Video of Hedreen Gallery Reading & Talk

Wow, my deepest thanks to Summer Robinson, curator, poet, and owner of the landmark Pilot Books in Seattle, for shooting this video of the reading and talk I gave for Seattle University's Free Lunch Series (curated by Will Owen). The poems: one each from Occultations and Hospitalogy, both in conversation with two writers I admire greatly: Robert Kocik (his work on commoning) and Laura Elrick (her video poem Stalk). The reading and talk was for the anniversary of the Seattle General Strike. The video is beautiful and makes my work palatable! If you perchance are blowing thru Seattle, go to Pilot Books. You'll be amazed, drooling, and leave with weird little poetry books.

Also:

Here's another link to the Seattle University Hedreen Gallery reading & talk I gave as part of Hedreen's Free Lunch Series, audio upload and hosting courtesy of Greg Bem, a poet whose work I really admire, now in Seattle, and prior, a member of The New Philadelphia Poets. Many thanks to Will Owen & Co. for the curation, to The Hedreen curators Whitney Ford and Jessica Powers, to Summer Robinson of Pilot Books who taped the event, and to those who turned out and participated. 

The discussion was really productive for me. In fact, it helped solidify my conviction, given the interest and suggestions, to send out a call for ideas soon about forming a coalition of laboring poets/poetry curators and others, committed to labor organizing in some way--whether thru organizing the workplace, or less intensely, attending a labor institute workshop or participating in the many other labor-oriented micro-communities in poetry & poetics. Not sure yet, but that's what the call would be for--to see what interest there might be and to hear ideas from folks.

Regardless, it was a generative discussion among friends new and old. Next week Robert Mittenthal and Nico Vassilakis, two incredible people/poets, will be reading and hosting a discussion. I'm hearing they'll be running thru a work in 4 acts. Susan Schulz will also be in town for a reading and talk. If I weren't headed to SF I'd certainly go. So look out for these and future Free Lunch events.

I should add this was my first reading/talk since my mom's death in October. And so it meant a lot to me to have folks in the room--my friends--who really embraced the afternoon, welcoming me with such warmth as we arrived.