A Book Launch and Poetry Reading with Jazz, Hors D’oeuvres, and Wine!

UM Professor Emeritus Rod Jellema reads from his new book, Incarnality: The Collected Poems.

Rod Jellema’s new book, Incarnality: The Collected Poems, will be feted on Saturday afternoon, October 16, at 4 p. m. at The Writers Center, located at 4805 Walsh Street in Bethesda, MD.  The party is open to the public. UM English Faculty and students are especially welcome.  There is public parking across the street.

Jellema for many years taught poetry and writing workshops here at UM.  Starting late, at 40, his early work attracted the attention of such masters as James Wright and William Matthews. His last book (2005) won the Towson University Prize for that year. For a sense of the new book, which includes 49 new poems and a CD, see www.rodjellema.com.

His readings of a few of the poems will set off some “call-and-response” jamming. David Jellema, Rod’s son, is a professional jazz cornetist and clarinetist in Austin and San Antonio. Deeply into the New Orleans traditions, working often with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band (which does weekly nationwide NPR broadcasts) and freelancing other gigs, David enjoys nothing more than spontaneous improvising. And that’s what he”ll do, unrehearsed. Check http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=david+jellema&aq=f

Poems, catered hors d’oeuvres, music, moderately good wines, lively conversations, and the guest of honor – the book.