Alice Pero and Kathleen Travers after the Passing of the Laurels, 19 May 2024.
The ceremony of "Passing of the Laurels 2024" for the Poets Laureate of the Foothills - Alice Pero & Kathleen Travers was held on 19 May 2024, at the home of former Poet Laureate of California, John Steven McGroarty - McGroarty Arts Center (7570 McGroarty Terrace, Tujunga, CA 91042). This report includes some poems read during the event, illustrated with event photos and materials from the event's program book, plus my reflections about my own term as ST Poet Laureate No. 6 in 2010-2012 (at the end).
McGroarty Arts Center
During the ceremony the title of the local Poet Laureate changed: Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga Alice Pero (2020-2024) passed the laurels to new Poet Laureate of the Foothills Kathleen Travers (2024-2026). The introductory music was prepared and performed by pianist Daniel West and the event was hosted by the third Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, poet and community activist Joe DeCenzo. (BTW, Joe will be the Marshall of ST Independence Day Parade! Do not miss it!)
Joe Decenzo Welcomes the Audience, with Daniel West
Annette Bethers, Executive Director of McGroarty Arts Center
An overview about POET LAUREATE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS was offered by Joe DeCenzo as an introduction to past Poets Laureates, both those present (Hitt, Trochimczyk, Shea, DeCenzo, Pero), those absent, as well as those no longer with us. Each past Poet Laureate received a couple of sentences summarizing their achievements:
1999-2001 Marlene Hitt
2001-2004 Katerina Canyon (moved to Seattle)
2004-2006 Joe DeCenzo
2006-2008 Ursula T. Gibson (died)
2008-2010 Damien Stednitz (moved)
2010-2012 Maja Trochimczyk
2012-2014 Dorothy Skiles (moved to Sacramento)
2014-2017 Elsa Frausto
2017-2020 Pamela Shea
2020-2024 Alice Pero
2024-2026 Kathleen Travers
Plaque with poets' names, made since 1999, updated in 2024.
Joe DeCenzo presents Poets Laureate.
Instead of adding more contemporary poets or reading work by the Village Poets or former Poets Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, the organizers decided to honor the original owner of the McGroarty Arts Center mountain estate, JOHN STEVEN MCGROARTY by having his signature poem “JUST CALIFORNIA” read by a young student, Severine Beasley, daughter of a painter who often teaches art classes at the McGroarty Arts Center.
Severine Beasley reads "Just California" by John Steven McGroarty.
JUST CALIFORNIA
When I am in California I am not in the West.It is West of the West. It is just California.—Theodore Roosevelt
'Twixt the seas and the deserts,
'Twixt the wastes and the waves,
Between the sands of buried lands
And ocean's coral caves;
It lies not East nor West,
But like a scroll unfurled,
Where the hand of God hath flung it
Down the middle of the world.
It lies where God hath spread it
In the gladness of His eyes,
Like a flame of jeweled tapestry
Beneath His shining skies;
With the green of woven meadows,
The hills in golden chains,
The light of leaping rivers,
And the flash of poppied plains.
Days rise that gleam in glory,
Days die with sunset's breeze,
While from Cathay that was of old
Sail countless argosies;
Morns break again in splendor
O'er the giant, new-born West,
But of all the lands God fashioned,
'Tis this land is the best.
Sun and dews that kiss it,
Balmy winds that blow,
The stars in clustered diadems
Upon its peaks of snow;
The mighty mountains o'er it,
Below, the white seas swirled—
Just California, stretching down
The middle of the world.
View from the window of McGroarty Arts Center at Tujunga and hills of Los Angeles National Forest
Maja Trochimczyk with Kathleen Travers's Certificate
Declan Floyd reads his occasional poem.
