Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — More than three decades ago, Bob Baker read Galway Kinnell's poem "The Bear." The poem is difficult to read because of its graphic description of man versus nature.

Baker heard Kinnell read the poem at Colorado State University in the 1960s.

"It resonated with me," he said. "It's about an Indian who hunts a bear and becomes the bear and becomes part of nature itself -- merged with it in a strange and very moving way."

This weekend, Baker will stand on the stage of the Paradigm Theater in Oak Creek and read "The Bear." He imagines it touching someone in the same way it touched him many years ago.

His reading will be part of "The Male Perspective" a staged reading by South Routt men. It will be unlike a traditional poetry reading and more of a piece of performance art.

Every man will be on stage for the entire evening -- some sitting, some standing. They will sit in the dark until they are lit individually for their turn to read.

The men range in age from 17 to 70.

Paulie Anderson, Seth Bograd, Paul Bonnifield, Dave Fisher, Don Means, Steven "Spike" Bevan, Bob Baker and Sam McCloud will read original or published poetry.

The evening will be organized in much the same way as "The Chocolate Monologues," a staged reading by South Routt women held at the Paradigm last weekend.

The topic of "The Male Per--spective" is "the world of men -- their emotions, their feelings," Paradigm owner Barbi Bonfiglio said. When Bonfiglio began approaching local men to participate in the reading, she was surprised how many wrote poetry.

"It was very surprising," she said. "The men range from contractors to bike shop owners, and most of them are not who you might pick to have written works stashed.

"The most important thing I realized from this is the interest that is out there to hear or read poetry is vast. So many people are excited about the possibility."

Bonfiglio said she planned to host staged readings, much like "The Male Perspective" on a semi-regular basis with different topics each time.