IAIA Student Jennifer Foerster Included at the Santa Fe Playhouse

By RAMONA CROFOOT

SANTA FE—IAIA creative writing student Jennifer Foerster, Muscogee Creek, was one of six poets participating in “Recipe for Fire, She Said She Said,” an evening of poetry at the Santa Fe Playhouse on Sunday, March 30, 2003. Foerster described the event as dramatic, political and passionate – words which can also be used to characterize this vibrant woman.

The event could best be described as a poetry performance as it included poetry, song and dance.

“This event was very good for these times. As women poets, we have a distinct responsibility to speak as witnesses, activists and agents of change against our current political situation. The theme of our performance was embracing this responsibility, stepping up to the plate and speaking our power as women, poets, artists, mothers and daughters,” Foerster stated.

In honor of women’s history month, this event was held in conjunction with the presentation of Romulus Linney’s play “Three Poets” which runs from March 20 to April 6. “Three Poets” is a lyrical trilogy featuring three ostracized women poets through the ages who battled forces of political oppression and kept on writing. These poets are Ono no Komachi, Hrosvitha and Anna Akhmatova. The invitation states this play “dramatizes the timeless tension between the physical and the political power of men and the spiritual and intellectual power of women.”

“Three Poets” director, Mary Vaught, wanted to do a poetry reading of Southwestern women writers in celebration of the play. She called her friend, the poet and spoken word performer Tammy Gomez, in Texas to assist in coordinating the event. Gomez and four other Southwestern women poets, Travis Jarrell, Joan Logghe, Mary McGinnis, and Socorro Romo, were invited to participate. Vaught wanted one more poet, “a fresh voice,” and contacted Foerster to read.

A Night of Singing, Dancing, Spoken Word

Jarrell performed an interpretive dance tribute to a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Romo included singing in her poetry reading. Gomez’s performed her poetry as a spoken word performance. McGinnis and Logghe each read their own poetry.

At the end of the event, the six came together for a collaborative performance. Although Foerster met the other women only two hours before the performance, she felt the performance flowed spontaneously and synchronistical as they all seemed to be on the same wavelength. Each woman’s work was unique but they shared a complementary energy. All of their work focused on the very big issues of the war, being women in today’s world, and speaking your voice.

Foerster was very excited about the evening. She received much positive feedback for her spoken word performance.

“This was a great experience for me. It was an honor to read and perform with all of these powerful women writers. I learned a lot from them in our brief experience together,” shared Foerster.

Copyright © 2003 IAIA Chronicle