Hunter Winfrey shares one of his poems with members of the poetry club. The group meets Tuesdays to discuss writing, music, and art. Photo by Phil Houseal
Details:
The poetry club meets Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Call 830-992-1173 for information. You can also hear Hunter Winfrey's poetry during the Dialogues & Dances series.
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Living Poet Society
by Phil Houseal
May 2, 2007
It is an English teacher's dream.
Imagine high school students gathering once a week to read and share poetry. On their own time. For no grade or credit.
That is exactly what 25 to 30 young people do on Tuesday evenings. They meet in a cottage in Hunter Winfrey's back yard, comfortably planted among pillows, paintings, and musical instruments.
The leader of these literary explorers is Hunter Winfrey, a high school senior who adheres to his credo that an artist is someone "who lives passionately without regrets or regards."
"I was a weird kid," he stated. "I always had a strong feeling for others. But I was not afraid to be my own person - not afraid to disappoint people by not conforming to their mainstream habits."
Winfrey conceived the idea of a poetry club last summer. He had been attending poetry readings in Austin, but holding a local job interfered with his quest for inspiration. He decided to start a group in Fredericksburg, and recruited like-minded friends to join him.
A number of kids - and a few adults - did. Typically, 5 to 15 turn up on a Tuesday.
"There are no dues, no badges or certificates," Winfrey said. "Any time you show up to read or listen to a poem here, you are part of the club."
The evening begins with readings and discussions of works by established poets. Once everyone is warmed up, participants take turns sharing their own works. Some read. Some just listen. Some discuss. The atmosphere is always supportive.
"Everything is totally open here," Winfrey said. "We try to make people as comfortable as possible. Sometimes we get into debates, but that's what is beautiful. We want everyone free to express their own ideas and not be criticized for it."
The night I was there, the participants described their reasons for joining.
"I thought it would be fun to do - fun to listen to other kids read poetry," said Cameron Radcliffe.
"I enjoy the different opinions," added Chrissy Wieser.
Megan Klenzing admitted she doesn't write poetry. "I like to come and listen and put in my opinion," she said. "I feel I can still understand and discuss writings."
"I think it's just kind of a break from the everyday, shallow world," Kate Tynan said. "I can hear the philosophy of different people, when you don't normally have a chance to do that."
Even Winfrey is energized.
"I always feel great afterwards," said Winfrey, noting he often has trouble falling asleep after a meeting. "I always feel like I learned so much."
"You really feel good about yourself, like you've accomplished something, and not just wasted time," Klenzing noted, adding, "It definitely defies the norm of what people think high schoolers do!"
The young poets acknowledged the influence of the art and music of the beatnik generation and the 1950s and 1960s. But they want no part of merely mimicking what has gone before.
"There is a revival of bringing that back to life, but our main focus is for it to be purely original," Winfrey said. "We avoid any type of cliche, or things that have been done. We are trying to revive the life of it and have people take an interest in that."
The group is not about writing so much as it is about the creativity of the artist. Winfrey pointed out one student who acts and sings, another who is a photographer. Winfrey himself also paints and writes short fiction.
"There's a difference between being an artist and wanting to be an artist just to be an artist," he said. "My definition of an artist - whether acting, singing, or creating - is someone who lives life passionately. They take life moment by moment, and most important, they care about others."
Come to think of it, these poets have already surpassed the dreams of pedants.
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