Tomorrow is the First Wednesday reading at the Central Library from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Featured readers are: Paco Marquez, Sue Thomas, Trina Drotar, and Sandy Thomas. Bob Stanley hosts. Open mic to follow.
Showing posts with label Sacramento Poetry Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sacramento Poetry Center. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Poetry Bomb with S.A. Griffin - May 31, 2010
Frank hosted S.A. Griffin and the Poetry Bomb tonight at SPC. S.A. is one of the friendliest and most gracious people I've ever met. His wife and son were also present, as were many people from the community. S.A. said at the beginning of the event that tonight was about poetry and that the Poetry Bomb was a way to turn this item from destruction to construction. He's nearing the end of five weeks of touring the country with the bomb and will be in Nevada City tomorrow.
Where did the idea come from? He didn't credit any one thing. He just wanted to put poetry in a bomb. His search began. It wasn't as easy to locate a bomb these day as it had been for the hippies who used to find them in the desert and smoke them, he told a full house. He searched various computer sites, finally locating a bomb on Craigslist on November 3. The guy selling the bomb even delivered it to S.A. The guy, S.A. told us, wanted to meet the buyer and wanted something creative done with it. Well, I think S.A. succeeded. The bomb is gorgeous. He spent a great deal of time telling us about the bomb, which is from the 1970 Vietnam era and was a practice bomb. He left the dents and and dings and scars, including the bullet hole near the top.
He said that he hopes to foster disagreements because "agreements come from disagreements." The bomb holds more than 400 poems (plus ashes from 4 humans and 2 dogs) from all over the world, including some from convicts and ex-convicts and people from different religions. He doesn't see the Poetry Bomb as being anti-war because that is too limiting. He said that there is "nothing more activist that you can do except be a poet."
He talked about the opening of the bomb and that this is The Only Poetry Bomb.
Frank asked what symbolism means to S.A., and he responded that they are very important to him and that the "bomb is one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century."
Once he finished speaking about the project and the bomb, he had people read either poems that were already in the bomb or poems that they were going to have placed in the bomb. Readers were: John Bell, Frank Dixon-Graham, JoAnn Anglin, Kirk Parker, Trina Drotar, B.L. Kennedy, S.A.'s wife, Lorraine (she read the official Poetry Bomb poem written by Ellyn Maybe, the poet laureate of the Poetry Bomb), Robert Roden, S.A.'s son, Spencer, Strider the Shadow Maker, Genelle Chaconas, Lob Instagon, Allegra Silberstein, and Crawdad Nelson. S.A. will scan and catalog all of the poems from this evening and the sign up list and place them in the bomb.
What will he do with the bomb? Well, suggestions included (rather passionately) the Smithsonian and a website. The project is not about ego. If he had the money, he'd like to send it to space a la Hunter S. Thompson.
S.A. read a selection of poems that were in the bomb and others that were his own. Among those he read were one from Sacramento's own, Annie Mennebroker and a nine-year boy who wrote a poem about his dying grandfather.
He ended the event singing a poem that he had written and given to a musician friend, Carolyn Edwards.
If you want to submit a poem, you may send it to: S.A. Griffin / P.O. Box 29171 / Los Angeles, CA 90029-0171.
Where did the idea come from? He didn't credit any one thing. He just wanted to put poetry in a bomb. His search began. It wasn't as easy to locate a bomb these day as it had been for the hippies who used to find them in the desert and smoke them, he told a full house. He searched various computer sites, finally locating a bomb on Craigslist on November 3. The guy selling the bomb even delivered it to S.A. The guy, S.A. told us, wanted to meet the buyer and wanted something creative done with it. Well, I think S.A. succeeded. The bomb is gorgeous. He spent a great deal of time telling us about the bomb, which is from the 1970 Vietnam era and was a practice bomb. He left the dents and and dings and scars, including the bullet hole near the top.
He said that he hopes to foster disagreements because "agreements come from disagreements." The bomb holds more than 400 poems (plus ashes from 4 humans and 2 dogs) from all over the world, including some from convicts and ex-convicts and people from different religions. He doesn't see the Poetry Bomb as being anti-war because that is too limiting. He said that there is "nothing more activist that you can do except be a poet."
He talked about the opening of the bomb and that this is The Only Poetry Bomb.
Frank asked what symbolism means to S.A., and he responded that they are very important to him and that the "bomb is one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century."
