Whew!

So just in case you were wondering, yes it's even more nerve-wracking to read in front of Anne Waldman than John Ashbery. (Jeez said louise, she was wearing a silk kimono-sleeve blouse in my favorite color. Well, my first dramatic role as a child was Bashful the Dwarf you know and it stuck.) Rachel Blau DuPlessis defied our expectations by reading doggerel--real doggerel!--that was funny and playfully didactic, teaching us grammar and usage and formalism and stuff about dogs. ("If it's about hopping then why not make froggerel?") She also read a long section from Drafts (54 I think, books 2-15 or so with some skipping) that I'd like to pore over on paper. And even with the threat of FALLING ICE! hanging over our heads it was so lovely to see you there with your lady and meet you in person and fondle your pink cord jacket and take silly photos with you and catch up with you and I'm not going to forget it. I think I read the new stuff pretty well (considering it was the first time I had--the husband hasn't even read/heard it yet, I was testing) and I'm looking forward to reading more of it at this next reading and maybe since this one is a Friday night I will even stay and hang out afterwards and not be such a hermit:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 at 8:00 PM
An all-Texans reading featuring
Shanna Compton, Shafer Hall, Susanne Reece & Steve Roberts

Earshot Series
Hosted by Nicole Steinberg
The Lucky Cat*
245 Grand Street
(btw Driggs and Roebling)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

$5 includes one free drink
(beer, wine or well drinks only)!

L to Bedford, G to Lorimer, or J/M/Z to Marcy
directions

* Please note the change of venue for the Earshot series!

Oh also good dear people of Boston/Somerville/Cambridge/Alston, Jen Knox & I are coming to read at the Grolier Poetry Series on March 14. More 'bout that soon.