Poetry at Winedale

The new Poet Laureate of Texas is coming to Winedale on September 21.

Just as the Shakespeare season closes, today’s poetry arrives in the person of Octavio Quintanilla, a triple-threat (to borrow football terminology).

That is, poet, visual artist, publisher, also professor and director of a respected literary festival. That makes it five things, actually.

I met Octavio at the Texas Institute of Letters’ annual meeting in April and I was impressed. For one thing, unlike many poets today—or ever—he looks like a movie star. Think Johnny Depp in his heyday. (Don’t tell him I said that.)

His three poetry collections have caught national attention. One was longlisted for the National Book Award. One received the Ambroggio Prize from the Academy of American Poets. He is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters.

He’ll be reading some of his work, showing his visual poems (Frontextos), talking with me, I hope, about why poetry is valuable to read or watch or listen to in today’s busy world. And answering your questions, (with food from Royers to follow.)

Texas has a long history of poets laureate together with a love of poetry itself that might seem incongruous on the frontier.

Our grandfathers, grandmothers, parents, too, learned verses. Bible verses to be sure, and Victorian poetry.

Writer Leon Hale wrote about riding down gravel roads near here while his passenger, a country newspaper editor, quoted William Cullen Bryant. Another time it was a local rancher reciting lines from Grey’s Elegy.

At Winedale, Shakespeare has just completed its 55th summer season. For many people scattered around the world Winedale means Shakespeare, and thus poetry.

But Octavio Quintanilla is the first poet laureate to visit. His appearance is sponsored by the Friends of Winedale and the Round Top Family Library. You all know about our vibrant Library with its smorgasbord of events and classes.

The Friends of Winedale, Inc. (FOW) was formed ten years ago to provide funds to aid in the upkeep of the historic buildings in the Winedale Historical Complex—that group of old buildings along FM 2714.

Maybe you’ve wondered about them. You know they’re part of the University of Texas, a gift from the woman who brought them together.

What you may not know is why. Why is the complex there? Because of a love affair. A woman, Miss Ima Hogg, fell in love with a building, the Lewis-Wagner House.

In particular she was moved by the painted ceilings of that house, the work of a German immigrant named Rudolph Melchior, circa 1858.

We were making excellent progress until the Pandemic shutdown which put everything on hold. We lost several board members then through health concerns, life changes and so on.

But this year we infused our board with a few energetic new members. And already there are results.

The Master Naturalists, who care for the native plant gardens, have designed a guided nature and history walk that will be unveiled soon.

And we are welcoming Octavio to our community. Winedale has always been a celebration of individual achievement within a community context. Not just the makers of furniture, the painter of those ceilings, but Shakespeare and the theatre troupe as well. And the teams of restoration experts and managers necessary.

Come join us in honoring poetry in Texas on Sunday, September 21 at 3 p.m. in the Meadows Building at Winedale, 3738 FM 2714, with refreshments by Royers in the adjacent Terry Dining Room afterwards. All free for the enjoyment of everyone.

And as always, Winedale may be toured by appointment (979-278-3530). (Don’t miss those ceilings.)

Readers can contact Hale at bfhale2017@gmail.com