Tuesday, 11:00 a.m.
Poet William Kloefkorn should need no introduction to the readers of The Middlewesterner. He and Dave Etter have probably had more influence on me as a writer than any other writers. I am always honored to be in his presence.
"Listening to Bill Kittridge read," Kloefkorn said, "I was reminded again: it always comes down to nuance. 'Tomorrow,' he said. 'You fellas,' she said."
About winning the Nebraska State Hog-Calling Contest: "I never thought of entering that contest til I saw the trophies...."
"I won it and promptly retired...."
"I kept it in my office. Students were not accustomed to seeing a hog trophy in a professor's office...."
"I had to improvise because I had never done it before...."
And, yes, he did the hog call for us, the short version. "I did the long version of that call in a high school several years ago and seven administrators showed up," he said; he had called 'em in.
"Her mother's last request: would you comb my hair...." in a poem "of hair and the combing of hair and the touching of hair...."
Kloefkorn read from poems written to accompany fifty-five paintings:
"... would pose the question to which the answer was water...."
"If I were Robert Bly," Kloefkorn said, "I would repeat that last line...."
His uncle had given him a nickel: "I rubbed the buffalo on the other side until it came alive, I swear...."
"It does not matter where this body is, for it is grass...."
I want to re-state my request that you say "hello" to Bill Kloefkorn for me. I am Juatin from out in Nevada, and I envy you being there to talk with him and Dave Lee.
Posted by: Justin Evans | October 27, 2005 at 03:51 PM