BelovedDayton poet laureateHerbert Woodward Martin has new book
Dayton’s beloved poet laureate, Dr. HerbertWoodward Martin, is known for his own work, as well as for his recitations of the work of another beloved Dayton poet — Paul Laurence Dunbar.
After earning degrees at the University of Toledo and Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, teaching at Aquinas College in Michigan, and publishing his fifirst book of poetry, Martin became poet-in-residence and assistant professor at the University of Dayton in 1970. Since then, Martin has earned a doctorate of arts at Carnegie-Mellon University, published numerous volumes of his own poetry, has become a scholar on Dunbar and others, and has won accolades including a Fulbright Scholarship, the Ohio Governor’s Award for an individual artist, an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Dayton, and many others. (Learnmore about his work at jumpbackhoney. com)
With such an amazing legacy, it’s perhaps surprising that Martin is so wonderfully down to earth. Well, at least until you meet him or read his poetry, and realize Martin is deeply in touch with the emotions and experiences that connect us all.
I recently had a delightful chat with Martin via Zoomabout his newest literary works, which include “Sometimes Say My Name,” published by Poets Choice Publishing in
November.
“A new collection for the new year!” Martin says. “I’ve been working on this manuscript for a decade and a half. A fourth or so of the poems were published in journals here and there. For a time, the collection languished. It is a collection of prose poems, inspired by Willie Short, who was a dishwasher but was featured in a 1987 Newsweek story about people suffffffffffffering with AIDS. Most were rather famous people, butWillie was an everyday person. I started thinking about his life, and what he might say about it and life in general.”
Beneath the photo of then 36-year-old Short (no relation to this columnist) was the quote, “Don’t forgetme. Mentionmy name now and then.” The collection of prose poems imagines a dialogue between Willie and his mother.
“This is my fifirst collection which also includes prints of paintings,” Martin adds.
The paintings were created by the artist Grace Cavalieri, who is also a renowned poet and literary fifififigure.
Martin’s collection is currently featured on the poets-choice.com website, and available for purchase.
Martin has a successful career as a librettist, working with American composers such as Adolphus Hailstork on an opera,
“Paul Laurence Dunbar: Common Ground.” Martin composed the text for “Nobody Know,” a concert aria by Hailstork and commissioned by The Harlem Chamber Players to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the fifirst Africans brought to America as slaves and premiered by the Players in February 2019.
Most recently, Martin wrote the text for “TULSA 1921,” about the Tulsa, Okla., massacre of Black Americans in the Greenwood District of Tulsa; this concert aria, also composed by Hailstork, is set to have its world premiere as part of The Harlem Chamber Players 13th Annual Black History Month celebration, postponed to June 2021 due to COVID.
“The point of view for this libretto is a woman contemplating the area, now in ashes, where she and her family and friends and neighbors once lived, and then where many were massacred,” Martin explains, adding that he had to do quite a bit of research to learn details about the massacre, and in so doing, stumbled across a woman who lived through the tragedy. Her voice, he explains, inspired him.
“I was about to go on the road and doing readings of my previous book, ‘The Shape of Regret,’ which came out at the end of 2019, when the pandemic put a stop to that,” Martin says. “I began looking at some of my old work, and playing with new work, and that helpedme complete ‘Sometimes Say My Name.’”
Martin says he does much of his writing after 11 p.m. until about 2 a.m. “No one needs anything, and I don’t get phone calls,” Martin says with an amiable chuckle. “That gives me a huge block of time to focus on new ideas and work.”
In addition to completing “The Shape of Regret,” he’s also writing the text for “Oratorio: A Knee On The Neck,” inspired by the tragic death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, for a requiemcantata being composed by Hailstork.
For more from our very own poet laureate, view his reading for the locally published Mock Turtle Zine Home Poetry Series on YouTube.
And be sure to treat yourself to his TEDxDayton 2019 presentation, “Herbert and Paul,” also available on YouTube.
Other literary news:
■ Wednesday, Jan. 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. — Word’s WorthWriting Connections presents “Embrace Your Literary Mama,” led by one of the senior editors of Literary Mama onlinemagazine, Christina Consolino; participants need not have a work-in-progress. The class will be held via Zoom. Check the website at www. wordsworthdayton.com for details and to register.
■ Thursday, Jan. 14, 2-3 p.m. — Ohioana Library offffffffffffers a free virtual program in partnership with Euclid Public Library about the Ohio Literary Trail. Asmentioned in previous columns, the Ohioana Literary Trail spotlightsmore than 70 destinations andmarkers focusing on literary luminaries, including fifififififive in the Greater Dayton area. Formore information and to register, go to euclidlibrary.libcal. com and search for “Ohio Literary Trail.”