If you’ve ever loved another, been passionate about anything, mourned a loss, been a parent, heck, been alive - this poet will move you! Her rhythmic words pulse with the beat that promises (like it ot not)the continuim of LIFE.

I also must echo the regrets of Mia, in that I will be unable to catch Liesl at this year’s rogue.

You, however need to see this show.

Why?

There are few poets locally or abroad who have the ability to candidly relive their experiences in the minds of the listener or reader as Liesl does.

Her work last year, on it’s maiden flight, received well deserved standing O’s, (I had the privilige of being there for one of those shows.) I’ll never forget how she and the audience hooked up, and how it just flew, (like, ever.)

This was not simply a local girl doing something everybody was proud of,(though they were.)

This was a person who has had an amazing history that roots in experiences that are both stunningly intimate, starkly honest, and genuine, -all the while not being saccharine nor trite.

Towards the end of last year, Liesl’s work went from writing ‘about,’ life, (which was good enough, lemme tell you,)
-to ‘breaking through the descriptive’ and conveying what she was experienceing on so many levels,
-She managed to remove the distant ‘third party-tool’ of words and presentation, and Her work, instead caused the listener to experience what she was feeling as she spoke it.)
It’s the equivalent of a glass of water on the hotest of days, experienced, needed, appreciated, and then gone with no trace, (leaving only: life.)

-Sounds easy?
You try it.
Not many writers, ever pull this off.

In fact there are plenty famous who never come near that line, let alone cross it, and rely on writing with ‘mittens,’ and formulas.
Not Liesl.

She’s not famous, (yet,)
and truth be told, fame does not seem to be what she’s after.
She’s not a social player, she does not put on airs, yet is instantly charming, and leaves someone who has just met her with the impression of ‘…what a sweetheart, and DANG she’s tall.’

She’s happily way overbusy in lifeand this chance for her to perform live is a rare thing,
(so you really need to go, now.)

She humbly, firmly elevates the listener.
She has dignity and transfers this to the room, everytime.

You will not find bombast and hystrionics.
This is not some inner tortured soul craving anti-depressants and daliances with a missed ‘bohemian-destructo’ lifestyle.
(She’s not going to leave the kids waiting at a doorstep somewhere and drive off in the mini-van, listening to Alanis Morissett, to go burn effigies for some cause.)

She IS however, probably able to answer most experiences that so many other poets vaunt and cartoon with an honest,
‘…well, been there, done that, -and that brought me to who I am now.’
(Yeah, she has faith,
no
she’s not loudly religious. -She does not preach at people, like, ever.)

Simply stated, you’re just not going to experience all that Liesl has, and NOT come to terms with ‘God,’
-and you are not going to accomplish what she has and does every day:
-business woman,
-wife,
-incredibly creative six foot tall california girl,
-and MOM(from a son who has just deployed in the armed forces, to adolescents, down to a newborn,)
–and not come to a real understanding of one’s own needs and gifts, the beauty of life, and genuine faith. (She’s honest in all that.)

Though I have no idea if she sees him as a model, she reminds me of Steinbeck:
Beautiful, amazing lives revealed,
-all the while using language and imagery that anyone can understand,
anyone can feel,
and far too often can be accidently overlooked and deemed ‘regular life.’
-Like Steinbeck?
Liesl shows us how her life and those around her is breathtaking, only waiting to be revealed.

Let her show you this.

Her work will reach you.
(Most people try to do this, she succeeds,
and she’s astounding at it.

I’m envious of anyone who can make it to her perforomances.

Hopefully she’ll be in Rogue Year Round again.

This year, through her poems, Liesl Garner showed us her family, motherhood, and it’s sometimes not-so-nice side.
Her poems were not as stark as that of Rogue 2007, but Liesl’s words took situations that were seemingly mundane and instilled them with a sense of wonder and poignancy.