Excellent

Book Review

Brent Goodman, Far From Sudden, Black Lawrence, 2013

by Richard Swanson

The word “flashy,” might pop into mind when you first have Brent Goodman’s new work in hand. Or maybe “highly attractive” is a better way of putting it.  The folks at Black Lawrence Press have done a masterful design with his book, no doubt inspired by Goodman’s far-ranging but subtle imagination.

Goodman’s talent for provocative titles pops up immediately. Skimming “Far from Sudden’s” table of contents, we can’t help being hooked: “Hearses Are the New Black,” “There’s a Lot of Loneliness in Dutch Poetry,” “This Morning I Woke with a New Twin,” and—ready for this?—“Jonathon Edwards Channeling Albert Einstein to the Wrong Family During an Unaired Taping of Crossing Over.”

Sponsored by the Red River Valley Writing Project, Goodman was in Grand Forks a few years ago to work with area teachers. 

Catching up with poet Brent Goodman

Last spring (it looked more like winter) Wisconsin poet Brent Goodman came to Grand Forks to work with area teacher consultants and area teachers. Goodman's workshops were engaging, fun and poetry-provoking.

Recently Goodman talked with poet Suzanne Frischkorn at Boxcar Poetry Review.

We knew him back when...

...poet Brent Goodman hadn't yet been nominated for two prestigious awards for his collection of poetry The Brother Swimming Beneath Me. The collection is 2010 finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and a Thom Gunn Poetry Award from the Publishing Triangle.

Goodman spent Friday and Saturday last week working with area teachers and Red River Valley Writing Project teacher consultants. It was an intense, delightful plunge into writing poetry and thinking about poetry. And Goodman gave a public reading at the North Dakota Museum of Art Saturday night.

If you missed working with Goodman, give yourself a bit of a kick; you missed something terrific.

And yesterday, the award nominations for Goodman were announced. Wow!

(Remember when some of us had dinner with Junot Diaz.......)

Teaching and writing poetry with visiting writer Brent Goodman

The Red River Valley Writing Project is proud to present a week long advanced institute with Wisconsin poet Brent Goodman. RRVWP teacher consultants can earn one continuing education through UND by attending all sessions. This option is only available for RRVWP teacher consultants. Grand Forks Public Schools teachers can earn Prism Credit. The pre and post poet sessions are only available to RRVWP tc's and do not count toward Prism Credit. Grand Forks Public Schools teachers can earn Prism Credit and should register for events on My Learning Plan. Selections available on My Learning Plan are indicated below.

Pre-poet (2 hours) Wednesday, March 10, 6:00-8:00 PM room 167 Central High School, Grand Forks

With Brent Goodman - Painting with Your Senses: Teaching "Show Don't Tell" (3 hours)
Friday, March 12, 6:00-9:00 PM UND (available for Prism Credit on My Learning Plan)


With Brent Goodman - Our Poem: Creative Collaboration in the Classroom (3 hours) Saturday, March 13, 8:30- 11:30 AM UND (available for Prism Credit on My Learning Plan)


With Brent Goodman - Building Your Own Room: Inventing Poetic Forms (3 hours) Saturday, March 13, 1:30-4:30 PM UND (available for Prism Credit on My Learning Plan)


With Brent Goodman - Public reading/Q&A session (2 hours) Saturday, March 13, 7:00-9:00, North Dakota Museum of Art, UND

Post-poet (2 hours) Wednesday, March 17, 6:00-8:00 PM room 167, Central High School, Grand Forks

Total instructional hours = 15 hours

Teaching and writing poetry with visiting writer Brent Goodman

The Red River Valley Writing Project is proud to present a week long advanced institute with Wisconsin poet Brent Goodman. Participants can earn one continuing education through UND by attending all sessions. This option is only available for RRVWP teacher consultants; those who opt to do this, must attend all events. Pre and post poet session are only available for RRVWP teacher consultants. And those sessions do not count toward Prism credit. Grand Forks Public Schools teachers can earn prism credit. Hours available for each event are listed.





Pre-poet (2 hours)

Wednesday, March 10, 6:00-8:00 PM room 167 Central High School, Grand Forks



With Brent Goodman - Painting with Your Senses: Teaching "Show Don't Tell" (3 hours)

Friday, March 12, 6:00-9:00 PM UND



With Brent Goodman - Our Poem: Creative Collaboration in the Classroom (3 hours) Saturday, March 13, 8:30- 11:30 AM UND



With Brent Goodman - Building Your Own Room: Inventing Poetic Forms (3 hours) Saturday, March 13, 1:30-4:30 PM UND



With Brent Goodman - Public reading/Q&A session (2 hours) Saturday, March 13, 7:00-9:00, North Dakota Museum of Art, UND



Post-poet (2 hours) Wednesday, March 17, 6:00-8:00 PM room 167, Central High School, Grand Forks



Total instructional hours = 15 hours

Poet Brent Goodman will be in GF in March

Wisconsin poet Brent Goodman will be in Grand Forks, North Dakota, March 12 and 13, 2010 to work with Red River Valley Writing Project TC's as well as area teachers. His appearance will include sessions and a public reading, all sponsored by RRVWP. More details about this exciting event will be here soon.
Learn more about Goodman at his blog. Read a review of his collection "The Brother Swimming Beneath Me' at writer Collin Kelley's blog. Read Goodman's stunning poem Evaporation at Linebreak.