A lot of people don't appreciate poetry. And that's exactly why Geri Digiorno, poet and teacher, is out here today, taking her own love of poetry to the streets. Of course, taking poetry to the streets is what Digiorno does best. This year's Poetry Walk, which marks the event's fifth anniversary, takes place on Sunday, Sept. 17, beginning at high noon. It features 16 poets, including Sonoma Poet Laureate Don Emblen, legendary beat poet Diane di Prima, writer and critic Jonah Raskin, Irish author Siobhan Campbell, and Petaluma's own Eugene Ruggles.
Some people pick and choose their poets.
Others stay with it from beginning to end. I commend those people. Of course, even in Sonoma County there are always those who, upon hearing the telltale rhythms of the spoken word spilling out onto the sidewalks, quicken their pace to walk on by. At the same time, she's attempting a little nonscientific experiment to find out how much poetry is really worth to the average person on the street. Spying a pair of teenage girls sitting outside Hot Lips Pizza, Digiorno approaches, making them each the same offer.