IN APPRECIATION - there can be no Passing of the Laurels without congratulations and certificates from our elected representatives. (I still remember how shocked I was during my own inauguration in April 2010 to receive so many large and colorful scrolls from so many staffers of U.S. Congress, CA Senate, CA Assembly, LA City and LA County! It was "shocking" but in a good way...). So I agreed to present certificates for the outgoing and incoming Poets Laureate on behalf of U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff, while Ricardo Flores represented in that role L.A. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. Then, Declan Floyd made a presentation on behalf of State Senator Anthony Portantino, a known lover of poetry and a poet himself. As a member of Sen. Portantino staff, Mr. Floyd had to live up to the credentials of his boss and entertained the audience with the poem of his own devising that described the event pretty accurately:
The Village Poets lead with clear values and morals
And it’s great to be here at the Passing of the Laurels
To you, our honorees, KT and Alice
We all happily raise a thankful cup or chalice
Alice’s term as Poet Laureate has now come and gone
And the light of KT’s is just breaking like dawn
You both inspire us with your words and move us with your passion
While representing our community in true Tujunga fashion
We thank you for dedicating all the time you have allowed
To make every person here today enormously proud
Proud if your work, your commitment, and your grace
Proud that you make Los Angeles a better place
There is more to come from both of you, that’s something we know
But for now please accept these certificates from Senator Portantino
~ Declan Floyd, Office of Senator Anthony J. Portantino, Glendale
Alice Pero, Declan Floyd and Kathleen Travers with Sen. Portantino Certificates.
Alice Pero with Daniel West rehearsing their performance.
Alice Pero performs Bloch with Daniel West
After the presentations of the certificates, an INTERLUDE of lovely music performance was provided by the outgoing Poet Laureate, an accomplished flautist, and pianist Daniel West who teaches at McGroarty Arts Center. They played a cheerful and melodic Suite Modale for flute and piano by Ernest Bloch.
State Senator Anthony Portantino reads his poems and greets the poets and the audience.
Before we were able to proceed to the key events of the afternoon, that is two poetry readings by outgoing and incoming Laureates and the Passing of the Laurels ceremony, STATE SENATOR ANTHONY PORTANTINO came in person, and read some of his own poems from a newly published poetry book. It was a welcome surprise to have one of our lawmakers and seasoned state senators share his love of poetry and his creativity with the audience. Indeed, Sen. Portantino has been the most faithful supporter of poetry and culture in the Foothills. We appreciate his creativity, wit and dedication.
Display of books by Poets Laureate - Alice Pero, Marlene Hitt (bottom),
and three anthologies edited by Maja Trochimczyk (top).
The FAREWELL READING of the last Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga Alice Pero followed with a cross-section of her work starting from poems published in her first book Thawed Stars, and ending with new poems of great charm and whimsical inspiration. Pero's poems are often humorous in a delicate, surreal way - with personifications of clouds, stars, and inanimate objects that all become alive and lively in her imaginative verse.
Alice Pero at her Passing of the Laurels ceremony in 2022.
ALICE PERO served as the 10th Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga from 2020 to 2024. (Officially inaugurated late due to COVID restrictions.) During her service she has continued her work with Poetry in the Schools, done special readings in the community as Laureate, taken over as Artistic Director of the Village Poets reading in Tujunga, booking luminaries in the poetry world, such as William Archila, winner of the James Levine award, internationally known poet, James Ragan, and others. She is the Monthly Contest Chair for the California State Poetry Society. Alice Pero’s poetry has been published in magazines and anthologies including Coiled Serpent, Wide Awake, Altadena Poetry Review, We Are Here: Village Poets Anthology, Nimrod, National Poetry Review, River Oak Review, Poet Lore, The Alembic, North Dakota Quarterly, The Distillery, Fox Cry Review, The Griffin, G.W. Review, California Quarterly, Pratik, Crystal Fire: Poems of Joy and Wisdom, and many others. Her first book of poetry, Thawed Stars was praised by renowned poet, Kenneth Koch, as having “clarity and surprises.” In 2017 Shabda Press published a book of poems written in Sunland Park by herself and former Sunland/ Tujunga Poet Laureate, Elsa Frausto, Sunland Park Poems. Her most recent book, a collaboration with NYC artist, Vera Campion, Beyond Birds & Answers came out in 2021 (Elyssar Press). An accomplished flutist and former dancer, she created the performing group, Windsong Players Chamber Ensemble in 2015. Pero continues to teach poetry to children throughout the Los Angeles area and many of her students’ poems have been published in California Poets in the Schools anthologies Pero began doing public readings in 1984. She has read her poetry in dozens of venues in New York State, Los Angeles and Austin. Ms. Pero has created dialogue poems with over 20 poets. She continues writing poetry dialogues with many poets around the country. www.alicepero.com | pero@earthlink.net
Among Alice's poems read as her farewell was the following, reprinted in the Program booklet:
A THIMBLEFUL OF NOW…
A thimbleful of now
with no dust or breath
I slurp it up, like nectar
of a sweet peach
On my windowsill
a potful of here
No flower grows
the air is fresh
I feel the green
Clear wind of present
***
Frog holds court
teaches tadpoles
syllabic poems
They flit
through water
stirring mud
Light falls
in streaks
inspiring dragonflies
glorious sun dances
Alice Pero
Alice Pero crowns Kathleen Travers with Poet's Laurels
The former laureate then presented the Poetry Laurels to the new Poet Laureate, Kathleen Travers in a touching PASSING OF THE LAURELS ceremony - that consisted of passing of the heart locket with dried olive wreath leaves from past laureate's crowns (I donated that gold locket myself when the previous plastic one broke down!), followed by placing the laurel wreath on the new Laureate's head, and the presentation of the engraved plaque listing all past and present Poets Laureate, with the added name of Kathleen Travers.
