Fighting the Droop: During National Poetry Month
Now, I’ve done my share of creative writing workshops, but the one gathering that will always kick my butt is the poetry workshop. To this day, I’ve only done one – for credit in my grad classes – and the only thing I have to show for it is an overwrought collection of couplets about my dead relatives (My instructor’s words, not mine).
Now, I’m a pretty punchy bee, but there’s something about poetry – the poem with a capital ‘P’- that is terrifying. 1) If done well, it’s extremely raw; 2) there are no characters to really hide behind; and 3) yes, that rock on the beach is plainly a metaphor for your lover’s body.
In other words, I’m left naked and a little chilly…
In The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot wrote, “April is the cruelest month…” but now, perhaps April is not so bad: The Academy of American Poets named April National Poetry Month, and since 1996 have celebrated the month with Poetry 101 instruction for beginners, A Poem-a-Day distribution, and their Free Verse Photo Project (“a picture’s worth a thousand words…” - you know the rest…).
My contribution to National Poetry Month: Enough NYC poetry events to help you kick off your first week of (un)rhyming goodness. Oh! And a haiku for inspiration:
Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don’t make sense
Refrigerator
Tuesday, March 31st
Nuclear Poetry at Elmo Restaurant – 8:30 p.m.
Featured poets include Sammy James, Jr., Ibrahim Siddiq, Christine Hamm, Cheryl Burke plus an open mic. Hosted by Aaron Wimmer.
Café Khufu at 8 p.m.
A Night Composed of Lyrics & Prose: Open mic for poets, spoken word artists, and musicians. Hosted by Barnacle Bill.
Thursday, April 2nd
McNally Jackson Books at 7 p.m.
Book Launch, Reading, and Signing: Elizabeth Haukaas, author of Leap: Poems
Friday, April 3rd
Nuyorican Poets Café at 10 p.m.
A spotlight poet & slam hosted by Mahogany Browne, followed by the Open Room, a midnight open mike right after the slam every Friday Night. Bring a poem and read!
Hosted by A-Trayn.
Saturday, April 4th
Otto’s Shrunken Head Open at 4 p.m.
Open mic poetry with comedy and music, hosted by Obsidian and Hobo Bob.
Monday, April 6th
KGB Bar‘s Monday Night Poetry Series at 7:00 p.m.
Featured poets are Farrah Field and Phillip Fried. Hosted by Laura Cronk, Megin Jimenez and Michael Quattrone.
Tags:Academy of American Poets, Elizabeth Haukaas, National Poetry Month, poetry, T.S. Eliot
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