Words are powerful. Every single day, we are surrounded by their magic. From song lyrics to poetry, and everything in between, words can tap into the recesses of one’s mind and evoke emotions in even the most stoic person.
We are fortunate to have numerous literary geniuses in the greater Dayton Jewish community. Several local poets will have the opportunity to share their writings during Hear Us: A Poetry and Music Café, on November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Boonshoft CJCE. This program is in partnership with the JCC Cultural Arts and Book Series.
You are invited to immerse yourself in the beatnik world, where we will delight your senses with poetry and music. Being a baby boomer, I assumed most people would know what “beatnik” means. However, I quickly learned that is not the case. So how would I describe it? The best way I can describe the word “beatnik” is to think about Dobie Gillis or visualize the smoky night club where the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel performed comedy. Better yet, come to the event and see for yourself what we mean!
In preparation for this event, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Gary Pacernick, a locally and nationally acclaimed professor, author, and poet. Dr. Pacernick is recognized as one of the leading pioneers who studied critically the development of Jewish poetry in the 20th and 21st centuries. His 1989 book, Memory and Fire: Ten American Jewish Poets, is widely recognized as the first academic work to study 20th century American Jewish poetry as a collective group.
I was so inspired by Dr. Pacernick’s vast knowledge of Jewish poetry, as well as his thoughtful insight regarding what makes a poem Jewish, other than that it was written by a Jewish person. He discovered that a poet’s Jewishness emits “direct and indirect influences” flowing from a bedrock of meaning and values that, despite the independence of voices from Jewish poets, continue to persist.
It is a great honor for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton to dedicate the Hear Us publication to Dr. Pacernick. Whether you are poetry fan, or interested in exploring a new literary art form, I encourage you to join us for this magical event. You can click here for more information and to register.
