Terrific reading at Elliot Bay this afternoon. Rebecca Loudon read from Tarantella and from new poems from her forthcoming Radish King, and was awesome (as usual), especially her final poem "Love Letter to the Whores on Aurora Avenue" (which some of you may have seen as a draft on her blog). The audience was utterly riveted: there was a few seconds of tense silence as she finished, and then a loud round of applause.

John Burgess read from his new book, Punk Poems. There was a lot to like in his reading, from fractured sonnets to haiku-like poems about Mt. Fuji, to more Beat-like performance poetry. Here's a sample:

Punk Poems: 11
— Dale Evans 1914-2001

What was it like riding Roy Rogers —
Did you dig his thighs with your spurs
As you galloped into Hollywood sunsets —
Whip his ass when he reared up
Down on all fours — cinch the saddle
A little tighter to let him know
Who was on top — did you bridle desires —
Harness hope — rope him in so he wouldn't
Buck you — one hand on the reins
The other circling a lasso?


from 17 Views of Mount Fuji

(Didn't climb Mount Fuji)
Sometimes it's better
To imagine you did —
Desire lasts longer
Than pictures
& postcards —
Keeps things
You want the most
Exactly the way
You want them.


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