BP MARKOWITZ CELEBRATES LIFE AND LEGACY OF BROOKLYN POET LAUREATE KEN SIEGELMAN
Brooklyn mourns death of "Poetic Brooklynite" from Gravesend
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is joining all Brooklynites and the literary community in mourning the death of Brooklyn Poet Laureate Ken Siegelman, who died at his home today.
"Selecting Ken Siegelman as poet laureate was one of my proudest acts as Borough President," said BP Markowitz. "Like the borough he loved and wrote about, his life was never boring, and he captured all of it--the good, the bad, the ups and downs--in his poetry. Ken will be sorely missed, but his words will remain with us and inspire up-and-coming poets for generations to come. Our deepest condolences go out to Ken's loved ones, especially his daughter and beloved wife of nearly a half-century, Pearl."
The Gravesend resident was named poet laureate by BP Markowitz on January 24, 2002. "Your love of the written word and commitment to using poetry in education puts you in a unique position to encourage and nurture an appreciation for poetry"...I am convinced that your infectious enthusiasm and love of poetry will deeply influence the people of Brooklyn," said BP Markowitz following the appointment.
As a social studies teacher for more than three decades, Siegelman developed classroom poetry while teaching at Abraham Lincoln High School. English was an unfamiliar language in his classroom--composed of Russian and Spanish-speaking teens--but Siegelman saw students wanting and waiting to learn. "Language was the only thing that stood in their way," said Siegelman, "so I used my poetry to bridge the language gap."
For more than eight years, Siegelman hosted Brooklyn Poetry Outreach, a collaboration with BP Markowitz and the Park Slope Barnes & Noble that features monthly poetry readings and discussion by some of Brooklyn's best and aspiring poets. He also participated in BP Markowitz's student poetry project.
Last year, Fading to Zero, a movie based on Siegelman's life and poetry, premiered at Kingsborough Community College. BP Markowitz congratulated Siegelman at his 2009 State of the Borough Address this past February.
Ken Siegelman's poetry, including "Stage Fright," written just last month, can be read at the website of the Brooklyn Borough President at www.brooklyn-usa.org . Click on "Poetic Brooklynites."