[A. E. Stallings]

Craig Arnold, wonderful poet and extraordinary person, has been missing for three days on a small volcanic island:

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harr...r-help-urgent/

[Mark Allinson]

That's terrible news.

I do hope he is found safe.

He is a fine poet, and looks like a lovely person.

[A. E. Stallings]

Still no news about Craig. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

[Terese Coe]

Here's the news on cnn today:

“The only clues that (searchers) have found were indications that he had begun the ascent — footprints on the trail,” said Peter Parolin, head of the university’s English department, citing Arnold’s family.

Kazuko Watanabe, owner of the inn where Arnold checked in Monday, said that Arnold had a cup of tea before he left for the hike but did not seem to take food or water with him.

Local police said 40 people on the island of only 160 residents were searching for Arnold on Friday. Four U.S. Air Force helicopters from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa were diverted to aid in the search, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said.

http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/

[A. E. Stallings]

There has now been a fund set up for the search and rescue effort. Info on the Find Craig Arnold Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?ui...683&topic=7872

Some of you may have met Craig a couple of years ago when he showed up at the tail end of the West Chester conference. I teach a number of his terrific poems from Yale-Younger winning Shells, including the double sonnet, "Artichoke," and the hilarious Sapphic "Locker Room Etiquette". He's a great reader--often from memory--and a vivacious and generous individual. I had the chance to meet him and his girlfriend and son several years ago when they were in Athens, lovely people who must be frantic. Please keep him and them in your prayers.

[David Rosenthal]

What strange and alarming news. I dodn't know Arnold, but his masterful poem "Hot" is very close to my heart and remains in my personal anthology. Thanks for the updates Alicia. My thoughts are with him and his loved ones.

David R.

[Mark Allinson]

The story is now being reported on the major news services, such as
the BBC website

[David Mason]

Well, this is getting more and more depressing. A privately-funded search continues and there is some word they may have found a trail, but he has been missing more than a week now, which cannot be good news.

I think Craig's second book, Made Flesh, is hauntingly good--I've reviewed it for an upcoming issue of Hudson Review, and dearly hope I don't have to add a footnote to the piece.

I've been through this sort of thing with my older brother's death in mountains, and the waiting is just hellish. I don't know how to pray, but I pray his partner and son get the best news soon.

Dave

[Mark Allinson]

It's a terrible situation for his family and friends - that he should just disappear like this.

When I think of him, a poet, gone missing on an oriental mountain, I can't help but recall this poem:


I asked the boy beneath the pines.
He said, "The master's gone alone herb picking,
somewhere on the mount,
cloud hidden,
whereabouts unknown."

(Chin Tao, 777-841)

[A. E. Stallings]

They have found his trail, apparently, now. So I hope that leads to some information. I think any news at this point is better than no news, although one hopes for the best of course. Dave understands this ordeal better than anyone.

Thanks, Mark, for that lovely quotation. I keep thinking of Empedocles, though the comparison is not a very helpful one.

I think I am going to start a Craig Arnold thread on Mastery in a bit, to keep him in our thoughts and remind us of his terrific achievement.