Berton Averre is the Don Rich of power pop.

Most of my published writing in recent years has been in the decidedly not-online Xavier Review. Here’s some of it for you, a review of a poetry collection.

XULA 2011-12, Some excellent scholars in that group, including one of the world’s Issa experts, and a poet who’s been on the cover of the Hollins Critic. I’m fortunate to have made a career working with such people. Btw they do not seek to indoctrinate students or destroy America.

“There are 700 channels on TV, and not a single one of them is devoted to poetry.”

— Hank Deveraux, as played by Bob Odenkirk in “Lucky Hank.”

Poem written on a bar napkin by Everette Maddox.

#hankwilliams

The Maple Leaf Bar poetry seies, founded in New Orleans in 1979 by Franz Heldner, Bob Stock, and Everette Maddox, is the longest continually running poetry series in North America.

#EveretteMaddox
#neworleanspoetry
#mapleleafbar

Part of my essay is about connections between two English departments, one at the University of Alabama, the other at XULA, and how almost a hundred years of teaching can be traced through three people, one being the poet Everette Maddox.

This is the poet Everette Maddox. Striking face, isn’t it? He has been described as resembling Poe and Lawrence among others. One thing for sure is that he had a look of a poet, an artist, an old soul.

I have an essay about him coming out soon and will post more about it and him.

My work in composition led to my blurb appearing on the back of the anthology Black in America from the excellent @broadviewpress.bsky.social

Proud of this, even though there’s no spot for it on a CV.

The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament is the order founded by Katharine Drexel. The last of the Sisters who were teaching faculty have died in the past few years, including one beloved colleague in English.

It is the end of an era. They do not have new recruits.

Xavier was founded by Katharine Drexel of Philadelphia, first as a secondary school on Magazine St, in 1915. That became a teacher’s college in 1925. The school moved to the current location in 1932. My office is in the original bldg.

Saint Katharine Drexel was canonized in 2000.

As for the unique piece, the school where I teach is the only Catholic HBCU in the country. The Black Catholic tradition of New Orleans is its own thing, unlike anything else in Black culture or Catholic traditions.

Never imagined finding a home in such a place, but it’s been a great experience.

I mentioned that life in New Orleans can be challenging. Gun violence is a huge reason. The way we talk about it is insane. For instance, in September of this year we had an 18-day streak without a murder, and that’s presented as good news.

Snark has gotten me nowhere, so here’s a shot at sincerity. I’m an English teacher at an HBCU in New Orleans. It’s an interesting life, unique, challenging, and fun.