If good people are the heart of Tacoma, then great poetry is our city’s soul. Join the Tacoma community in welcoming newly appointed Poet Laureate of Tacoma, William Kupinse, at the Soul of the City Poetry Series, presented by Urban Grace Church. The Soul of the City Poetry Series will take place at King’s Books tonight. Refreshments will be served. Admission is a suggested donation of new or gently used clothing to be distributed at the upcoming Urban Grace's Community Breakfast to help people in our community who are living on the streets.



As with any arts endeavor or literary event in Tacoma, there is no use being commercialized, pretentious or ultra-affected. What sounds real, what has roots in our local history and what is genuinely rejuvenating to our spirits is what moves us. Maybe a poet laureate whom everyone simply refers to as ‘Bill’ is that someone the over-worked, over-commuted, over-extended citizens can truly connect with and gain poetic inspiration. “Bill Kupinse is a quietly hilarious guy. He brings a refreshing lack of snobbery to poetry. His mission as Poet Laureate will reveal to Tacoma that you can bring a sense of humor to poetry and not have to feel overbearing or imposing about it. It’s something that all of us can write and have fun with. Although Bill is a serious poet and a serious teacher, he has a way of bringing the best of the easy and the best of the difficult all together,” says Kali Kucera, creative director for Urban Grace Church, a progressive ecumenical congregation in the heart of downtown Tacoma.



When Kupinse submitted his application for the laureateship sponsored by Urban Grace Church and the City of Tacoma in February, he specifically wrote and submitted a poem that expressed his own idea about the soul of our city. This winning poem entry, Seen Twice, conveys Kupinse’s intimacy and deep connection with Tacoma:

I’ve traced this city’s gritty lineaments

a hundred times before on bike or foot,

from Wright Park’s Greek revival maidens,

to Ruston Way’s driftwood and seawrack.

Though I know where each street and alley leads,

my interest’s in the how more than the what:

the practiced gait of sanitation workers,

the devotion of a gardener at dawn,

beaming bus stop faces in the fog.

This morning I am seeing the city twice,

which is to say I’d missed it all before.

   

A great poet in his own right, Kupinse has had his work published in nationally-acclaimed literary journals including: Cimarron Review, Sea Stories, Green Letters, and The Fourth River. Kupinse is also a great teacher. An associate professor of English at University of Puget Sound, he instructs classes in British Literature, Creative Writing and interdisciplinary writing courses that incorporate both poetry and environmental studies in the curriculum.“ My teaching approach is very student-centered. I teach a poetry workshop each semester. I enjoy teaching creative writing and helping students to write their own poems. In these workshops we put together a packet by e-mail, we read work aloud, offering one another comments and criticism. We even have readings on campus. I have been delighted to have the chance to teach poetry at UPS,” says Kupinse.



In his efforts to foster the goals of the Poet Laureate role — bringing poetry to the people — Kupinse plans to put on at least two valuable poetry workshops for the Tacoma community. Also, he suggested ideas of putting on writing workshops to focus on the topics of epiphany and moments of insight in poetry and of building sustainable communities. “Cultures and communities need to be sustainable. What in Tacoma sustains us? I hope to really connect with people through these workshops,” says Kupinse.



“I was honored and excited about the opportunity the laureateship offers me to get involved in the community. Now I have the chance to work with people of all different ages, experiences, religions and backgrounds. It’s a tremendous opportunity to broaden my teaching,” says Kupinse.



During the Soul of the City reading, Kupinse will read along with Honorable Mention winner, Tim McNeilly, and other contestants from the competition.



[King’s Books, Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m., free, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801]