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Gary Glazner , an affable poet and dynamic speaker, calls Brooklyn, N.Y., his home. He also spends time each year in Santa Fe, N.M.

But May 12-15, while in Greensboro entertaining and providing his vision of how poetry should be presented and taught, he took to our fair city, praising the fried chicken, the Proximity Hotel, the Greensboro Public Library, and most of all, the friendly people he encountered here.

Glazner, who performs and conducts workshops throughout the United States, has been featured on NBC’s “Today Show” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Wearing a variety of poetic hats, he is managing director of the renowned Bowery Poetry Club in New York.

Another softer side emerges when he speaks and conducts workshops for the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Those with dementia always remain close to his heart.
Founder and executive director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, he entertains and connects with residents in nursing homes by memorizing and then reciting classical poems dramatically.

He also uses call and response to involve participants and connects with each person by asking questions. He forms their responses — sometimes humorous, sometimes sad — into verse.

Three years ago, Steve Sumerford , director of Poetry GSO, discovered Glazner while initiating LifeVerse, a poetry program for older adults.

Impressed by books written by the Brooklyn poet and by the methods he used to introduce poetry into the lives of those with Alzheimer’s, Sumerford contacted him seeking advice.

This year, funding from several sources, including the N.C. Arts Council and the N.C. Humanities Council as well as partnering with the Center for Creative Aging increased the scope of LifeVerse.

Local poets were paid to bring poetry into nursing homes, retirement homes and ACE sites.

Sumerford decided that Glazner would be a real asset for LifeVerse 2009. So he invited the Brooklyn poet to headline the project.

During his stay in Greensboro, LifeVerse kept Glazner on the move. On May 13, in a morning Dancing with Poetry demonstration, he energetically conveyed how to use poetry to make people with Alzheimer’s laugh or cry or spark a memory.

During an evening reading, he spoke at Greensboro’s main library, outlining his background.

Glazner joked, “I was a florist, but decided I should have a more masculine occupation, so I became a poet.”

As he read some of his poems, a jazz trio played in the background. The audience roared as he recited a humorous poem he wrote about a crazed barber who cut his hair during a trip to Turkey.

During another poem, he invited people to come to the stage to square dance with him.

Glazner also hosted a writing workshop during his trip. He encouraged participants to take an in-depth look at magic realism.
Participants were encouraged to use Pablo Neruda’s “Book of Questions” to prompt questions of their own and then craft them into poems.

During LifeVerse 2009, I was one of six local writers, along with Anjail Ahmad , Mark Smith-Soto , Jacinta White , Val Nieman and Tanya Owens , who were afforded the privilege of taking LifeVerse into nursing homes, retirement homes and ACE facilities.

One of the sites where I facilitate workshops is ACE (Adult Center for Enrichment) at Temple Emanuel. Gail Moss , director of the respite program, as well as other members of her staff, have provided invaluable assistance to me during my sessions there.

Pleased that Glazner would be demonstrating his methods at the facility on the afternoon of May 14, we gathered with staff members, other LifeVerse facilitators, and Lia Miller , director of the Center for Creative Aging, to witness poetic magic as the Brooklyn poet dazzled with rhymes.

As Glazner recited William Blake’s poem, “The Tyger, ” he actually appeared to be a ferocious tiger, then he asked participates to repeat the lines after him.

Later, approaching each participant, he asked, “What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?” Those of us watching were amazed by the interesting responses. Even more important, participants were engaged, carrying on conversations with the Glazner. Those of us who care for those who need caregivers remain grateful for what we learned during Glazner’s short visit.

We’d love for him to come back. Perhaps promising him fried chicken would entice him to the South again.

Contact Sandra Redding at sanredd@earthlink.com