A RELATIVELY RARE TRIP DOWN POETRY LANE: A MEMORIAL WEEKEND EXCURSION

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I’m not big on programs or events that separate human beings into categories by immutable and primarily surface characteristics (boys-girls, Blacks-Whites, etc.), but just because I’m weird doesn’t mean you have to be, so  below, I’m sharing what promises to be a tremendous poetic event. Why do I think so?

Miss Kiane

Well, Hiram Larew and Miss Kiane are hosting, and that in and of itself would be enough to tip me off. But I hear that former poet laureate of Prince Georges County, Maryland, Sistah Joy Alford will be making an appearance, and that cemented it for me. Sistah Joy is a bundle of talent and class all wrapped up into one inspiring package!

I’m talking about the “Filling the WELL: Poetry and Prose of the Soul Fundraiser.” Presented by The InkWELL, led by founder Dinahsta “Miss Kiane” Thomas. Expected to feature are “teen poet, Lemonade Dream, musical poet and Chicagoan, Donovan Lewis, world traveler and author, Dr. Cecelia S. Martin, and DMV food activist and poet, Liz Reitzig.” Thanks Miss Kiane for creating this promising poetic experience and thank you Hiram for pulling my coat to it. You can complete your free registration and find out more about the event here.

I had what feels like rare poetic experiences this weekend. Friday night was the two-year anniversary of the Friday Collapse, hosted by E. Lynn Alexander and Paul Corman-Roberts of Collapse Press, and there’s no way I could miss that. Generalisimo Bryan Franco and I co-featured at The Friday Collapse in July 2022, and it was one of the most enriching experiences of my short poetry featuring phase. Thanks for the heads-up General. If you missed it last night, you can catch it here.

And then, as though I were trying to make up for lost time, on Saturday, I made another rare appearance at Poetry Street on the Road. My man Chip Williford didn’t have one of his usual co-hosts, Maggie Bloomfield, but we did have Clare Marie Lundberg with him to guide us through. Two stellar poets, Judy J R Turek and Maya Dreamwalker, were featured, and the hybrid open mic segment was precious. And wouldn’t you know it, Facebook just reminded me that today’s date (5/28) was the one-year anniversary of my very first feature, which was on Poetry Street.

Sadly enough, I missed Mbonisi Zikhali Zomkhonto’s recital at the Inspired Poetry Corner(IPC) this morning (now yesterday morning). To have missed that one is painful, because…well, you probably know all about Mbonisi’s genius, so you know why I’m bumming about missing it. Fortunately, IPC’s splendid and conscientious host, Rawle Iam James, usually posts the IPC featured events, so we should be able to catch it here soon.

I don't know when I'll be taking such a dive into the poetry pool again, but this weekend's dip was refreshing. Thanks to all involved!