Reading to Honor Poet William Stafford

Paul Willis, Westmont professor of English, hosts a fourth annual community reading in the Los Padres National Forest, “Remembering William Stafford,” Saturday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m. at the First Crossing Day Use Area on Paradise Road off Highway 154 in Santa Barbara County. Featured readers include local poets Nancy Lee and Bruce Schmidt. Members of the community are invited to share their favorite Stafford poems as well.

Stafford won the National Book Award in Poetry in 1963 for his book “Traveling Through the Dark.” He also served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress and as poet laureate of Oregon. During World War II, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a conscientious objector at the Los Prietos Civilian Public Service Camp. This camp, now torn down and converted to a picnic area, is where the reading will take place.

“When I discovered that one of Stafford’s formative life experiences took place at the Los Prietos Camp in Santa Barbara’s back yard,” says Willis, “I knew I wanted to host an annual reading there in his memory for the community to enjoy. He was a uniquely humble man, a reconciling presence, a mentor and encourager to many of the present generation of American poets.”

Westmont College and The Friends of William Stafford are sponsoring the reading. No day-use fee or Adventure Pass is needed to attend. In case of rain, the reading will take place indoors at the Los Prietos Ranger Station, also on Paradise Road. For information, please contact Paul Willis at willis@westmont.edu or (805) 565-7174.