Gabriel Fraire selected after Literary Guild ‘Read-Off’
A new literary laureate will be spreading love for the written word throughout the community of Healdsburg for 2013/2014.
The new 2013/2014 Healdsburg Literary Laureate was selected after the Healdsburg Literary Guild’s (HLG) Laureate Read-off on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Bean Affair. After readings by past and present laureates, current laureate candidates, and much consideration, Gabriel Fraire was chosen as the new Healdsburg literary laureate for 2013/2014. The three candidates considered were Gabriel Fraire, Russ Messing and Michelle Wing.
“I’m humbled by this honor bestowed on me by the Healdsburg Literary Guild,” said Fraire. “I was up against two really fine poets and writers. I am looking forward to the next two years, to help promote writing and reading in the Healdsburg area and to make people more aware of some of the fine writers living and working right here in Healdsburg.”
Fraire’s literary achievements include his autobiographical novel “Latino Jesse”, the plays “Cesar Died Today” and “Who Will Dance with Pancho Villa?”, both produced in New York, and his most recent suspense novel “Mill Rats”, among many others. At the event, he read excerpts from “Latino Jesse”, “Daddy, I Need to go Potty” (recounting a father’s experience with a two and six year old) and “Mill Rats”. The reading from “Mill Rats” ended in mid-action, followed by a joke; “this book is available in the lobby,” Fraire said, and was answered with laughter and good-natured outrage.
Laureate candidate Messing, who has published three anthologies of poetry, shared poetry from his impressive repertoire, including “Ibrain”, “Emptying the Hands”, “Reunion”, “Nana was a Seamstress” and “Fall”. “Because I love the written word,” he said, “I would like to stand up to the Tweet and the texting universe.”
“I will try not to say too much, and let me words speak for me,” said laureate candidate Wing, before she presented her poems “To Bury a Fox” and “Natsukashi”, meaning homesickness, or longing, inspired by the three years she lived in Japan. “When you’ve lived somewhere else,” she said, “you leave a part of yourself behind.”
According to the 2012/2013 laureate John Koetzner, some responsibilities of the literary laureate include helping to promote the HLG and connecting with youth organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Healdsburg High School. He was glad to introduce Michela Pearson, the first of hopefully many students elected as youth laureate.
The Laureate Read-off began with Waights Taylor Jr., who announced the HLG’s past laureates: Doug Stout, 2000/2001; Armando Garcia-Davila, 2002/2003; Penelope LaMontagne, 2004/2005; Chip Wendt, 2006/2007; Vilma Ginzberg, 2008/2009; Stephanie Freele, 2010/2011, and now John Koetzner, 2012/2013. The evening proceeded with readings from Ginzberg, Garcia-Davila, Koetzner and even youth laureate Pearson.
“One of my favorite things to do is read poetry to people,” said Ginzberg, currently the president of the HLG. Among other poems, she presented a piece she had written eight years ago for the late past laureate Doug Stout, for his 80th birthday. Garcia-Davila read an excerpt from an adventure story he’s been working on the past six or seven years, while Koetzner’s readings included his poem “No-one Fights Alone” and a short mystery-comedy, “The Big Beef.” Youth laureate Pearson read two of her original pieces, “Untitled” and “An Illusion”, and also “His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell.
“I think everyone in this room should be a writer,” said Fraire. “Everyone is welcome to attend the monthly salons, to hear writers talking of their works, third Sunday of the month, 1:30 p.m. at the Bean Affair.”
More information may be found on his website, www.gabrielfraire.com.