Alice and Kathleen
The final POET LAUREATE’S READING by Kathleen Travers introduced the audience to a range of her interests and passions, from social justice to environmental concerns, and local history. Her verse is erudite and filled with fascinating information that is hard to come by and yet she found it and shared it to delight and surprise the audience.
Kathleen Travers reads her poetry.
KATHLEEN TRAVERS, Poet Laureate of the Foothills, 2024-2026, is a fourth generation Angeleno. Travers has lived in her 100-year-old historic home in Sunland (which she restored) for more than 20 years. With graduate degrees in Art History, Victorian Studies and Professional Writing, she has been the recipient of fellowships to the Prague Writers’ Festival and for post-graduate study at Cambridge University. Formerly a high school and university educator, she is a historic restoration expert, specializing in architectural ceramic. A preservation advocate, Kathleen authored the successful Historic-Cultural Monument applications for the Hills of Peace Cemetery and Cross of San Ysidro. She served as docent at Bolton Hall for ten years, where she co-curated the Foothill Moderns exhibit and lectured on local artist Margaret Morrish. Founding board member of arts and equity non-profit ST Forward, and volunteer for various homeless charities for 35 years, she’s in her 3rd year on the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council. She has read her poetry at venues as diverse as Maddingley Hall, Cambridge, England, and Gasoline Alley, the L.A. Times Festival of Books and the Iguana Café. She served on the board of the Los Angeles Poetry Festival in its glory years, and was a founding director of the Poetry Society of America in Los Angeles in the time of The Act of the Poet at Chateau Marmont. Featured in 49 local civic light opera and drama productions in decades past, and having sung with a bakers dozen of Los Angeles choral ensembles, her mezzo is currently in search of a choir, although she always has a song in her heart for life in Sunland-Tujunga.
WHAT REMAINS
to Itzhak Perlman for November 18, 1995, Lincoln Center
The great musician staged his entrance rites,
a halting broach of center, sat, and then
the solemn pageant pared the metal truss
from limbs, and lastly raised the violin:
the bow hit gut, exploding twang and snap
sharp echoes amid gasps. And wonder, would
the litanies of lurch repeat, or mute
await fresh fiddle or new string? Eyes closed,
he signaled to begin. And modulating
every step with ease and grace, he played
to awestruck hush. Applause! He smiled “In art
sometimes we find what music we can make
with what is left.” So life, we make at first
with all we have – and then, with what remains.
Kathleen Travers
The audience listens to new Poet Laureate, Kathleen Travers.
After the reading, the poets posed for photos, and all guests were invited to a reception, courtesy of the BackDoor Bakery, Porto's Bakery, Moonrise Press and Maja Trochimczyk. The books of Village Poets and former Poets Laureate were on display and some information about two recent anthologies was included in the program.
