For the Reporter
James Rodgers, a prolific Northwest poet, writer and award-winning photographer from Pacific, has come out with his first book.
“They Were Called Records, Kids” (MoonPath Press) is divided into 10 musical sets, plus an encore, with haiku breaks, and black-and-white photography. The 262-page book covers rock, pop, jazz, folk, world music and other genres.
Rodgers appears at his book launch party on Sunday, April 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. at REI Headquarters, 6750 S. 228th St., Kent.
In this collection of keenly observed poems, Rodgers celebrates the contemporary music scene: the people, places and tunes that are the soundtrack of lives. Above all, the book is a tribute to the experience of listening, watching, taking it all in – participating in the act, the fact, the sheer joy of making and hearing music. Rodgers shares his personal take on the music of Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Prince, David Bowie, Elvis, The Paperboys, Sarah Vaughan, and a friend named Oktoberfest to Kathmandu, from The Rainbow Cafe and Zola’s Cafe to concert halls and open mic venues where he observes audiences and individuals with delight.
Rodgers has three self-published chapbooks and has had poems published by Prism Magazine, Ha!, Poets of the Kent Canterbury Faire, Fly By Night Press, WPA Members anthology, Wrist, Washington English Journal, and others. He was also the winner of the WPA Charles Proctor Award for Humor in 2005.
Along with poetry, Rodgers has won multiple prizes in Auburn’s annual photo contest. He has had multiple art shows of his work, provided the black-and-white images used in Cindy M. Hutchings book, “Tree Talk”, and the tulip portion of the collage cover for Brendan McBreen’s book, “Cosmic Egg”, both also published by MoonPath Press.
Rodgers lives with his very patient wife and two very psychotic cats. While he prefers humor, Rodgers writes all kinds of poetry, with a focus on music, humor, kids and travel, along with many song lyrics waiting to have music attached to them. He also created his own humorous style of haiku that he calls haikooky.
Visit his blog at jamesrodgershaikooky.blogspot.com.
Books are available At MoonPath Press, Amazon.com, and BarnesandNoble.com.
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