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PIYP Day was more prosaic than anticipated.
First, I filed a story on the WGNews+Arts on the whole PIYP shebang:
…you can read the rest of the story here.
On to what actually happened on the much-touted ‘day.’ Lotta overcast sky, lotta weird people we met who are incredible ‘characters’; lotta riding around in a pickup truck that belongs to poet Eileen Myles feeling, well, pretty alienated. That’s my friend, Alanna, reading me Gerard Manley Hopkins’ (Carrion Comfort).
What’s interesting is that now, after the PocketDay is over, people are still stopping me in the street, or interrupting our conversation, or whathaveyou, to recite a poem to me. It’s like PIYP Day told them, carte blanche, I’m interested to hear, no matter what. So poetry is definitely way more infused into daily life than it was for me.
The day was not easy, though! a real adventure. Wanna read more about it? Here’s the blogpost.
Poem in Your Pocket Day is Thursday, April 18
My itinerary so far is: local coffee shop at 8AM with any helpers who care to join.
On to a bookstore, probably Court Street Books, in early afternoon.
Go to Williamsburg, probably Bedford Street area, near the mini-mall.
I will Tweet @TheSchmerl and use #pocketpoem to update.
Poems are already in pocket. Some by local unknown poets, others well known. I’m dividing them into topics, which thusfar include “dreams,” “friends,” and “silence.”
For example, this, on silence, from Ezra Pound’s “Ripostes” 1912:
SILENT
WHEN I behold how black, im-
mortal ink
Drips from my deathless pen
ah, well-away !
Why should we stop at all for what I
think ?
There is enough in what I chance to say.
It is enough that we once came together ;
What is the use of setting it to rime ?
When it is autumn do we get spring
weather,
Or gather may of harsh northwindish
time?
===
It is enough that we once came together ;
What if the wind have turned against the
rain ?
It is enough that we once came together ;
Time has seen this, and will not turn
again ;
And who are we, who know that last
intent,
To plague to-morrow with a testament !
