I was downtown tonight working on the final touches of a poetry reading manuscript and I thought it was pretty cool to see where Malaprop’s hung the event poster–next to the “featured artist” exhibit. Usually posters compete for space on the double glass doors entering the bookstore, but they placed it alone–minimum visual competition (outside of gazing past it to the rows of books and posted art).

The gig starts at 7 PM. I open the event. If you want to hear me read, then don’t show up at 7:30 PM (I’ll be done by then). For those of you coming from out of town–parking is a bit tricky, so come early in order to secure a good space. If you’re late, please stick around and listen to Kimberly, Vanessa and Pasckie or enjoy a cup of java, chai or a good book.

Tonight I was discouraged to recieve yet another rejection letter. Maybe I should have sent him an invitation to Thursday night’s gig at Malaprop’s instead of six poems.

“Chin up,” I say to myself. “Review the poems,” I tell myself. “Make sure they are a gift to the people who will attend.”

A poetry reading is like an art gallery portfolio review. You want to pick your best 12 to 15 pieces and include a couple talking points per painting. This enables the audience/curator to understand the piece in context. It also allows room for conversation after the reading/viewing.

I read today that it’s the poet Philip Larkin’s birthday. It is reported that it took him three years to complete his 50-line masterpiece “Aubade.” His literary legacy can be found in 4 small books (consisting of 117 poems).

This encourages me, for I have been working on a poem for almost four years. Many poems have been created in that period and maybe they will be collected in four or five small books.

Small books often capture my attention. I guess that’s why I like graphic novels and small books of poetry like Simic’s Wedding in Hell or Flynn’s The Lost Sea.

I also read that Thoreau published Walden on this day. It took him five years to get rid of all 2000 copies. I thought of how I’d like each book I create/publish to be a gift. If it takes three years to compose a poem and five more years to circulate copies, it will still be a rewarding gift.

Unfortunately, an editor did not know he received a gift. Instead, he rejected the gift I sent him–finding no room in his poetry review for it. His lose really–not mine.

Malaprop’s Gig in 3 days!

It’s odd to think that I’ve spent the last four weeks preparing for a short block of time –20 minutes. That seems to be the nature of poetry. I’m sure there are some poets who perform public readings that don’t plan what they will say or read. I find that approach insulting to people who come to hear good poetry.

It is the responsibility of a poet to respect the audience by preparing himself/herself for each performance. So, I carefully select a series of poems–a performance manuscript. Some of the poems have been published. Other’s have not. I read the series outloud to hear how it sounds–how it flows. I make further adjustments. And more adjustments.

All the while, I watch the countdown to Thursday night… 7PM… Malaprop’s Cafe.