for Karen

Most of us here at the Den are writers. We are poets, authors, and composers of the written word. We are in contact with people who share our interests, and we refer to them as friends. Often, we open our hearts and souls to those friends and sometimes we even confide to these people without ever meeting them in ‘real life’.
I strongly believe that writers, especially those who create poetic work, are very sensitive folks who easily inspire and get inspired.
Writing poetry is more than putting words onto paper. Writing poetry is sharing our deepest emotions and feelings about life, love, lust, anger, frustration or sadness.
I get a great deal of enjoyment reading my friend’s poetry, but today I got struck by something deeper.

Today, I had the great pleasure of meeting one of my ‘den-friends’ in person. I put together an author’s event which consisted of two hours of poetry reading and book signing with three Utah authors, including me.
I invited Karen Vanderlaan, who, besides her childrens book ‘Anna and Chen’, also wrote her amazing memoir ‘Show and Tell’. Karen lives two and a half hours from me and is the only poet here on the den I know of, who lives in Utah. I have been reading Karen’s poetry for several months and I’m always excited when I get notified of a new posting.
However, today I really found myself a lucky person, because I got to sit in the same room with Karen, listening to her read those very same words I have read and admired over the internet.

I can not begin to tell you how amazing it is to be read to by a person whose poetry is so heartfelt and means so much. The feel, the depth, and the aura of every poem Karen read lingered with me long after she finished the last word. I would have never been able to appreciate her word to such intensity just from reading it here.
Poetry in the flesh – that’s what I call it.
Karen: thank you so much for coming and sharing your bottomless talent and sincerity with me (and others). I hope you made it home safe!

At first, I wasn’t sure if I should post this as a blog or as an article. I chose to post it as an article so it is easier available for me, to refresh my memory about this delightful evening.

With love and deepest appreciation,
Rebecca~