Michael Fraser puts together great line-ups for Plasticine Poetry and once again there was wild variety. Even the open stagers ranged from first-timers, covers of Victor Hugo, Lou Reed and fresh funny dating advice. Hosted by David Bateman, the audience loved his wry ‘romantic’ and ‘warm’ family comments.
old snow face
First up was Dominique Russell – who opened her set with an ee cummings cover, followed that with a series of short, numbered pieces inspired by Sylvia Plath. Her pieces were full of strong images: ‘my landscape in a hand,’ ‘there’s no getting up to it with the words we know.’ Emotional without being overwrought the audience was drawn into her Toronto. https://www.facebook.com/dominique.russell
ya can’t give’m away
Next up was me – as usual my set was changed even as I read, pieces & lines cut for clairity. The full house responded the identity pieces, drinks were spit through noses as a few points as well – Born to Blown is this year’s signature piece. During the break I was told the set was dynamic and one never knew what would come next. I hope it was dynamic enough to get me a feature in April – I’ve never featured during poetry month.
after the party
After the break Allan Briesmaster started the second set with pieces from his recent book ‘Against The Flight Of Spring’ and some newer writing. Invoking his muse ‘Open, oh pen, open’ he presented a set of image strong nature poems: ‘who can hear a single note sung by a stone.’ Of trees lost in the ice storm ‘we thought they’d outlive us.’ He stepped a bit out of comfort zone with a sexy sports piece. http://www.quattrobooks.ca/books/against-the-flight-of-spring/
Final feature was Ann Shin, who read from her book ‘Family China.’ The text has hyper-text links to definitions that are in themselves poems. Emotionally compelling I was too intent listening to make notes, one good line was pushed aside by another, ‘our velocity defines our most precious commodity’ and perhaps one of the most romanic lines I’ve heard in some time ‘I’ll enter your heart like a breeze’ https://www.facebook.com/ann.shin
February 21, Friday – featuring – Racket at the Rocket: 7 p.m., Red Rocket Cafe, 1364 Danforth Ave. https://www.facebook.com/events/818441091515505/
March 1, Saturday – attending – Toronto SpecFic Colloquium
June 6-8 – attending – Bloody Words
June 23-27 – attending – Manuscript to Book – Loyalist Summer Arts – Belleville, Ont https://www.facebook.com/events/589522924455695/
August 28-31 – attending – FanExpo Canada
one of pieces I read:
what passes in silence
recently I mentioned to a guy
that I was going to a queer event
he was surprised
after knowing me for several months
he was unaware that I was queer
I’ve been out so long
I forgot what it feels like to come out
to someone like this
you can’t see who I am
just by looking at me
unless I go out of my way
to make you hear
it’s like a black passing for white
you don’t look Jewish at all
what there is most fundamental about me
passes in silence
and many want it to remain that way
tolerance of the silent is much easier
than acceptance of the real
the visual means of definition
aren’t close to who I am
because I could wear lipstick a wig perhaps
oh that guy’s a faggot for sure
or a leather harness to the beach
I could grab those clear cut symbolizers
tee-shirts that call for gay rights
rainbow tattoo on the back of my neck
a bear paw on the back of my hand
but I’m too lazy to make
what I think is obvious clearer
or maybe what I am
has become so irrelevant
in today’s world
it’s time I got over myself
and got on with life
lost poetry
