WEEK OF POETRY NOLA: Sept 10-Sept 14th

Now that we've made it through August hurricane-free, let's get back into the poetry swing and start celebrating all the hard working poets and publishers in this city. There is so much happening now in New Orleans poetry that we think you should just jump back in with both feet.

Here's a week of events to keep you excited and get you writing:

Tuesday, Sept. 10 at The Abbey, 1123 Decatur, Stella Lithe and Laura Mattingly return with their collaborative music and poetry show, 7PM

Wednesday, Sept. 11 Blood Jet Poetry Series at BJs (4301 Burgundy) , New Orleans newest poetry and music series begins its season tonight at 8PM. The season begins with a book release celebration of the SECOND printing of Laura Mattingly's BOOK of INCORPORATION from Language Foundry. Laura will be reading from her book along with pianist Josh Wexler. Handmade, typeset copies of this book will be available at the show. Poet Chris Sullivan, publisher at Slight Publications, will also be performing.

Blood Jet Facebook Page or on Twitter @bloodjetpoetry


Thursday, Sept 12 TREMBLING PILLOW PRESS BOOK PARTY for
Laura Goldstein's loaded arc 1503 St. Roch Ave, 8PM  free wine and snacks

Laura will be reading from her new book along with special guest JS MAKKOS who will have a new chapbook to release on the world.

Saturday, Sept. 14   COLD CUTS returns for its season at Kajun's Pub (2256 St. Claude Ave) 

TENDE RLOIN's choicest reading series, featuring JS MAKKOS, and visiting poets LAURA GOLDSTEIN and DANIELA OLSZEWKA!

About the series:

Cold Cuts is a poetry reading interested in performance and a performance interested in reading poetry. Each reading will consist of 3 - often on the theme of 2 poets and a 3rd weird thing: the performative. But we encourage all our poets to perform and all our performances to poet. We like to showcase our TENDER LOIN writers, and we like to showcase local artists. We also like your butt.

As always, stay for karaoke...Facebook Invite

Blood Jet Poetry Series in New Orleans

Blood Jet Poetry Series will begin Sept. 11, 8PM featuring music and poetry every Wednesday night at 8PM followed by a limited open mic at BJs in the Bywater. Co-curated by Megan Burns and JS Makkos, Blood Jet encourages collaboration between musicians and poets as well as space for new performers in New Orleans. Throughout the year, Blood Jet will be hosting national poets as well as book releases and special performances.

Contact Megan Burns at meganaburns@aol.com for information on readings.

BJs in the Bywater is located at 4301 Burgundy.

Visit the Blood Jet Blog or follow on FB or follow on Twitter @bloodjetpoetry

Poem for August

August

for Laura Mattingly

“there are so many ways to be held prisoner”  -Anne Carson

ribbons of sun

dusky breath over this horizon

shimmering outlines of branches

screened like a mid-day suffering

each breath, reckoned

throats of ash, throats of wander

distant shade a sprinkling

photographs of nude bodies in black

and white, a scrolling of sex

at the fingertip

tipping displays to match grain

to groove, a warren for memory

at the hardest edge: have you gone

blurry        gone unnoticed

scalded faces lap up injustice

what choice do any of us have?

there’s only one path to disclosure

one sure foot graced for escape

we turn over ancient metaphors

a type of joy we solder: why does love

happen? we keep asking

the silent hours

8.17.13

Megan Burns