For The Love Of Words

Underneath the fabric of urban and suburban living are voices wanting to be heard. The literary voices of Cleveland run deep and ramble wide. Cleveland writers delve into the problems we face as humans against the backdrop of our history, multi-cultural diversity, and political substrata. The writing runs the gamut from Pulitzer-prize winning Connie Schultz's PD column to Mary Doria Russell's high-quality fiction to George Nemeth's popular Brewed Fresh Daily.com blog to Michael Salinger's street-smart performance poetry.

The voices of Cleveland writers are strong and hearty. And no wonder--we live on the North Coast where winters are blustery. We live in a city made by the Cuyahoga Valley and the Industrial Revolution and vast immigration from Europe and the American South.

Cleveland writers are born of Cleveland's roots and rhythm and cultivated by our institutions of learning and cultural groups.

But Clevelanders are also readers. On the bus or train, in the parks, in lobbies of office buildings and hotels, and on the lawns and benches of University Circle and Lakewood Park, people are reading. In coffee houses, libraries, living rooms, and board rooms, people are discussing books by Cleveland writers as diverse as Thrity Umrigar and Michael Ruhlman.

The LIT, Ohio's only private, independent nonprofit organization dedicated solely to reading and writing, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this month. Founded in January 1974, The Lit was originally known as the Poets' League of Greater Cleveland. The website http://www.the-lit.org states the mission of PLGC: "to give voice to Cleveland's growing community of beat style and street poets, for whom poetry was not an academic endeavor, but for whom poetry was a means of artistic, literary, social, and political expression. With a mission to promote the art of written and spoken word poetry, The PLGC was a place where workshops, classes, and poetry readings were organized and executed." In 1991, The Poets' League merged with Cleveland Writers' Center to form the Poets' & Writers' League of Greater Cleveland and now embraces all literary genres to enrich lives through writing and reading.

Find your MUSE

If you can't make it to the celebration, find a copy of MUSE magazine at Mac's Back's books on Coventry or order it through The LIT's website. MUSE is a quarterly literary publication of The Lit showcasing the craftsmanship of Cleveland writers and supporting the literary community. “MUSE seeks to delight, entertain, educate, and inspire its readers. We further aspire to elevate local, national, and we hope - some day, international awareness of Ohio as a literary arts epicenter.” On the 4th Sunday of Every Other Month, members of The LIT meet at Mac's Backs on Coventry to discuss a book written by a local author. Guest authors Dan Chaon and David Giffels have been on the calendar thus far, but another local Cleveland writer will be in the spotlight on the 4th Sunday in January from 4-6. If you have questions or to sign up, please contact facilitator Lee Chilcote at leechilcote@gmail.com.

Back to the roots at Mac's Backs

On the Third Friday of every month, The Lit's poetry workshop jams on Coventry. This 35-year-old tradition offers poets the opportunity for critique within a diverse group of serious but supportive fellow poets. The group is led by Robert E. McDonough, one of The LIT”s founding members, who has been named one of forty of Cleveland's important since the second World War for his Cleveland Poetry Scenes. The suggested donation for the Poetry Workshop is $5.

Collaborating with artist Donald Black, the program will revisit the Mirror of the Arts program with an exhibition of the photography of Donald Black, which captures Cleveland's foreclosure crisis and provides the backdrop for words that spur us on in the midst of adversity. The work of John Gabel, Bonnie Jacobson, Robert McDonough, Leonard Trawick, and the late Cyril A. Dostal will be honored, and a lifetime membership will be awarded to Mary Chadbourne, Christopher Franke, Nina Freedlander Gibans, Diane Kendig, Joan Nicholl, and John Stickney. Words of Promise will be contributed by Kazim Ali, Eric Anderson, Grant Bailie, Kelly Bancroft, Mary Biddinger, Giao Buu, Eric Coble, Cavana Faithwalker, Shurice Gross, Michelle Rankins, Kristin Olsen, and Erin O'Brien.

Join The Celebration

Visions of Reality, Words of Promise, a benefit celebrating 35 years of The LIT, highlights our literary heritage on Sat 11/7 at 6:30PM at Convivium 33 Gallery, 1433 E. 33rd Street, Cleveland, OH 44114. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served while a soundtrack of the Vince Robinson Jazz Poets serenades the gallery. To purchase tickets ($35 and $95), inquire about sponsorship or advertising opportunities, and find out more about this historic celebration, contact Judith Mansour at 216.694.0000 or JudithATthe-lit.org, or log on to http://www.the-lit.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Claudia Taller, whose passion for words has led to creation of the Lakeside Word Lover’s Retreats, an outgrowth of her work with Skyline Writers. Her favorite foods are red wine, salmon, ice cream, and chocolate. She loves to read, write, tour wineries, ride her bike, ease into yoga, and cook gourmet meals for friends. Find her at http://www.claudiatallermusings.blogspot.com.