Display of Poets Laureate books and (in the middle) the California Poet Laureate Certificate of John Steven McGroarty
WE ARE HERE: VILLAGE POETS ANTHOLOGY. Edited by Marlene Hitt and Maja Trochimczyk, We Are Here: Village Poetry Anthology presents 80 poets featured during monthly readings at Bolton Hall Museum in Tujunga, CA since 2010, as well as the group of Poets Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga who organize the readings. The readings have also been held at the McGroarty Arts Center, the former home of California Poet-Laureate 1933-1944, John Steven McGroarty. His Poet-Laureate title inspired the local Poet-Laureate program, initiated in 1999. http://moonrisepress.com/village-poets-anthology.html
CRYSTAL FIRE. POEMS OF JOY AND WISDOM. Edited by Maja Trochimczyk, and illustrated with paintings by Ambika Talwar, the Crystal Fire anthology gathers poems of joy and wisdom by twelve poets: Elżbieta Czajkowska, Joe DeCenzo, Mary Elliott, Jeff Graham, Marlene Hitt, Frederick Livingston, Alice Pero, Allegra Silberstein, Jane Stuart, Ambika Talwar, Bory Thach, and Maja Trochimczyk. The poets span all ages and diverse life experiences. They include émigrés from Poland, Cambodia, and India, and those born in the U.S. College professors join community poets. Native speakers appear alongside those for whom English is the second, or even the third language. The ”joy and wisdom” they write about are also different, as each poet follows their own path and gathers unique reflections to share with their readers. Available in color, hardcover and paperback. https://w.moonrisepress.com/crystal-fire-anthology.html
Village Poets at the Passing of the Laurels Ceremony for Alice Pero, 9 April 2022. L to R, standing, Marlene Hitt, Joe DeCenzo, Elsa S. Frausto, and Maja Trochimczyk. Seated: Pamela Shea, Alice Pero and Dorothy Skiles
VILLAGE POETS OF SUNLAND-TUJUNGA is a group of Poets Laureate of the Foothills (formerly known as Poets-Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga) who organize monthly poetry readings in their community, write poetry, and publish books, making sure that poetry life is rich and vibrant in the Los Angeles foothills. You can read about them on the VillagePoets.com website or the VillagePoets blog. Maja Trochimczyk served as Artistic Director from 2010 to 2023, and Alice Pero since then. In 2020, the 10th anniversary of the monthly poetry readings was celebrated by the We Are Here: Village Poets Anthology, edited by Marlene Hitt and Dr. Maja Trochimczyk. Every two or three years the Village Poets organize a competition for the Poet-Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga and, in order to involve the local community in the selection of its Poet-Laureate, establish a Poetry and Literature Committee which selects the next Poet to receive their laurels and promote poetry in the Foothills.
Websites: • Villagepoets.blogspot.com • Villagepoets.com
Poets Laureate in 2024: standing Pamela Shea, Joe DeCenzo and Maja Trochimczyk
Seated Alice Pero, Kathleen Travers and Marlene Hitt, May 2024
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Selection of the Laureate by Poetry and Literature Committee deserved credit to: Former Poets Laureate (Joe DeCenzo, Elsa S. Frausto, Marlene Hitt, Alice Pero, Pamela Shea, and Maja Trochimczyk) as well as Community Representatives: Annette Bethers (Executive Director of McGroarty Arts Center); Maryellen Eltgroth (local photographer & artist); and Sheri Smith (Little Landers Historical Society).
Village Poets of Sunland-Tujunga and the Sunland-Tujunga Poetry and Literature Committee were grateful for the support of the following organizations and individuals that made this event possible. Special thanks for hosting the Passing of the Laurels 2024 to the McGroarty Arts Center, former home of California Poet Laureate, John Steven McGroarty (1862-1944).
The Donors and Financial Supporters included: State Senator Anthony Portantino; Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez; Moonrise Press & Dr. Maja Trochimczyk; Helena Modjeska Art & Culture Club in Los Angeles; Aldore Collier; Sybil DeCenzo; Tony McEwing; The Back Door Bakery & Café; C & M Printing; and Village Poets of Sunland Tujunga – Joe DeCenzo, Elsa S. Frausto, Marlene Hitt, Alice Pero & Pam Shea
The Volunteers consisted of: Evelyn Serrano (photographer) , Michael Olivarez (photographer), Martin Prado (Creation of the laurel crown), Maja Trochimczyk (program design, reception and décor), and Pablo Patricio Paredes Caretaker, McGroarty Arts Center
More books by Poets Laureate - Joe DeCenzo, Marlene Hitt
Beautiful bouquet courtesy of Kathleen Travers.
