Pair of Readings Launches Writing Week in Cityof La
Michael Sedano
AWP is coming to the city of LA, and with the coming of the peripatetic writing industry trade show come dozens of offsite poetry-centric literary readings. It’s going to be a stimulating week and endurance test for night owls. I’m not, so I won’t be seeing AWP week’s stellar lineups nor doing a lot of communing with long-distance friends from out-of-town.
I got to make up for the anticipated losses in the recent weekend’s pair of stellar readings, both coming at reasonable afternoon hours.
The first event, the Los Angeles Public Library Eagle Rock Branch's Saturday poetry series featured the luminous work of Alicia Viguer Espert (link) and a host of open mic readers. Eagle Rock supports a lively poetry community that comes together regularly thanks to the library staff's commitment to connecting poets and listeners.
The second event, in Pasadena, a joyous celebration combining dance, outstanding open mic poets, and a roster of spotlighted poets that included an enchanting two-generation presentation by mother and daughter poets.
 |
| Tribute dance to all things good and positive, community, poetry and poets. |
The Pasadena event, “Still A Rose, An Ode to Altadena,” sponsored by International Black Writers & Artists/Los Angeles, co-sponsored by Poets & Writers, brought enthusiastic listeners to Alkebulan Cultural Center, only a few blocks south of the Eaton Fire devastation.
The poetry program featured Tricia Cochee accompanied by special guests Teresa Mei Chuc, Hazel Afia Clayton, Angela Ama Clayton, and Thelma T. Reyna.
 |
| Angela Ama Clayton |
 |
| Angela Ama Clayton gets a triumphant abrazo from mother Hazel Afia Clayton |
 |
| Thelma Reyna |
 |
| Teresa Mei Chuc |
 |
| Hazel Afia Clayton |
Two dancers frame the program's elements. The first dancer opens the readings by the special guests with a glorious dance celebrating the upcoming voices. The second dancer captivates in a glorious blue gown to evoke the orisha Yemoja as an introduction to the day's featured poet.
The program’s featured poet, Tricia Cochee, polls the audience. I join only a few other hand-raisers who’ve lost their homes to the Eaton Fire. Everyone else raises a hand that they know people who’ve lost their place.
 |
| Water quenches fire |
 |
| Tricia Cochee |
The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (link) and its offsite readings coming to Los
Angeles March 26–29, promise a daily program of talks and readings followed by after hours socializing and celebrating the best of contemporary U.S. writing and poetry.
Even if I miss the whole AWP thing, my need for great art has already found satisfaction in this weekend’s pair of sublime celebrations of culture and art that happened while the sun was out.
3 comments:
Beautiful write up Michael! It’s great to see activity being slowly revived in the areas in and around Altadena. Thank you for joining us Saturday!
You captured the essense of these two poetry events in your story. Thank you for spreading the word. All you do to give voice to our literary community is greatly appreciated.
What a wonderful program I missed. Was any of it captured on video?
Post a Comment