Oregon poet, novelist, gardener Charles Goodrich and local fisherpoets gather Friday, March 21st at 7:30pm at KALA to share original poetry and song in honor of Clem Starck who died at spring equinox in 2024. Clem’s poetry – lean, honest, vocational – inspired the first FisherPoets Gathering years ago and Clem became a regular, cherished participant. Through his poetry, Clem, too, will join us.
Tickets $15 online at kalaastoria.com. Doors open 7:00pm, KALA 1017 Marine Dr. Astoria
Fisherpoets Geno Leech, Jon Broderick, Jay Speakman and Moe Bowstern who each spent many agreeable hours themselves at Clem’s table join Charles to read – or sometimes sing – their own work and Clem’s.
Both Clem and Charles, longtime friends from the rural Willamette Valley, have received Oregon literary awards, published a number of poetry collections, contributed to poetry journals, encouraged writers and have been read aloud by Garrison Keillor on the Writer’s Almanac (though Clem didn’t care for Keillor’s version of A Brief Lecture on Door Closers). Probably no one passed more pleasant evenings than Charles at Clem’s farmhouse kitchen table.