In the latest installment of “Village Voice,” Blanco spotlights Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Anthology. Forthcoming on January 19th and comprised of 54 poets celebrating all things Dolly, the anthology is “one of the wonderful, fun ways that poetry enters our lives.” Said Blanco.
Blanco went on to praise Parton’s Imagination Library, where all royalties from the anthology will be donated. Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, the foundation sends 2 million a month to local community partners in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Ireland to gift books free of charge to children from birth to age five.
Enjoy the conversation and the poems (excerpted below) as they are read and discussed.
DOLLY PARTON GHAZAL by Denise Duhamel & Julie Marie Wade
“Appalachian Pride and LGBTQ pride side by side. Dolly,
how many have chosen you as a write-in candidate? Dolly
Parton for President! Jane Fonda as your running mate? Oh, Dolly,…”
DRAG DAY AT DOLLYWOOD by Nicky Beer
“…Someone’s great-aunt comes as Kenny Rogers and strokes her beard
like a newly-adopted lapdog. A bus from Atlanta
unleashes two dozen Dollys in matching bowling jackets,
Gutter Queens sprawled across their backs in lilac script…”
DOLLY AT THE FOX THEATER (2008) by Dustin Brookshire
“Well, usually the drag queens
come dressed as me, Dolly laughed
before launching into “Jolene.”
When she sang the chorus
for the second time,
she crooned, drag queen, drag queen,
drag queeeeen. Please don’t take my man.”
Pre-order your copy HERE!
This episode first aired on Boston Public Radio on January 9th, 2023.