I am happy to learn that the Sullivan Public Library Alliance has recently appointed a new Sullivan County Poet Laureate, Lisa Caloro. The Poet Laureate Project is funded in part by the “Arts for Sullivan” and is administered by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance and funds from New York State.

Lisa's background and her experience with poetry is entirely different than that of the outgoing Poet Laureate Mark Blackford but the mission of the Poet Laureate remains the same. “I have always been concerned about the accessibility of poetry… I hope to bring people poetry that speaks in their blood language that becomes part of their music, part of their language, part of their life”, she said.

Lisa is a Professor at Sullivan County Community College and teaches creative writing, poetry and composition and received her Master's in Fine Art from Sara Lawrence College. Her poetry has been published extensively in journals such as the Carolina Quarterly Review, Evening Street Review and Slant. Her poem Camouflage was chosen as a finalist for the Milton Kessler Memorial Prize.

When asked about how Lisa plans to promote poetry during our lock down and quarantine she told me that “Poetry is important during a crisis like the current pandemic because it is the blood that pumps through our shared experiences. It's easy for us to catalogue our own suffering or our own inconveniences. Poetry can either introduce us to the experiences of others, or it can allow us a moment to breathe outside of our own. That breath reminds us that we are part of something much bigger. Poetry is our universal pulse.”

Lisa said her plans promoting poetry in the age of social distancing is by using social media: The Sullivan County's Poet Laureate page on Facebook now features the new series “Breather” in which she reads a poem a day by other poets in order to introduce the community to different voices. “I am debuting the series “Skedaddle” in the beginning of June, which will ask the community to send me videos of them reading their favorite poems by their favorite poets outdoors”, she told me.

Several libraries across Sullivan County are participating in her sidewalk chalk poem event that will ask children (possibly adults also) to write a couple of lines or a poem on a sidewalk (original or not -- poems or lines used that belong to somebody else will be properly credited). I have spoken with Tom Boskin of SALT, she told me who has asked me to work on some lines of poetry that could accompany the food delivery to people who are dealing with food insecurity. The Daniel Pierce Library has asked me to do a reading outdoors in their garden, and I would like to invite other artists and we would record it and share it (instead of having a live audience). And I am working on holding a Virtual Open Mic with Mamakating Library as well.” She added “though we think of live on-site readings as the only way of sharing poetry, I think that one of the beautiful things about poetry is versatility, and our new world is equipped with the technology to create new traditions, and new ways of disseminating it.”

Our congratulations to Lisa Caloro and we all look forward to enjoying the Poet Laureate programs many new and innovative events this year throughout Sullivan County.

I am happy to report that Clancy's Diner on Route 97 has opened the ice cream window for service. This is also the same window where they are serving their Take-Out menu so getting dessert with your food order just got a whole lot easier!

Lock Down Tip: “Also contagious is kindness, patience, love, enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Don't wait to catch it from others. Be the carrier.”- Pamela Alvord, Act-as-one.org.