Not forgotten

As poets, we are inspired — directly and indirectly — by the words and teachings of other poets. As human beings, and as poets, we struggle to find ways to honor losses that often seem overwhelming. This page finds itself at the intersection of inspiration and loss. It is not meant to be comprehensive (or morbid), but to offer a small selection of apt words of recollection and consolation. The poets represented here have lived in, been inspired by, or had a powerful influence upon, the Cascadia region. The list will expand as time allows.

Thomas Hubbard

June 15, 1938 – May 30, 2023

Thomas Hubbard’s goodbye message on Facebook, May 30, 2023: “Today is the day. Thanks to all the folks around me and to all my friends who have to be somewhere else. Special thanks to those with whom I have shared love. And thanks to this round world for being a good teacher. It’s been a wild ride, and now my stop is coming up. Be kind to one another. Travel easy.”

Remembrance by Lenora Rain-Lee Good.

Bill Yake

March 9, 1947 – December 12, 2022

Obituary: Legacy.com

David Wagoner

June 5, 1926 – December 18, 2021

Remembrance: Poetry Northwest
Obituary: Best American Poetry
Obituary: The New York Times
Remembrance: Knute Berger in Crosscut

Lee Maracle

July 2, 1950 – November 11, 2021

Obituary: The New York Times
Obituary: CBC
Remembrance: The Globe and Mail

Barry Lopez

January 6, 1945 – December 25, 2020

Obituary: The New York Times

Obituary: The Washington Post

photo: David Liittschwager

Marvin Bell

August 3, 1937 – December 14, 2020

Obituary: Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Little Village

Obituary: Copper Canyon Press

photo: Sam Roxas-Chua

Judith Roche

September 9, 1941 –
November 14, 2019

Paul Nelson remembers Judith Roche

Obituary: The Seattle Times

Tom Jay

1943 – 2019

“Mourning Tom Jay: ‘watershed shaman,’ poet, bronze artist”

“Tom Jay Walks On”

Jim Milstead
“The Bard of Bellingham”

1927 – 2019

In his own words, Jim Milstead was “Born in Chicago. Moved to Fresno, CA. Entered the Marine Corps, occupying northern China. Graduated from Fresno State College. Worked at the Linear Accelerator in Livermore, CA. Entered graduate school, spending 35 years as a biological control researcher at UC Berkeley. Moved to Bellingham in 1992. Now I write.” A prolific poet of gymnastic language, tickling humor, acute insight, and profound emotion, Jim was author of the poetry books Collage (Independent Writers Studio Press, 2015) and Scenario (Akimbo Publications, 2015), was a three-time Boynton winner, a vigorous participant in local open mics, and for years an inspiring sight, walking miles each day through Bellingham, notebook in hand.

Patrick Lane