Project pays homage to ancient Chinese poet

Some time back, Minneapolis poet James Lenfestey became deeply inspired by the poetry of a man who lived 1,200 years ago in a Chinese cave. The man's name was Han-shan, which means Cold Mountain. "It was more than that I enjoyed his poetry," Lenfestey said. "There was something that touched me and sent me into a dialogue that was completely unique in my life."

During a residency at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, Minn., he brought along a collection of Han-shan's poetry in translation. "I opened the book, and there was a photograph of the cave."

One thing led to another -- with Lenfestey, this is often the case -- and eventually there he was, headed off to China to visit the cave, pay homage to the ancient poet, and interview various translators along the way. His friend Mike Hazard, a St. Paul videographer, went along, and you'll get to see the results of all this if you stop by the Minneapolis Central Library on the Nicollet Mall at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Lenfestey will recite some of of Han-shan's poetry and talk about the poetic form -- lü-shih, a traditional eight-line form that dates to the T'ang Dynasty. "It's the structure I love," he said. "It goes somewhere. It wants to tell you something. But it includes what Robert Bly calls a 'leap at the end' -- it sets the scene and then suddenly you leap into quite a different area."

Hazard will introduce his new film, "Cold Mountain," which includes interviews with three of Han-shan's translators, Gary Snyder, Burton Watson and Bill Porter (aka Red Pine).

Lenfestey's book, "Seeking the Cave: Poems and Stories From China and Japan," is due next spring from Holy Cow! Press.

Also ...

• "Microgrants: It's Working," by former Star Tribune columnist Jim Klobuchar and Project for Pride in Living founder Joe Selvaggio, has been published by Nodin Press of Minneapolis. A book launch will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Humphrey Institute, 301 19th Av. S., Minneapolis.

• "Shadow Baby," a novel by Alison McGhee of Minneapolis, has been released in paperback by Three Rivers Press.

• "Osmo Vänskä: Orchestra Builder," by Michael Anthony, has been published by Kirk House publishers. Vanska is music director of the Minnesota Orchestra; Anthony is a former classical music critic for the Star Tribune.

• The Friends of the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will hold a book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the arboretum's Snyder Building. The sale is free with arboretum gate admission. It will include poetry, novels, how-to guides, children's books, cookbooks and gardening books. All proceeds support the library.

• Nodin Press of Minneapolis has published "Always on Sunday," a look at Minnesota Vikings football, by Jim Klobuchar and Bud Grant. Klobuchar will be at the downtown Minneapolis Barnes & Noble on the Nicollet Mall from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, and at Barnes & Noble in Bloomington's Mall of America at 2 p.m. Saturday.