The Poet as Activist: A conversation with northwest poet Jeremy Voigt March 23, 2012

Jeremy Voigt is a northwest poet and his first chapbook Neither Rising Nor Falling was published by Finishing line Press in 2009 ! was able to catch up with Jeremy Voigt at Village "ooks in "ellingham on a Friday e#ening to talk about his e$citing new pro%ect& the non'profit (on#ersations )cross "orders (on#ersations )cross "orders was born out of an afternoon con#ersation with former **+ classmate Jordan ,artt in Port -ownsend about the current state of literature and elitism )n idea was hatched to start an online %ournal that would make literature more accessible while supporting charitable work that ad#ances literacy in areas that needed it most )s stated on the website. /-he pro%ect has a mission to connect and support readers and writers around the world through the ()" 0iterary Journal and the (on#ersations )cross "orders 1()"2 pro%ect that pairs writers from around the world on collaborati#e writing e$periences 3 "oth creators in#ested their own time and money into the website and %ournal creation and ha#e sought out pro%ect partners 4ubse5uently. a pri#ate donor has made a substantial contribution to infrastructure that will help with e'publishing. website organi6ation and %ournal distribution /!t is growing faster than we imagined. it is so e$citing 3 -hey now ha#e an official ad#isory board and will be donating 5uarterly to four pro%ect sites. ranging from an alternati#e school for impo#erished children in ,aiti to an !ndigenous bilingual7bicultural school in )ustralia -he ()" pro%ect will begin publishing their work from the first round of writing pairs this spring (urrently. ,artt is writing a short story with a writer from 8hana while Voigt is co' creating a poem with a New 9ealand poet -he ne$t round of this pro%ect will be starting soon and is open to anyone eager to participate in this dynamic pro%ect !n the future they hope to de#elop writer'in'school opportunities in the regions that they are funding :n the website. readers can buy indi#idual pieces. %ournal editions or year'long subscriptions 4ubmissions are ongoing. open to all sub%ect matters and genres and Voigt says that they are recei#ing on a#erage three submissions a day !n addition to being a poet Voigt is also an upper'le#el ;nglish teacher at "urlington';dison ,igh 4chool where he teaches a range of classes from (reati#e *riting to )P ;nglish to ,eroic and ;pic 0iterature ,e is also an ;nglish faculty member at *hatcom (ommunity (ollege in "ellingham *hen asked when he started writing he 5uoted *illiam 4tafford. /*hy did the other people stop<3 Voigt was fortunate to ha#e three published poets on staff at 8ig ,arbor ,igh 4chool and they encouraged his writing Voigt recei#ed his undergraduate degree from *estern *ashington +ni#ersity with a focus in creati#e writing and went on to complete his =F) in Poetry from "ennington (ollege in Vermont )t **+ he had many great teachers. such as >athleen

,alme. and was engaged in writing and acti#ely in#ol#ed in the "ellingham Re#iew as a reader and web designer *hile in the "ennington =F) program. he made fi#e pilgrimages out to Vermont for the residency workshops and found the intensity. immersion and direct e$perience with faculty 1?@A ratio of teachers to students2 and fellow students in#aluable ,e stays in touch with many of his peers from this program who are also published poets /*e had an ama6ing group and ! feel like ! am constantly hearing news about someoneBs new poem or book 3 *hen he is not engaging his students or re#iewing pieces for ()". Voigt has his hands full with family&he li#es in "ellingham with his wife. a former ;nglish teacher. and their children 1ages 2. C and D2 ! had to ask him how he finds time to write a midst the family life. teaching and community organi6ing ,e says he writes early. before most people are awake and his dedication to this writing time helps him to keep it all in perspecti#e ,e has se#eral manuscripts in progress and is acti#ely submitting his work -his year Voigt will be the ;mcee at the newly formed (huckanut *riters (onference in June 20?2 Read JeremyBs poem /:ne Night.3 which was featured on the *riterBs )lmanac *e are e$cited to ha#e him at the festi#al this year http@77www skagitri#erpoetry org7inter#iews720?270E7poet'as'acti#ist'a'con#ersation'with' %eremy'#oigt7