Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Daniel Thompson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Poet Daniel Thompson (1935 - 2004) was a Cleveland poet, civil rights activist and advocate for the homeless. Thompson became the first honored "Poet Laureate" for Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Contents |
Thompson and Steven B Smith co-edited "Crimes in the Dark: Reel-Life Art," also known as the "popcorn box" edition of ArtCrimes. It contained coupons for events in addition to the usual melange of poetry and images. [1]
ArtCrimes is consistent with the style of beat-era publications from the days of Kerouac, Corso and Ginsberg. One reviewer postulates that it's the most significant publication of the Cleveland underground art scene in recent history. [2]
Thompson contributed poems to the Homeless Grapevine newspaper and wall calendar. The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless used these items to raise money.
Thompson protested against the name of the Cleveland "Indians" and their use of the "Chief Wahoo" logo. His poem "Tell Chief Wahoo" was used on t-shirts to promote awareness by the Committee of 500 Years of Dignity and Resistance. [3]
In 1986, Thompson organized readings at the Justice center. [4]
Thompson was an organizer of Junkstock, a poetry, art and music festival in the 80s. The highly acclaimed festival was held in a junk yard on Pearl Road in Cleveland. [5]
Thompson organized Cleveland's first poetry slam in 1992. [6]
Thompson toured with the Cleveland percussion group Drumplay. [7]
Thompson promoted the idea of renaming the University Circle portions of East Blvd. after Hart Crane and Langston Hughes. [8]
Cleveland poet Chris Franke failed to paint his house after being ordered by the city to do so. Thompson arranged a creative solution where Franke did community service: reading his poems to a soup-line audience at a homeless shelter. [9]
In 1992 Thompson was declared Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County. [10]
Thompson was scheduled to read at an art show at Tri-C West. Tri-C censored Steven B Smith, which was discovered at this opening night reading. Smith wrote "CENSORED" on the wall with a ball point pen. Tri-C decided to move the poetry reading to a more remote location, but Thompson stood in the art area and mouthed the words to his poetry silently as a Tri-C codirector sanded Smith's words off the wall. [11]
ArtCrimes 4, 1988 [12]
Famous in the Neighborhood, 1989
Even the Broken Letters of the Heart Spell Earth, 1998, Bottom Dog Press [13]
The Rain Poet, 2004, Green Panda Press [14]
Comforting the Dead, 2004, Green Panda Press [15]
"Censorship Charges Mar Tri-C West Show" by Helen Cullinan Cleveland Plain Dealer 5/1/86
"Popcorn Box Serves Up Poetic Tribute To Film" Rebecca Freligh The Plain Dealer April 1992
"Daniel Thompson" by Fran Henry Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Poetic Justice In Search Of ..." by Michael Heaton Cleveland Plain Dealer Mar. 3, 2002