New Philadelphia Poets in NYC

In working on my poems/poetic statement/list of contemporary affinities for his ongoing anthology of new American poetry, poet & editor of Elective Affinities Carlos Soto Roman sent me a heads-up about the New Philadelphia Poets' upcoming reading at The Bowery in NYC.  This is as good a time as any, then, especially if you are in the New York area (on the east coast) to get to know the New Philadelphia Poets.

Why is it, I ask myself often enough, that about the time I move from Philadelphia (several years ago), the poetry movement there becomes vibrant once again.  Philly has gone thru several waves of sudden poetic acceleration: Gil Ott & his crowd doing extraordinary things at the same time that other poets more directly connected to the Language Movement were doing their thing in the early 80s; then Conrad & PhillySound offering an awfully generative friendly/collaborative contrast to what Al F. and Charles Bernstein and others have managed to do at Penn; and now more poetry collectives and series' are forming, overlapping in experimental, collaborative, and socially conscious trajectories.  Seems like an exciting time there.  When I was in Philly the poetry "scene" was, of course, alive, as it always has been, but it was, like other recessionary periods, more a time where people were heading to New York to read, build poetic communities, etc.  

So, check out the New Philadelphia Poets, and if in the area, check many of them out live.  

Jan 16: NPP To NYC

REDEMPTIVE STRIKE:  RECKONING THE DECADE

At the beginning of the century, we found ourselves in a dark wood.  The past ten years saw the collapse of the Twin Towers, the marriage of religious fundamentalism and global politics, and the rise of digital communities.  With this in mind, The New Philadelphia Poets launch a redemptive strike on the past decade.  Join us for a reconsideration of this yet unnamed era.

Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery)

Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010

6:00 pm, $6.00

Featuring: Gregory Bem,  Sarah Heady, Debrah Morkun, Patrick Lucy, Angel Hogan, Matthew Landis, Carlos Soto Román, and Jamie Townsend.