Shirlette Ammons presents poetry reading Dec. 4 at Appalachian

By ASU News Service

Poet Shirlette Ammons will read from her work Dec. 4 at Appalachian State University. Her presentation is sponsored by the Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series.

Ammons will present the craft talk “Poetry and Music” at 3:30 p.m. in Plemmons Student Union’s Table Rock Room.

She will present a poetry reading at 7:30 p.m., also in Table Rock Room. Books will be available for sales and signing.

Ammons’ latest book of poetry, “Matching Skin,” with an accompanying CD, was published in fall 2008 by Carolina Wren Press of Durham. Her first collection of poetry, “Stumphole Aunthology of Bakwoods Blood,” was pub¬lished by Big Drum Press in 2002.

Her work recently appeared in “The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South,” “What Your Momma Never Told You: True Stories about Love and Sex,” and The Asheville Review.

Her poetry and writings have also appeared in a number of magazines and alternative publications, including Fierce, Venus and The Independent Weekly.

North Carolina’s poet laureate Katherine Stripling Byer praises Ammons’ writing in “Matching Skin.”

“These down-home, good-sounding poems are spoken by a woman who loves her language and loves her people, her homefolks and their stories, the ways they survive and sing,” she wrote. “I thought I’d never find a poet who throws herself no-holds-barred into the sheer pleasure of words and rhythm, but here she is. Revel in her poems, dear readers. But don’t sit down while you read these poems. Be ready to dance. To go walk about with a poet who keeps saying, poem after poem, ‘Come on now! Come on, let’s go!’”

Ammons’ honors and awards include a John Hope Franklin Grant for Documentary Studies, the Ebony ¬Harlem Award for Literary Talent, and emerging artist grants from the Durham Arts Council and the United Arts Council.

Ammons is also vocalist and co¬-bassist for the hip hop rock band Mosadi Music whose debut album, “The Window,” was released in 2006.

The Visiting Writers Series is named in honor of Hughlene Bostian Frank, class of 1968, a trustee and generous supporter of Appalachian State University.

The fall season is supported by the Appalachian State University Foundation and Appalachian’s Office of Academic Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of English, Office of Multicultural Student Development, Summer Reading Program, University Bookstore, and The Appalachian Journal.

Business sponsors are The Gideon Ridge Inn and The Red Onion Restaurant. Community sponsors include John and Marjorie Idol, Paul and Judy Tobin, Alice Naylor, Mildred Luckhardt, Thomas McLaughlin and The High Country Writers.

Parking on campus is free on campus after 5 p.m. The parking deck on College Street provides the closest access to the student union. For more parking information or a campus map, visit www.parking.appstate.edu.