Jerri Beck, formerly of Birdtown, is the author of tribal markings, a collection of poetry published by Blue Rooster Press. She will read selections from the book and autograph copies on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7p.m. at the Qualla Boundary Library.
Currently a resident of Birmingham, Ala., Beck is a graduate of Swain County High School and Mars Hill College. While in college, she worked for the Cherokee Historical Association and was a writer for the Cherokee One Feather. She is the daughter of the late Jerry and Lucille Beck and granddaughter of the late Crawford and Myrtle Jenkins.
Barry Marks, president of the Alabama State Poetry Society, notes: “Her gift is her ability to take us where she has been and show us what she has seen. More, these poems find deeper meaning in both her unique experiences and our everyday lives.”
Irene Latham, author of Leaving Gees Bend, 2011 ALLA Children’s Book of the Year, said: “These powerful poems employ clear, simple language to reveal how our sense of identity is rooted in family and in all the places we have ever called ‘home.’”
The event is free and open to the public. Info: 497-1764
– Qualla Boundary Library
