Hi Mom, It's Me!

Ok, now that I got that out of my system--being non-anonymous is so refreshing!

Anyway, one rainy night, several months ago, I fell into a conversation at a party with a young man. Our subject was contemporary poetry in the city of New York, and as we traded names and anecdotes, he edged our introductory chit-chat into an intellectual round of one-potato-two-potato. 

In my time in these coarsely competitive north-eastern cities, I have learned that never more than between a straight male and female of certain professional sets, when each player is of significant physical and/or mental appeal, is a game of name dropping and one-up-man-ship the ultimate recourse of conversation.  This may be because we all feel like frightened lambs, or because we enjoy competition, or because we've had one too many beers and we can't remember our manners.

Locking horns with him when he resorted to a patronizing and dismissive gesture towards my pride in my corporate publishing house (he, of course, is associated with a much nobler academic press), was very tempting. But, having been in his place, and realizing that this was an after school special about to happen, I backed-off, and asked him only about himself.

It turns out that he not only helps coordinate a poetry series at one of our favorite bookstores, McNally Robinson, but also is the bright and decent human being I suspected he was.  We exchanged email addresses and he put me on the list for his reading series--how thoroughly equitable and modern! The series looks great, though, and I suggest you check it out.  This is his blog, on which he posts the dates of the readings and a bit about each poet. I hope to be in attendance one of these nights.  Maybe we'll even get to chat about him...and poetry.

-AH

Comments

[Robert Bruce]

"nobler academic press", hhmmmmm, um. Yeah.

Glad there's some readings going on somewhere.

And glad you're non-anonymous. Welcome into the light...

[ACH]

Hey Abs, good to read you. L, M.

[Jimmy]

The first reader at the next Vacation House is a total douchebag--show up late and hear Gary Sullivan.

xxxjimmy

[Alex Young]

I just want to say, as the co-curator/roommate of the nice young man in question, that 1) I've printed this post and have it on the way to the frameshop now, and 2) any other bright, decent human beings who would like to come out to patronize and dismiss corporate publishing (in a bright, decent sort of way) by enjoying formally innovative poetry should come on down to our next reading on August 9th: www.vacationhouse.blogspot.com