration, and the Committee on Consecrated Life and he served as Chair of Region 7 of the USCCB.
Dr. Carey Latimore – Associate Minister, Mount Zion First Baptist Church. Dr. Carey Latimore is an associate professor of history at Trinity University who has a passion and love for God’s word. An ordained minister, Carey is excited about connecting his faith to his scholarly interests and community concerns. Among his many projects, he has worked with Urban Ministries (UMI) on their Vacation Bible School curriculum and wrote their Building a City on a Hill adult student book.
“Now more than ever we want to acknowledge the powerful human connections that make up our community. Because we cannot physically gather, we want to use our social media channels to bring a little bit of the energy and human connectedness we all experience at Pearl into everyone’s home during this time as well as a message of hope and staying emotionally connected with each other.” – Pearl’s CMO Elizabeth Fauerso
SA Examiner 