PORT TOWNSEND — Poet Sam Hamill is leaving Copper Canyon Press, the publishing company he founded 32 years ago, to focus on his organization, Poets Against the War.
The Port Townsend resident, who received global attention last year by openly challenging the Bush administration’s involvement in the Iraq war through Poets Against the War, has been Copper Canyon Press’ artistic director.
Fort Worden State Park-based Copper Canyon promotes aspiring and established poets.
Hamill, author of 14 volumes of poetry, says he is leaving his post for what he calls “a cyberspace soap box for anti-war literary expression.”
Poets Against the War’s Web site is at www.poetsagainstthewar.org.
“I’ve spent much of the past two years traveling and working for better understanding of poetry and social engagements, and there are now fellow organizations around the world,” Hamill wrote in his resignation letter.
“Clearly, there is work to be done.”
Year’s end
Hamill announced his resignation in a letter dated Nov. 20 and released Tuesday. His resignation takes place at year’s end.
“Over the past 12 years, the press has taken its place as an eminent presence in the world of poetry,” he says in the letter.
Hamill’s letter didn’t discuss the future of Copper Canyon Press now that the founder is departing, and others associated with Copper Canyon could be reached late Tuesday for comment.
Poet Against the War grew from his idea to send anti-war poems to the White House in lieu of attending a poetry symposium to which he was invited by first lady Laura Bush.
The symposium was canceled in February 2003, the first lady saying it would be inappropriate to turn a literary forum into a political one.
The Iraq war started the next month.