RIP Michael Rothenberg/Susan Lamont Tribute/2007 Poem/Ed Coletti Cafe Frida Poetry Festival #4 Photos/Winter Hibernation/

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Rest In Piece Friend, Poet Activist Michael Rothenberg (1951- November 21, 2022)

 

I along with other poets, friends and associates in activism received the following announcement and tribute from Susan Lamont, past director of the Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center, poet, photographer and dear friend of Michael Rothenberg.

Hi all - Not all of you on my lists will have known Michael, but many of you do, so I am sending this out as a broadcast email. And, of course, some of you will already have heard the news.

One of the most alive people I know - Michael Rothenberg - died Monday night of 4th stage lung cancer. He had undergone radiation and chemo, but it wasn't enough. When he was diagnosed, he said he only wanted a few people to know because he wouldn't be able to handle responding to everyone. He had SO many friends. So he swore me to secrecy, so, of course, this comes as a surprise to many.

 

Some of you knew him through his poetry and some of you knew him through his activism after the killing of Andy Lopez. I first met him after I'd heard of his and Terri Carrion's idea to create 100 Thousand Poets for Change - from a Facebook post by Penelope LaMontagne (another poet we have lost). Then, a young woman came into the Peace & Justice Center and asked me if I knew anything about the project. While we were talking, Michael called. He was thrilled by the synchronicity and that I'd heard of the project and we immediately became great friends. I organized 100TPC readings for quite a few years - usually at Gaia's Garden. And then Andy Lopez was killed and Michael and Terri threw themselves into the fight for justice as energetically as they supported poetry. When Michael and Terri do something, they do it 100%. We organized several 100TPC events around the life of Andy and a poem Michael wrote about Andy and a superficial and hypocritical Sonoma County has been translated and published in other languages.

 

He had hoped that the cancer wouldn't return because the treatment had screwed up so many systems in his body and he knew he's be unable to tolerate further treatment. And then he fell down some stairs and sustained a concussion. The last time we talked, he called me up to ask if he could cry because he was having such trouble with the rest of his body - and that was before the cancer returned. Of course, I said "yes."

 

He was in the middle of several projects. Books in the works. Also a CD/recording of poems and music. (After all, he once lived in Nashville and tried to write music there!)  He was always so busy, always creating. It's impossible to imagine that energy stilled.

 

Terri has been left with many loose ends to tie up - all the works in progress, continuing the work on his brother's estate - and she recently lost her mother. She is deeply involved with a non-profit for the lake to which their house backs up.

 

Over the last few years, Michael had lost so many people who were fundamental to his life - one death after another, one grief after another - his son, his brother, his dearest poet friends. Now he has followed them.

 

RIP Michael

 

Peace & solidarity, Susan Lamont

for michael rothenberg 
(by ed coletti c. 2007)

 

A

           KIND

                      NESS

                                  THAT’S

 

                                  WHERE

I BEGIN

                      TO FLESH

OUT THIS   

OTHER WRAUGHT

HEN               BERG

                                  MADE

WHO DWELLS

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 US               

WHO 

          BENE

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FROM

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THIS NOUR-

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NOT JUST      A WHIT,

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NURSE THE

                                  WHALENS

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NOT

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WITHIN        

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HE     

                                  MICHAEL

                      ALSO DOES

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4th Edition of Our Quarterly Poetry Festival at Cafe Frida Gallery Sunday October 30th 2022 

Photos top to bottom

(Setting, ViolaWeinbergSpencer, GailKing/DaveSeter/PeterSpencer, Stage, Norm/Patti/Joyce, Joy Fritz, Bruce & contemplative Marty, Bill Vartnaw, Susan Lamont, Marty Lees-LeReynard, Ed Coletti, Steve Shain, Kathleen Winter, Carl Fredrick, Fran Claggett Holland, Viola Weinberg Spencer)

Please Put the Next Cafe Frida/Ed Coletti Poetry Event On Your Calendar. It will occur on Sunday March 26th, 2023. I as well as several potential readers choose to hibernate for Winter and gather instead in the "Spring" on Sunday March 26th from 12 Noon to 3 PM. Enjoy your holidays and recuperation and join us at the end of March, a month that we expect to come in like a lamb!