Once he finished speaking about the project and the bomb, he had people read either poems that were already in the bomb or poems that they were going to have placed in the bomb. Readers were: John Bell, Frank Dixon-Graham, JoAnn Anglin, Kirk Parker, Trina Drotar, B.L. Kennedy, S.A.'s wife, Lorraine (she read the official Poetry Bomb poem written by Ellyn Maybe, the poet laureate of the Poetry Bomb), Robert Roden, S.A.'s son, Spencer, Strider the Shadow Maker, Genelle Chaconas, Lob Instagon, Allegra Silberstein, and Crawdad Nelson. S.A. will scan and catalog all of the poems from this evening and the sign up list and place them in the bomb.
What will he do with the bomb? Well, suggestions included (rather passionately) the Smithsonian and a website. The project is not about ego. If he had the money, he'd like to send it to space a la Hunter S. Thompson.
S.A. read a selection of poems that were in the bomb and others that were his own. Among those he read were one from Sacramento's own, Annie Mennebroker and a nine-year boy who wrote a poem about his dying grandfather.
He ended the event singing a poem that he had written and given to a musician friend, Carolyn Edwards.
If you want to submit a poem, you may send it to: S.A. Griffin / P.O. Box 29171 / Los Angeles, CA 90029-0171.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Zen Marxist Launderettes - June 14, 2010
The Zen Marxist Launderettes released their first anthology, Wring, on January 17, 2010. They will read from this anthology and talk about their publishing adventure and their writing group at the Sacramento Poetry Center on June 14, 2010.Thursday, May 27, 2010
R25 Crossroads for Arts & Culture Festival - June 5 and 6, 2010
Join the arts organizations and artists of the R25 Complex as they join together to host the first ever R25 Crossroads for Arts and Culture festival. Free admission for everyone. Bring the family. Children will enjoy puppet shows by El Teatro Espejo on Saturday and Sunday. Art lovers may bid on artwork at Sunday's art auction. On Saturday, music lovers can listen and dance to the sounds of the Christian Dewild Band, Marty Cohen and Sidekicks, and The Streamliners. Poets will read Saturday and Sunday. More music to be enjoyed on Sunday with James Israel Band, Aisle 99, and Puzzletree. On Saturday, Bill Trainor and Children's Network will also present. Vendor booths will offer art, crafts, and food. Open house and opportunities to meet the artists and find out more about the following organziations: Artists Studios, California Stage, Ed Claudio's Actors Workshop of Sacramento, Three Penny Theater, Alliance Francaise de Sacramento, MatrixArts & the PopUp Gallery, On Stage, Sacramento Poetry Center, Wilkerson Theater.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Festivals and Poetry
If April was the month for writing conferences in Sacramento and early May brought out college literary journal release parties, then late May and June must be the time for festivals. I attended the SNR Block Party festival on Del Paso today, and while I didn't hear any poets reading, I did see Josh Fernandez and Kel Munger and discussed poetry. I also heard a band, Streamliners, perform. As it turns out, this band will be performing at the R25 Arts Festival scheduled for June 5 and 6 at the 25th and R location. Streamliners is scheduled to perform on Saturday, but there will be events the entire weekend, including poetry readings. All of the arts organizations at the R25 complex will come together and present music, art, poetry readings, puppets, skits, and there will also be vendors. This will be a great time to come and meet poets, artists, actors, and make new friends. In between now and then, if you need more festivals to attend, you might consider these - Pacific Rim Festival in Old Sacramento on May 23, the Jazz Festival over Memorial Day Weekend (but be sure to leave time to attend the Poetry Bomb event at SPC on Monday, May 31), and there will be many other festivals as spring turns into summer.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Quinton Duval
In the "Remembrances" section of The Sacramento Bee, these words were written about Quinton Duval.
"A man of elegance, great charm and wit, Quinton could make a song out of anything. He will be missed by all who knew him."
For those of you who have wondered, "there will be no formal service [at his request]. Donations in his name may be made to the Quinton Duval Fund/Sacramento Poetry Center, 1719 25th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816."
My thoughts go to those left behind: his wife (Nancy), brothers (William and John), and sister (Clare), as well as all of the people whose lives were touched from having known Quinton as a friend or mentor, from having read his words, or from having heard him read.
"A man of elegance, great charm and wit, Quinton could make a song out of anything. He will be missed by all who knew him."
For those of you who have wondered, "there will be no formal service [at his request]. Donations in his name may be made to the Quinton Duval Fund/Sacramento Poetry Center, 1719 25th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816."
My thoughts go to those left behind: his wife (Nancy), brothers (William and John), and sister (Clare), as well as all of the people whose lives were touched from having known Quinton as a friend or mentor, from having read his words, or from having heard him read.
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