On A Mission


Poetry Mission @ Dalva
Originally uploaded by geminipoet

Mad fun yesterday. Arrived to find quite the “intimate” setting (any one who has ever read for a room knows exactly what I’m talking bout here). Yeah, it was 7:20 and looking a bit bleak but twenty minutes later we actually had some folks in the house and it was on.

This was a pretty easy set list to put together: combine poems from the 12 Ways and La Peña readings with some covers, some poems from the chapbook, two new poems from Truong’s class and make it all fit into twenty minutes. Ima take a second and defend the word easy because while the set list is easy actually shaping the poems and editing them into a cohesive narrative unit is hella hard. Finding new forms and inspirations while keeping a sense of voice but not relying of techniques that “work” is hella hard. And working towards a manuscript length series of poems is hella hard. But being able to share some of this work and see the results, that we can file under easy.

Happy to say it all worked out right and was even able to add a defense to the culinary credibility of da Boogie Down and a proper defense to NYC Pizza while still telling mah story with a minimum of exposition. Palabra.

SET LIST
– Psalm for Anywhere Avenue

– Intersections

– Section Four

– Revelation & Anywhere Avenue

– Villanelle written around the lyrics of Afrikka Bambaattaa and the Soul Sonic Force

– Psalm: The Heaven I Want by Jack Agüeros

– On The Subway (That’s Never On Time)

– How much for the building? (Tenants optional)

– I’m Jus Askin

– Oaktown, CA by Reginald Lockett

– Sepia

– The Blackout

– My Father, A Cabdriver, Chimes In With A Few Words of His Own on the Myth of Racism as He Drives by Times Square

– Sonnet for the Lexington Avenue Express—Mt Eden Ave Stop

– Ode To A Stitched Mouth

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2 Comments

  1. Oscar,

    Agueros’ psalm was a great choice. I’ve always liked “Psalm for Distribution.”

    Oh yeah, noticed the books you into right now–just finished Galeano’s “Walking Words” in May. That’s some fun and interesting stuff, man.

    Take care

    ps: cool of you to share your writing exercises on your blog.

  2. manuel,
    thanks for the feedback. i’ll be posting an agüeros psalm up soon.

    take care.

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