Farewellia a la Aralee

<p>A collection of poems by Ralph La Charity memorializing the poetess Aralee Strange. Also included is his <em>Cinemanuensing </em>(a writ of <em>habeus corpus poetique</em>) 1998 <em>facsimile edition.</em></p><p></p><p>La Charity describes meeting Aralee Strange: Prior to moving to Cincinnati Aralee Strange a native of Birmingham Alabama lived and worked in Atlanta GA Cambridge MA and New York NY. Beginning in 1987 in collaboration with fellow Cincinnati poet Jim Palmarini Strange began and conducted several open poetry reading series and read regularly at a host of regional venues.  </p><p>I first encountered her participating in the late '80s at the April Aegis Poetry Festival Bill Polak's annual multi-day multi-venue all-open poetry festival in Kent Ohio. She was a poet/playwright whose body of work included <em>Etta Stone: A Film for Radio </em>(1990) which she wrote produced and edited @ WGUC Cincinnati (aired nationally on NPR stations included in WGBH's Arts&Ideas series); <em>dr. pain on main</em> (1991) a play based on her series of poems by the same name commissioned and produced by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; <em>The Chronicles of Plague</em> (1992) commissioned and produced by Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati; <em>An Evening at the Sad Cafe</em> (1995) a series of directed scenes from her screenplay <em>This Train</em> performed at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati & Carnegie Arts Center (1997). <em>This Train</em> (production begun late '90s ended filming 2001) the feature film she wrote directed & edited was still in post-production at the time of her death.  </p><p>Aralee moved from Ohio to Athens GA in March 2007 where she initiated the much celebrated <em>Word of Mouth</em> feature/open poetry series at the Globe on the first Wednesday of each month which series continues to this day. </p><p></p><p>La Charity describes a memorial gathering of Aralee Strange's fans thusly:</p><p>As satisfying a night as could be wished for... Aralee's lovers came in from Athens Chicago New York from upriver Adams & Scioto Counties as well as every hidden nook & cranny this old river citadel of hilly & troubled CinCinity the infinitely Intimate still could boast of if only it knew itself this well. She was its lightning lass. Still is if last night's parade of witnesses was any measure. Some wept on mic quite as some did down South at a similar celebration earlier this past summer in Athens Georgia.</p><p>Ah but as more than one celebrant noted over the course of the event she was an evolutionary marvel who never stopped growing past every difficulty her seventy years of creative ferment afforded - she felt her way and she left none behind no matter how far she ventured. The world as she found it was harrowing & sorrowful in full measure but she knew how to share her way thru the morass with duendist élan leavened with empathy outreach intelligence & joy... she was quite the Lady pinpoint & hair-raising and she was in the room last night. As one of the open mic celebrants noted in an improv spun forth more than three hours into the Tribute at almost 11PM Aralee modified the surround wherever she went - our Lady was an uncanny adverb : Arrowly evermore.  </p><p>        -<strong><em>Ralph La Charit</em></strong>y</p>