I have spent two days in the past week at events hosted by Brooklyn Poets on Montague Street thanks to my friend and poet, Amanda Quaid.
I listened on Friday night (12/06/2024) to all the Brooklyn Poets "Poets of the Month" read and compete for Poet of the Year and it was a thrill believe me. Amanda took 2nd place! Listen to her interview with Brooklyn Poets in which I am mentioned as her landlord which I certainly was for many years as well as other things. Amanda also has a new book of poems on the way No Obvious Distress
Last night (12/9/2024) I attended a workshop by Zoom at Brooklyn Poets hosted by the amazing Ramya Ramana who was also a featured reader. After the workshop I heard poets read to compete for the December Poet of the Month at the Brooklyn Poets YAWP. This was a wonderful experience, bringing live poetry into my studio.
I realized I have missed writing poetry much more than I realized and I will now likely begin writing poems in addition to my painting practice. I have written many poems in the past and I must now dig them up on my thumb drives, computer files etc. to begin compiling them in one place to share with others.
The two art practices are essentially aligned in my mind, but in the past few years, I had not been able to make the time for both practices to exist simultaneously for health reasons. But I have become increasingly interested in harnessing my art practices to facilitate personal healing and transformation. In fact, my illness has been a welcome catalyst for these changes in my creative practices (more on this another time).
I composed the poem below in the poetry workshop with Ramya Ramana.
By the Sink
I wish I could hug you by the sink,
where the broken window leaks cold air
upon your shoulders as you wash the dishes.
You pretend prettiness,
but you’re rusting more than ever.
In the murky room near the exit
my ruminations turn inward.
Outside the window, a flock of grey geese
disappears into the empty sky.
Later, in my soft sheets,
I long to hear a loving voice
emerge from your empty mouth.
