Summer Reading: Community Poetry and Your Poems, Featuring Alma Boutin-Martinez

Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Shares the Poetry of Alma Boutin-Martinez

Photo: Melinda Palacio

Wed Jul 19, 2023 | 09:09am

Greetings from New Orleans. Poetry takes me to places beyond Santa Barbara. This time, I am embarking on a working vacation. I have a few events in the Big Easy and I plan to work on two book projects. I’ve also had a chance to catch up on your poetry. Keep your submissions coming to poetry@independent.com. I would love to see your road trip or summertime poems. 

The theme of cruel summer also seems appropriate given the heat wave we are experiencing. I left Santa Barbara shortly after attending a funeral for a dear friend, and I arrived in Louisiana with news that a different friend had a fatal stroke. I sat down to write some words inspired by my friend. The emotions are too raw for me to share at this moment. I may not make sense of the words, but the act of writing is healing.

This week, we are featuring the poetry of Alma Boutin-Martinez, the daughter of Colombian immigrants and the Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Continuous Improvement at Fielding Graduate University. I had the pleasure of meeting Alma at the Goleta Valley Library’s Live Poetry Series, featuring Enid Osborn, Linda Saccoccio, and Skylar Ngai.

Continue reading

Subscribe for Exclusive Content, Full Video Access, Premium Events, and More!

Subscribe

More like this

Exit mobile version