Jack Evans, a poet who has performed in the downtown Phoenix arts scene, all over Arizona and coast to coast for more than 45 years, believes in the healing power of poetry. And at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 11, Evans will perform with guitarist Tom Bell in an interactive poetry event entitled “Distances: Reflecting on Grief Through the Written Word.”

The performance is hosted by Doing Grief Community Healing Project, located at the Interfaith Chapel for Healing–Church of the Palms, 14808 N. Boswell Blvd.

Evans will be reading poetry he wrote to help him come to terms with his own losses and poems written on more universal themes of grief.

“For me poetry resonates deeply during times of loss and sorrow,” Evans said. “Expressing myself in writing is an essential part of coming to terms with pain and loss.”

Bell began his performance career as a founding member of the jam band Horse Thief Basin in 1966. A decade ago, Bell attended a film class Evans was teaching and suggested they perform something together with guitar and spoken word.

“We gave it a go,” Evans explained. “Our first appearance was February 5th in 2015 at Lawn Gnome Bookstore and it worked so well, we formed the Evans Bell Conversion and we’ve been performing together since.”

The Evans and Bell performance at the Healing Project will be an experiential exploration of grief, death, loss and change. The duo will guide participants to consider how the written word can serve as a catalyst for healing personal and shared grief and help to ease grief-related suffering. Through performance, conversation, questions and sharing reflections, the performance will become a shared creation among performers and audience.

RSVP for this event and other Healing Project programs at 602-315-8480, Connect@DoingGrief.com or fill out the RSVP form on the “Healing Project” website, DoingGrief.com. A suggested donation of $5-10 can be donated online or at the door. All are welcome regardless of an ability to pay.