The Alien Buddha‘s Best of 2023, which, as I’ve said, contains a poem from my collection, The Great Garbage Patch, is out and available here (in color) or here (in black and white). The poem is “Trump Signs Bibles in Alabama,” which I discussed here. If this volume is anything like last year’s Best of, it’s good! Go get yourself some goodness.
In Other News, I enjoyed the Philly Pigeon open mic, “The Late(ish) Poetry Show,” on a recent trip to Philadelphia. Hosted by Kai Davis and Jacob Winterstein and featuring the talented and passionate Rasheed Copeland, the show combines poetry, interview, light entertainment, and community uplift for an eclectic bohemian audience. The hosts choose names out of a bowl for the open mic. This time I prepared by memorizing Kayaking on Lady Bird Lake. Luckily, Jacob chose my name, so I got to perform, and it went well.
I like giving a dramatic rendition by memory, rather than just reading. I can really make the poetry come alive, though I did get a little nervous. The audience was enthusiastic, and Kai made some supportive, encouraging remarks. After the feature and his interview, we open mic-ers came back to perform in various lighthearted poetry games, and the audience voted on us. Everyone had fun, and I felt honored to perform there. Overall, a great evening I recommend to anyone who has the opportunity to go. Thanks again, Kai and Jacob!
Word Music 