Bird Forgiveness Book Tour: Sights, Sounds, and Video

Melinda Palacio

I love it when people wear their bird print clothing.
Monica Fitzgerald, Melinda Palacio, Sandra Sarr, Nicole LeBlanc-Savoie.

An invitation to read in the heart of cajun country should be at the top of the list for any poet or artist looking for a friendly venue with a superb set up. Breaux Bridge and the Teche Center for Arts wins the prize, at least in Steve's opinion. I have fun reading poems and telling anecdotes about the making of the poems wherever I go. Since I often travel with my own roadie, I try not to bore him with the same set. And there was something extra special about reading in the crawfish capital of the world.

Melinda and Steve

This month it's been very easy choosing which poems to read. For the New Orleans launch at Octavia Books, I hit a few of the favorites, the title poem and the ekphrastic poem based on the cover of the book, the visual helps sell books. For the reading at Trinity's labyrinth, I chose my more devotional and sacred set. I've had people tell me that my readings feel like a prayer. With poems, such as the Praying Tree  (listen to this poem at the Academy of American Poets) and Beneath the Devotion of Doves, there's a sacramental and sacred element to Bird Forgiveness that I didn't connect with before being asked to read in a church in between organ pipe music, a favorite event for me. For the reading in Breaux Bridge, I performed a longer set, about 40 minutes. I made sure to read from each section of the book. Poet Laureate Emeritus of Louisiana, Darrell Bourque introduced me and his kind words about my work made me want to cry, but I held it together, professional poet that I am. I was impressed by the variety of people who attended, one of whom had never been to a poetry reading. I'm so honored to be the first to bring poetry into her life. I'm still basking in all the nice things people said about the reading. Director of the center, Sandra Sarr wrote a lovely post on social media:

"Sometimes magic happens. Melinda Palacio and her poetry had the audience spellbound as she read from her new book, Bird Forgiveness at TCA last night. Our special guest, Louisiana Poet Laureate Emeritus Darrell Bourque introduced our featured poet and we are so grateful to him for his always insightful words. Artist Kelly Guidry provided his beautiful bird sculptures, hummingbirds of wood and metal, as the perfect backdrop for Melinda’s Bird Forgiveness reading. The room was filled with brilliant poets and poetry lovers and the magic lingers."

Here's a clip from the reading for you to hear samples of the poems for yourself. If you want to read more of Bird Forgiveness, order the book online at 3: A Taos Press or from your favorite bookstore. 

                                                 Bird Forgiveness, video of the last bit of the reading.

Darrell Bourque

Signing books at the Teche Center for the Arts in Breaux Bridge

Melinda Palacio and Margaret Simmons

Earlier in the month, I was interviewed by non-other than Steve for the Figure of Speech show on WRBH's radio for the blind. Steve has many hats, techie, roadie, and now radio personality. Hear our interview on Soundcloud. It helped that Steve sat in on my interview with Susan Larson on NPR's WWNO, a wonderful radio experience. Listen to Susan Larson interview me, along with Louis Maistros. 



Next Stop, I join a fabulous line-up at Avenue 50 Studio, Sunday August 26 from 2-4pm, 131 North Avenue 50, Highland Park, CA 90042.


 


Upcoming readings: September 6 at EP Foster Library in Ventura and back in New Orleans October 6 for the Poetry Buffet at the Latter Library and October 14 at the Maple Leaf Bar at 3pm

Bird Forgiveness Book Launch, Louisiana Style

Melinda Palacio

At Octavia Books in New Orleans

The crowd at Octavia Books

With so many choices for fun or relaxing activities during a hot weekday, where the weather in New Orleans threatens to reach a hundred degrees, it's best to do a little homework if you want to guarantee an audience of more than the friends you can count on one hand. Octavia Books, a beautiful, local independent bookstore did their homework, and so did I. Octavia sent weekly announcements to their readers in advance of the book launch and I made sure to give me publisher contacts for local newspaper and radio media for possible publicity before the reading. I was lucky to get a color announcement and write up in the Times-Picayune Nuestro Pueblo column and I had two radio interviews with local station, WWNO and WRBH, the radio for the blind. The result was a standing room only crowd with lots of my different groups coming together Bird Forgiveness book launch. There were Wonder Woman, Poets, Yoga folks, WNBA (Women's National Book Association) members, and lovers of the word, books, and Octavia Books. Bookstore owners Tom Lowenburg and Judith Lafitte have created a gorgeous haven of a bookstore and their events are always filled with plenty of comfortable chairs and wine. During Mardi Gras, I participated in the All Wonder Woman Walking Krewe. I've met some fabulous women in the group including friend, Marti, who is also in the WNBA, and Kay who works for the Baton Rouge newspaper, The Advocate. It's fun how some of my friends belong to overlapping organizations. Thank you to everyone who helped make the New Orleans launch a success. Thanks, again, to Octavia Books. 

My yoga teacher at Wild Lotus brought some fellow students and a friend whom she knew would enjoy my book. It turns out the friend is a regular book browser at Octavia Books; New Orleans is a small town in a big city. At the Wild Lotus Yoga studio, it happens to be Poetry Month. On Wednesday, I was a little late getting to class and I waited until the opening mediation was finished and I was pleasantly surprised to hear my yoga teacher read my poem, The Praying Tree. If I had been on time, she would have asked me to read it, as she did a few weeks ago, but it was really nice hearing her read my poem and interpret it and offer it as a mediation for the day. 

Partial View of Trinity's Organ Pipe.

I was thrilled to have a full house, even world renowned musician and organist at Trinity Episcopal church, Albinas Prizgintas came. One of my favorite activities in New Orleans is listening to the organ pipe concert and walking the labyrinth set up on the altar of the church. If you appreciate music, there's nothing more thrilling than hearing Bach or the Rolling Stones vibrate from the organ pipe throughout the massive church and through one's own body. Albinas plays an eclectic mix of classical, rock, and spiritual songs. Sometimes, I walk the labyrinth, but most of the time, I enjoy a quiet seated meditation. My yoga teacher plays a lot of rock n roll during her class. I've come to appreciate rock n roll as a spiritual practice. Next Tuesday, I will add my poetry to the music of the labyrinth at Trinity Episcopal Church. I don't know how it will all come together, but when Albinas asked if I might read a few poems interspersed between the organ for the labyrinth, I said, 'Yes'. 

Labyrinth at Trinity Episcopal

On Tuesday, there will be an additional stop to the Bird Forgiveness Tour at Trinity Artist Series,
Trinity Episcopal Church at 6pm, 1329 Jackson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130.

Next week, the Bird Forgiveness Tour takes me to Cajun-Creole Country, where Louisiana Poet Laureate Emeritus, Darrell Bourque will introduce me (I'm honored to say the least). If you're anywhere near Lafayette next Friday, please come to the Teche Center for the Arts, 210 E. Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, August 3, 6pm. 

At the end of August, I have the pleasure of returning to the La Palabra poetry series at Avenue 50 Studio, August 26 at 2pm, 131 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park, CA.