Carbonation contributor Katie Sarah Zale’s new project is a biography on the late Sam Hamill.
A description of the fundraiser:
Following the November 5, 2024, elections, many of us thought, “How am I going to make it through the next four years? I’ve heard again and again, “I have never been so angry… I have never been so afraid.” A poet may not be the first person you’d turn to. Or poetry. Yet, many people believe, just as Sam Hamill did, that Poetry Saves Lives. It saved his life. An abused infant to a rebellious child to an addicted teen in and out of jail on the streets of San Francisco to becoming a Buddhist and conscientious objector while serving in the Vietnam War, Sam became the co-founder and editor of Copper Canyon Press, what some call the nation’s premier non-profit literary press of poetry. Through this role, he became friends with many poets—those who just love poetry and those of international renown. In 2003, 11,000 poets responded (and twice that many in time) to his request for a poem about George W. Bush’s planned attack of Afghanistan. In the resulting anthology titled Poets Against the War, Sam wrote, ‘These are the voices of our poets; they come from every segment of society … they also celebrate our country by expounding a compassionate view of the universe. A government is a government of words, and when those words are used to mislead, to instill fear or to invite silence, it is the duty of every poet to speak fearlessly and clearly.” Sam Hamill asked poets to write a poem “for the conscience of our country.” He never really made a “living wage” from his commitment to poetry. Mostly he did what he’s “always done— giving poetry away.” Sam, who died in 2018, would not be excited that I am writing his biography. He eschewed notoriety, awards. Yet, his knowledge about the history of poetry needs telling, starting from the Tao Te Ching in the 4th century B.C. As well, we need to hear his wisdom about life. Writing a biography of such a man requires traveling the country to conduct interviews, see artifacts in museums and artists’ homes, visit university libraries where papers are archived, hire an assistant, and purchase books. I’m a poet and retired teacher. I appreciate your help. Names of donors giving $100 or more will be kindly thanked in the book.
You can find more information about the fundraiser here: