Jim Chastain, Nathan Brown, Dorothy Alexander, Okie Poets
NewsOK just this last Sunday did an excellent article on one of our Oklahoma poets, Jim Chastain. He is a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Awards for his book of poetry, Antidotes & Home Remedies, Village Books Press. Jim is an inspiration to all of us in how to live a fulfilled life while struggling with adversity. He expresses his journey through his prose and poetry, and invites us along for the rough ride. He is currently writing a blog for NewsOK. Visit there for samples of his poetry.
Nathan Brown and Jim Chastain are friends and colleagues, both on the finalist list for the Oklahoma Book Awards. Way to go you two!
This is Nathan’s finalist book. I picked a poem from another of his books, because it’s about the Okie heat and I want my friend to read it who is always gripping about our lovely summers.
Burn
Oklahoma in July
is a marshmallow
in a bonfire;
a branding iron
on the face;
a toad in the slow-
ly heated pot;
where Fahrenheit
screams until its eyes
turn red–
until the blood
rises in its mercurial veins.
…from the book Ashes Over the Southwest
BAM’s blog highlights Dorothy Alexander reading her poetry and her book is also an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, Lessons From An Oklahoma Girlhood, Village Books Press. 
Village Books Press is a small Oklahoma press dedicated to providing a voice and venue for Oklahoma poets, artist and writers. My understanding is Dorothy Alexander runs this publishing house in Cheyenne, Oklahoma.
So if you don’t think Poetry when you think Oklahoma you better start…..
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What an interesting and inspiring bit of web surfin’ you have given me in the wee hours of this mornin’ thanks to the links above. I may have to buy Nathan’s Cyril VIII photo (surely I have a spare $195 around somewhere), and I had a great time reading his comments. Jim’s blog is everything you would hope to read from someone who is facing the big end: heartbreaking and funny at the same time. Great Okies.