GO ASK ALICE: Alice Lovelace featured at Java Monkey Speaks in Decatur last night, which also happened to be her birthday, and tore the roof off the joint...again! Although she was just back from Caracas for a World Social Forum summit and not feeling tip-top, she had the crowd on its feet. She's one of the best poets, communicators and educators in the world. I really mean that. To be in her presence is humbling. When I grow up, I want to be Alice Lovelace. Java was just jumping last night...despite the fact it was Super Bowl Sunday. We were having our own all-star game: Mary Chi-Whi Kim (who drove four hours one way from Savannah just to read and watch...much love and respect, Mary), Rupert Fike (who broke our hearts and made us cheer with his piece about helping those in Africa with AIDS....Rupert Fike For President!), Robin Kemp (who read her staggering piece about New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina), the power trio of Theresa Davis, Bryan Pattillo and Gypsee-Yo, just back from the Individual World Slam in Charlotte, obviously exhausted, but totally representing! I could go on...but you really need to check out Robin's blog to see the rundown and her gallery of pics of everyone performing. The fabulous pic of Alice above is one of many Robin shot last night. Check them out!Another great poetry event happened on Saturday night at Word Diversity Collective's Nine-Tenths of the Law show. Although I was manning the box office all evening and missed most of the show, the cheers coming from the 7 Stages mainstage were loud and appreciative. The Nine-Tenths of the Law zine is also now available featuring work by Ryka Aoki de la Cruz (winner of an American Academy of Poets award and many others), Theresa Davis, Alice Lovelace, Karen G. and many others. Editor Amanda Kail did a great job. You can order the zine for $10 by writing to worddc@yahoo.com. All proceeds benefit Word Diversity Collective's upcoming shows and sending the Art Amok slam team to the nationals in Austin this summer.
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution interviewed me a couple of weeks ago to get my thoughts on the work of U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, who will be reading at Oglethorpe University on Thursday night. Teresa Weaver was kind enough to use several quotes and also mention the publication of Slow To Burn in April. Here's a link to the story.
Comments
""At times of great disorder, we tend to seek order," Kooser says of poetry's instinctive appeal. "Writing a poem --- or even reading a poem --- is a way of affirming that there is some order..."
I agree with that, poetry gives me order. What can I say? I have a naturally unruly personality.