Dennis Mikulich Mesa Legend

Jim Simmerman, who teaches writing at Phoenix College, joined other participants in the Mesa LIterary Festival at Undici Undici for “The Word & the Blues.”

“I’ll speak in poetry, my second language,” poet Tess Gallagher said during her reading at the annual Mesa Literary Festival, hosted by the creative writing department at MCC. The literary festival, which took place Oct. 24 and 25, featured an array of events including readings by students, faculty and a number of poets and writers from across the country, as well as workshops by visiting artists.
This year’s festival kicked off with readings from MCC faculty in the Kirk Student Center followed by readings from creative writing students.
Events were held both on- and off-campus.
“I think it needs to be done,” Jim Cervantes, MCC English professor and organizer for the festival, stated. “People aren’t used to this type of thing. They aren’t exposed enough.”
This was Cervantes’ third year organizing the event.
“It’s good to hear literature that’s being written now,” Cervantes said. He added that the event provides students with an opportunity to not only hear current literature, but to hear it from the poets themselves.
“It’s inspiring,” biology student, Jessica Steele, said of the various readings. Although a biology student at MCC, Steele also enjoys writing creatively.
Steele often attends poetry “slams” around the Valley.
“It takes a lot of courage,” Steele said of publicly reading personal work. Offered for the first time were workshops with the visiting poets.
Renowned poets Kathleen Alcala and Gallagher closed the first day with readings of their work. On Saturday, both writers held workshops.
Alcala has written a number of novels; including “Treasures in Heaven,” which won a Washington State Book Award and “The Flower in the Skull,” which earned the author both the Western States Book Award and Governor’s Writers Award.
Gallagher read from her book “Soul Barnacles: Ten More Years with Ray,” and also read a poem she wrote that is has discussed in poetry classes on campus. In addition, she read a poem that was included in the recent collection from various poets titled “Poets Against the War.”
Magical realism, which serves to “stress the fantasy part of reality,” was the focus of the workshop led by Alcala, while Gallagher worked with participants on the often-underestimated art of revision.
Overall, the most popular activity was “The Word and the Blues.”
The event took place at Undici Undici near campus, and was an exhibition combing both spoken word and music.
Local musicians John Willis, Steve Willis and MCC’s jazz big band member and lead alto saxophone player, Ryan Nemec, performed alongside poets Jim Simmerman, Ann Cummins, Jed Allen, and other guests.
Simmerman authored four poetry collections and has been recognized by the Arizona Commission on the Arts for his work.
He currently teaches English at Northern Arizona University.
The Valley’s own Allen heads the creative writing program at Phoenix College.
Another Arizona professor and participant, Cummins, has contributed stories to a number of anthologies and magazines.
Writers Joseph Somoza and Valerie Miner gave readings at the closing event of the festival.
The Mesa Literary Festival provided a wide scope of creative writing activities.
Organizing the event took more than time and energy from those involved.
The cost of the festival was nearly $15,000.
The money was provided through various grants from the college district and the Arizona Art Commission, in addition to funding from student activities.

“People aren’t used to this type of thing. They aren’t exposed enough.” Jim Cervantes English professor