Government
This week on the Forum, many talented local writers from several creative groups in the Mid-Valley were asked to write poetry about…the year 2020. Salem City Club shared the Zoom conference recording where they read their work, talked about the creative process and the arts in Salem, and described what it feels like to finish a literary project like…writing a poem. Despite the subject material, there was laughter and pleasant conversation, a good atmosphere for a poetry panel, and a holiday edition of The Forum. (Speakers were Mark Janssen, Mike Straylow, Gene Kendrick, Marilyn Johnston, Mike Schuler, Ada Mohlenoff, and Clem Stark. They represent many talented local writers and groups they gather in, including the Salem Poetry Project, Mid-Valley Poetry Society, and an annual event titled “Paint the Town Write the Town.”)