It was such an honor to deliver the keynote address to scholars at the World Scholars Cup’s Manila, Philippines Global Round this past week. It was a long journey, but well worth it to meet so many bright, curious students and to bring them a message of appreciation for the humanities. It was a week I’ll never forget. Scholars, if you read this, thank you so much for welcoming me.
Thanks to the folks at the Mississippi River Gallery and Planter’s Barn Theater in Hannibal, Missouri, for the fine poetry/photography opening they threw for me last night. What a thrill to share my regionalist work in the very place where American regionalism came to prominence, Mark Twain’s hometown.
This is me reading “The Carpenter” from my latest collection, The Inheritance.
A big thank you to all the friends and curious folks who came out to celebrate the opening of Midwestern, my photography and poetry show, at Presser Arts Center in Mexico, MO. I sold some books and broadsides and a framed print, I got to talk with farmers about barns and musicians about music and artists about art, and I got to read poems from The Inheritance live for the first time. I especially appreciate the folks at Presser for their efforts in making the event a success and the attendees who traveled to be with us. This is the payoff for all the solitary and sometimes frustrating work of making art: the chance to bring to it to people and observe the connection it makes with them. I’m feeling pretty lucky right now.
If you find yourself in Missouri over the next month, Midwestern will continue to hang through early August. Presser Arts Center is a beautiful facility; I hope you’ll stop by and check it out.
justin hamm 