In all fairness, this event did not originate with the Poetry Foundation. The organizers sought and have received assistance with publicity and refreshments. The Poetry Foundation had no role whatsoever in the curatorial process.
Actual history is that the MLA offsite readings began quite a few years ago (pushing 20?) when Rod Smith organized one when the MLA was in DC and poet volunteers have been keeping it going ever since, sometimes with a little help (last year U. of Alabama Press paid for flyers and maybe rented the space as well), but it's an ongoing grassroots thing intended to give out of towners access to the local poetry scene and the locals access to all the poets who come in for the MLA -- without having to pay for the convention itself.
Indeed: and part of "the local poetry scene" in Chicago is PALABRA PURA, a monthly reading series that is about to start its third season and features a visiting Latino or Latina poet paired with a Chicago-based Latino or Latina poet: a series put on by the Guild Complex, a grass-roots literary organization that has been a vital part of the Chicago literary scene for nearly 20 years
2 comments:
Actual history is that the MLA offsite readings began quite a few years ago (pushing 20?) when Rod Smith organized one when the MLA was in DC and poet volunteers have been keeping it going ever since, sometimes with a little help (last year U. of Alabama Press paid for flyers and maybe rented the space as well), but it's an ongoing grassroots thing intended to give out of towners access to the local poetry scene and the locals access to all the poets who come in for the MLA -- without having to pay for the convention itself.
Ron
Indeed: and part of "the local poetry scene" in Chicago is PALABRA PURA, a monthly reading series that is about to start its third season and features a visiting Latino or Latina poet paired with a Chicago-based Latino or Latina poet: a series put on by the Guild Complex, a grass-roots literary organization that has been a vital part of the Chicago literary scene for nearly 20 years
Post a Comment