Naomi Shihab Nye in Rapid City

In April 1997, Naomi Shihab Nye came to the Rapid City Public Library for a reading and discussion, which I attended. Her reading was impressive, but I don’t remember much about the discussion, except one woman, a transient who was quite involved in the question and answer session. The remarkable thing was Nye’s sincere interest in the woman. Despite the questioner’s disheveled apprearance, Nye fully answered and really took the discussion to a new level. Her respect was, and still is, striking.

And of course, her poetry remains an excellent example of quality writing that the average person on the street can understand and appreciate.

~ by ericedits on November 18, 2007.