Some people evoke shock and grief when they die, and that's true for J. Otis Powell, the influential writer and mentor who was a cornerstone of the Twin Cities spoken word and performance poetry scene. But his passing also has drawn an outpouring of gratitude for a life worth celebrating.
"He was passionate, caring, funny, contrarian, unpredictable and very inspiring," said author and educator Alexs Pate, his friend of 25 years. "His legacy is not just what we have in terms of the intensity and depth of his imagination in poems. It's in the seeds of all the writers, the poets, the artists who he nurtured and influenced."
Powell died Monday in his room at an assisted living facility in Minneapolis after a long struggle with kidney disease. He was 61, although many friends did not know his age or the name of his first wife, a Minnesotan whom the Alabama native met while teaching in Pensacola, Fla.
"J. Otis was very private and non-possessive," said Arleta Little, program officer for the arts at the McKnight Foundation. "He didn't just write poetry or perform poetry onstage. He lived it."
A high priest of spoken word, Powell practiced his art in many forms, performing with bands and recording albums with titles such as "Balm" and "Theology: Love and Revolution." He published four poetry collections, the latest being the symbolic "Waiting for a Spaceship," which he launched with a jazz-poetry performance June 1.
He also broadcast his works, and those of others. Powell had a decades-long association with the community radio station KFAI, where he co-founded "Write on Radio."
"He had a big heart for community and was a big influence on me," said poet and former radio host Jules Nyquist.
Powell also worked with the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, hosting writers such as Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez, and with performing arts organizations such as Pillsbury House Theatre and Intermedia Arts, all the while mentoring scores of artists.
