newmexico

NEW RELEASE: GILA WILDERNESS POETRY ANTHOLOGY

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In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Gila Wilderness, regional writers have
collected poetry, prose and photographs, to express their love of the Gila’s wild
natural beauty. The finished book, Looking to the Mountain: Sacred Lands, Healing
Cultures – A Gila Anthology of Words and Pictures is now available for you to read and/or download for free.

The Gila Wilderness in southwest New Mexico is the world’s first designated
Wilderness. Established June 3, 1924, it is the remotest section of New Mexico’s
Gila National Forest, which comprises 3.3 million acres of wild, natural beauty.
U.S. Wilderness Areas are defined as “an area where the earth and community of
life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not
remain.” Camping, hunting and fishing are allowed, but no roads, buildings,
logging, mining, or mechanized vehicles are permitted.

The idea of “wilderness” had long been a dream of conservationist Aldo Leopold
who, as a young man in the early 1900s, was one of the first U.S. Forest Service
rangers in the region. Lessons he learned during his tenure in New Mexico and
Arizona convinced him that some of America’s vast landscape needed to be
preserved from human commodification. Lobbying Congress with elegant essays
and insights, Leopold’s dream was realized with the preservation of the Gila
Wilderness area — a mountainous region of tall trees, majestic canyons and wild
rivers, once home to tribes of Chihene (Apache) people.

In fact, the name Gila comes from the Athabaskan word Xila (pronounced Chee-
lah), meaning ‘Red Clay Hands,’ the name some Chihene gave to their homeland.
Spanish speakers later rendered it as Gila, a homophone that carried the sound
but obscured the origin.

On Sept 13, 2025, several of the Gila Anthology contributors got together at the Black Range Lodge in Kingston, New Mexico, to share their work and celebrate their love of the Gila Wilderness. I was the MC of the event and had such an amazing day.

Here I am at the event with folk poet JOHNNY HUERTA (on right) and Santa Fe poet Josh Robbins (on left)

Thanks to UNM’s Dr. Michelle Kells and her team for making this Gila Anthology come together!

The whole GILA anthology is free to read online and/or download HERE.

RADIO INTERVIEW AND DISCUSSION WITH POET STALEY

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Think Again: Tim Staley on Poetry

Recorded live in KTAL Studios on 3/17/2025 : In this program, poet and English teacher Tim Staley treats us to some perspectives on poetry, language, images, and how they shape our ideas of reality. The conversation opens with Tim reading Rumi, the Persian Sufi, mystic poet and Muslim scholar. Tim expands into how poetry can bring us into the moment, the very centers of our own lives. He guides us through an exploration of how our minds and emotions are influenced by word choices. Tim shares his thoughts about how AI may come to influence our writing, even of poetry. In addition to Rumi, he reads writings from several poets, including his own and those of Las Cruces, NM resident and internationally recognized poet Joseph Somoza.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

Think Again: Poets, Joseph Somoza and Tim Staley 4.17.23

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Today we’re treated to thought provoking readings of some works by two local poets. Our guests are Joseph Somoza, retired NMSU English Professor and current Organ Mountain High School English teacher, Tim Staley, reading selections of their own poetry. These writers reflect on their personal writing processes, and concepts of poetry in general, and more. The conversation touches on how language and poetry both shape and express the seen and the unseen aspects of who we are as individuals and as cultures. It’s a fun and thoughtful peek into the personal and professional realms of poetry. Their poetry books are available at some local bookstores and at online booksellers.

STREAM THE ARCHIVED EPISODE

The first 9 weeks of quarantine : a video retrospective

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1.   COVID VIRUS PLANK

Back in mid March, 2020, I was on fire with vigor and optimism. This shows the transition from the classroom to the backyard spitting of fire by MC FLASHCARD:

2.   STALEY’s EASTER 2020

In early April there was lots of eating and drinking and being miserable, but no weeping. Here’s a trailer from our family Easter festivities:

3.   The Covid-19 Compliment

There came a point in late April 2020 when everybody in my family thought they belonged to the suckiest family in the world. Like we could not even give an honest compliment to each other. See for yourself:

4.   DEAR SENIORS

Then, in late May, my Seniors graduated and I wrote them this poem while suffering mid-grade cabin fever. The weeping had begun–slow at first, then steady:

5.   MAD COWS – MYSTIC PICKLE

My first band was called the Mad Cows. When we started we were in the 10th grade, Montgomery, Alabama. We reunited in the pandemic, and after 9 weeks of work, all we came up with is this.

(WARNING: may contain artistic quality issues):

SCENES FROM THE 2016 FALL POETRY TOUR

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TOUR ITINERARY

September 25, 2016    Anasazi Winery  Placitas, NM
September 30, 2016  New Mexico State University   Las Cruces, NM
October 8, 2016   Wild Fig Books   Lexington, KY
October 10, 2016   Sandra Small Gallery  Covington, KY
October 12, 2016   Mac’s Backs   Cleveland, OH
October 14, 2016   Art Obscura   Las Cruces, NM