Review of Memorial + Sight Lines by Gary Parrish

Gary Parrish of farfalla press was kind enough to post some words about Memorial + Sight Lines here: http://farfallapress.blogspot.com/2008/07/megan-burns-memorial-sight-lines.html

Far more entertaining is his earlier post of the annual Bernadette Mayer and Phil Good Poetry reading. In reference to Dave's culinary skills, he says:

Dave Brinks acts as a master of ceremonies, he is perfect. Before the reading starts he shows me three manuscripts that he’s been working on in New Orleans’s and abroad. He tells me that they are writing themselves. He makes a pot of Jambalaya that feeds twenty people, has crawfish and alligator sausage in it. I think he had to bring his own spices from home, the food is gourmet. His poetry is gourmet and his face lights up everyone in the room.


Actually there was some turtle in there as well. Brenda Coultas apparently had a pet turtle once and so found this a bit unappetizing. I can agree as I once had a pet frog, and Dave is always trying to get me to eat frog legs. Apparently, he cooked that before the party for Bernadette and Phil as well as about two dozen soft shell crabs.

Another great story of him telling Pierre Joris, son Miles and his girlfriend Zoe that you have to cut the eyes off the crabs becuase it's an old Native American legend that if you eat the eyes of an animal you'll see its violent end. They seemed intrigued until Dave couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed, saying well, really no one wants to eat crab eyes. That's why we cut them off. He told me this in the car yesterday, but I've heard him use the same story on some other unsuspecting poets, can't recall who, so I didn't bite. (bad pun)