For the first time, I didn’t vote on the submissions. I didn’t introduce the show. Thanks to Litseen‘s assistant, Evelyn Manangan-Price, I didn’t have to film, either [click here to watch]. It was a sweet cherry on the mondae that I got to perform one of my poems, too, and one that really forced the issue of my introducing the shows. Sometimes it takes something like that to enact a change. Point is, we all know what we’re doing now; the board is trained up – that was evident Monday night! Now we can bring our own aesthetics to the shows. Now we can play with the form. Wait and see.
Don’t wait. Play with the form. On a personal level, I wish at least one person every show would address what we’re doing here. The board has different opinions on this (and for the record we have no specific guidelines regarding what we’re looking for).
We all admire writing; that’s not news; we all love community, too; we all want to be part of something significant, whatever it may be (if I can speak for you, which is what I do, and if you don’t like it… speak for yourself). I wrote the poem I performed specifically for Quiet Lightning. I had no idea whether it would be picked or not; I was rejected in February for a poem I think might be better. Point is: capture the moment. This show. That show. This movement. That: you don’t know until you talk about it; you can’t talk about it unless you are it; you’re it; talk about it; you change, talk about it; you are always it, ql, though the stage may change every month; though the standard manuals of style change; though the way you talk will invariably change if you keep talking and remain honest.
Talk like an Egyptian. There is no wrong way to say your heart.
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All photos courtesy of our multi-talented friend Ian Tuttle, whose book StretchyHead we reviewed here. Speaking of books, we sold out but you can still get a copy with j. brandon loberg‘s beautiful new designs here. While we’re giving thanks, praise be to Charles Kruger and Meghan Thornton, who did an arguably flawless job sewing this show together. If you think so too, tell them. Putting these shows together is a lot of work and it takes real heart to do properly.
In that spirit, we could not have done Monday night without Kristen Kramer, Josey Duncan, and our volunteers: Laura Joakimson, Sandra Wassilie, L.J. Moore, and Christian Lee.
Our show would not matter if our audience members were not so attentive. Thank you. We had maybe more first timers at this show than ever before but it didn’t feel that way: everyone seemed to know and really care about each other; it was like a party where everyone was close and everyone was welcome.
Boxcar Playhouse was a perfect fit for Quiet Lightning and we will certainly do another show there and look forward to it. Perhaps most of all, though, we can now look forward to delicious Lagunitas beers every month! What a boon they have been to us: first of all, we were able to give a copy of sparkle + blink to every author for the very first time. Speak of heart; it speaks to you. Did you get some of those magnets? We have more and will bring them on May 7 (this is not a euphemism).
The best literary event in San Francisco is going to happen soon. It will be the next event you go to. It will be your open hand making contact with another open hand. It will be poetry. If you tell the tale it could become mythology. It is just around the corner. You should put on your funkiest shirt and part your hair, according to touch. You should not care about caring (you should just care). Everyone will be there. Personally, I would love you to look me in the eyes and say hello to everyone. Everyone will smile back.
Participate in the revolutions around you / some will not stop without you
This copy will be hard to use for promotional purposes. It was not written with anything else in mind. Please send in some of your work for our show on May 7th. We are delighted to meet new people every month and delighted to read new work by the same people every month. Submission deets are here but the deadline is the end of Wednesday, April 18th. We are also, as always, accepting art submissions, ideas, volunteers, and donations (tax exempt, of course).
Thanks everyone. This was truly a thrilling experience and we are excited for May 7, which will be at Alley Cat Books on 24th Street near Folsom. Curators for this next show will include – for the first time – a non-board member! How about that? Nicole McFeely and I will be putting this one together. Hope to see you on the page and on the stage.
—ek for ql
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