coffee and poetry

It takes a great deal of effort ( for some reason) to push aside the magazine, the newspaper, the book I'm slogging through at the kitchen counter this morning, to read instead a poem by C.K. Williams. It's a thick book, all his poems(?) and I read one, a long one, as I begin to wake up at this insane hour, 6 A.M. But it's worth it, as it always is, and I wonder just why I don't do this every morning.
Go ahead then, go read a poem today.

Alas!

Well, it's a always a tough row to hoe for poetry and the finer arts... our locale for poetry is closing its doors at the end of this month so we are homeless for our next gathering. I am looking for a replacement venue, have a few ideas...

Some things to consider

Some poetry stuff going on around these parts:

Philip Schultz will read his work at the Mystic Arts Cafe Friday, 10/17 at 7:30

Ada Books hosts a reading Saturday, 10/18 at 6 P.M. by Christopher Schmidt and Douglas Martin

Pier Poetry Project regular first Monday of the month readings rolls around again 11/3/08 at 7:30

The Academy of American Poets is hosting its annual Poets Forum in NYC 11/6-8. Tons of good stuff, including readings and discussions on contemporary poetry by Frank Bidart, Victor Hernandez Cruz, Louise Gluck, Lyn Hejinian, Sharon Olds, Ron Padgett, Kay Ryan, Gary Snyder, C.K. Williams and many others! Check out details by clicking on the prayer flags below!

why words

It's been a week since our last Pier Poetry Project meeting...the brave journeyed out Monday night to share their love of language and sound. We are determined to keep this nugget of word-lovers alive, but we'd love it if you would come too! Thanks to Peter Covino for joining us, sharing new ideas and supporting the event. Look for flyers everywhere readers may wander...let me know if you would like to distribute some yourself. Our next gathering is November 3rd at 7:30, the night before election day!For a good read about the politics of language see last week's article by James Wood "Verbage: The Republican War on Words" in the New Yorker. Also, the north end of the state has readings at Ada Books in Providence, hosted by the wonderful Kate Schapira.