Roberts on a Romp
Chippewa Valley poet employs humor, lyricism
Darrion Behrendt, photos by Andrea Paulseth |
Jeannie E. Roberts, author of Beyond Bulrush, is back with a new full-length poetry collection titled Romp and Ceremony. In her last book, Roberts entranced readers with visions of the Midwestern landscape and its beauty. While Romp and Ceremony is full of new material, Roberts considers it as less of a “next step” and more of an extension of her last collection of poems, which you’ll see in the continued use of humor, lyrical writing, and seasonal sections, among other things.
This time around, she’s using soundplay and humor to showcase her love of the little things in the world around her. As intimate as her last collection of poems was, Roberts gets even more personal with poems like “My Son’s Tattoos” and “Putterbellies,” which are tied to fond memories and family members. Not only does she dig deep into her own relationships for inspiration, but she also delves into the human relationship with food, with an entire section of the collection taking leave of the usual seasonal transgression and focusing solely on “Food and Other Phenomena.” “Romp it Up!”, the final section of the collection ties everything together again, ending on a high note after many twists and turns. Poet Bill Yarrow describes the collection as “A book for all those who admire the sobriety of ceremony and appreciate the intoxication of romp.”
Romp and Ceremony is currently available for advanced order until Sept. 16, and will be officially released Nov. 11.
To make a sweet deal even sweeter, the author is using her book release as a vehicle to give back to the community. From now until Sept. 16, a portion of the book’s proceeds will go towards funding the Confluence Project in Eau Claire. While the price will be a little higher than usual, Roberts says the extra cost is solely to help give back to the community. To Roberts, the Chippewa Valley’s history is incredibly rich, but she doesn’t want us to only dwell in the past: “(Eau Claire is) becoming a very progressive area, and that’s important for growth.” She sees Eau Claire as “a destination,” and hopes to share that ideology with others from outside the Chippewa Valley.
Having seen all the potential for growth in the Chippewa Valley, it seems clear to Roberts – the former interim director of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center – that community support in addition to support from local government is hugely important to the success of projects such as this which make that growth possible. She hopes to donate at least $100 to $200 to the Confluence Project with the initial presale of the new collection.