Tablecloths and decor by Modjeska Club and Moonrise Press.
Event announcement in La Crescenta Weekly.
Maja Trochimczyk, Marlene Hitt and Ambika Talwar, 2024.
Maja Trochimczyk with Joe DeCenzo, 2010
MAJA TROCHIMCZYK - The 6th POET LAUREATE, 2010-2012
This blog was created to document my activities as the Poet Laureate, so there is no need to repeat this information as it was posted earlier - each event had a post:
- publishing the Chopin with Cherries anthology, with 123 poems including two of mine
- writing poetry about the neighborhood, especially the mountains
- reading poems inspired by artwork by local poets at McGroarty Arts Center
- writing an ekphrastic poem inspired by my own photographs from my neighborhood
- participating in an art auction to benefit victims of wildfire in 2010
- sharing Christmas Wishes (2010), Christmas Wishes with Roses and Ivy (2011) and Happy New Year Wishes
- reflecting on the transformation of personal identity of an immigrant
- writing tons of love poems for Valentine's Day, after Valentine's Day, and more
- celebrating the beauty of nature in California and my favorite roses from my garden
- reflecting on the Golden Rule of Compassion at Pacific Asia Museum with Poets on Site
- visiting Chopin's tomb in Paris, with more poems from Chopin with Cherries anthology
- visiting Old Towns in Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk, and again reflecting on the plight of emigrants
During my two-year term as Poet Laureate, there were many more poetry events and posts that documented them, but I picked the most popular posts from this blog. "Christmas with Ivy" has been the most popular to date, with over 8000 readers, followed by "California without Messiaen" post with 4300 readers. The second anthology I published in my term was described on my Moonrise Press blog, and the Chopin with Cherries events on the blog dedicated to this anthology and, later, also to all things Polish and Polish American.
For the Passing of the Laurels ceremony in 2010 I came up with a motto for my term "Poetry ... in pursuit of happiness..." and wrote a new poem, "What I love in Sunland" - which after 14 years still rings true. Illustrated with some of my photos of leaves, flowers, and landscapes, the flyer was distributed during my public appearances during my term, that included the publication of two poetry anthologies (Chopin with Cherries and Meditations on Divine Names) as well as the creation of monthly Village Poets readings at Bolton Hall Museum. I also wrote a poetry column for the now defunct Voice of the Village community paper, organized multiple music and poetry events, read poems at art exhibits and neighborhood council events and yes, was very happy as a Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, my longest and most cherished title...
WHAT I LOVE IN SUNLAND
(C) 2010 by Maja Trochimczyk
1.
The strong arms of the mountains
embracing, protecting our town
2.
The lights scattered in the night valley
during my drive to the safety of home
3.
How clouds sit on the hilltops
squishing them with their fat bottoms
4.
The river playing hide-and-go-seek under the bridge
to nowhere: “now you see me – now you don’t”
5.
The towering white glory of yucca flowers in June –
we are Lilliputians in the giants’ country
6.
The mockingbird’s melodies floating above
red-roofed houses asleep on little sunny streets
7.
Armenian fruit tarts sweeter than fresh grapefruit
and pomegranate from my trees
8.
Hot, shimmering air, scented with sage and star jasmine,
carved by the hummingbird’s wings
9.
The rainbow of roses, always blooming
in my secret garden
1.
The strong arms of the mountains
embracing, protecting our town
2.
The lights scattered in the night valley
during my drive to the safety of home
3.
How clouds sit on the hilltops
squishing them with their fat bottoms
4.
The river playing hide-and-go-seek under the bridge
to nowhere: “now you see me – now you don’t”
5.
The towering white glory of yucca flowers in June –
we are Lilliputians in the giants’ country
6.
The mockingbird’s melodies floating above
red-roofed houses asleep on little sunny streets
7.
Armenian fruit tarts sweeter than fresh grapefruit
and pomegranate from my trees
8.
Hot, shimmering air, scented with sage and star jasmine,
carved by the hummingbird’s wings
9.
The rainbow of roses, always blooming
in my secret garden
Photos by Maja Trochimczyk (events, nature), and Joe DeCenzo (event).