Thursday, April 8, 2010

In Defense of Poetry

photo inspired by John Sandel

April is National Poetry Month and in honor of this great occasion I am not going to post a poem I have written.

Instead, I recommend you mark your calendar for this coming Saturday, April 10th at 5PM and meet me at Vroman's to celebrate. Five poets (real ones), including Altadena's own Linda Dove (In Defense of Objects), will read from their works. Be there or be conventional.

Wait.

Be there or be bourgeois? No. Be there or be...I'm sure there's a better way to say this.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! i don't know what to say, it is oh mon dieu....superb.

Latino Heritage said...

Stunning.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I suppose this will be the event this year.

Virginia said...

From the photo, I'd say, "Be there or be square". I'd like to and I like your artsy fartsy photo today. I might have to show this to my class as a good example of thinking outside the box!

mark said...

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

You are very clever Petrea. I love the photo. If I attend I will tap on the door.

Petrea Burchard said...

Have to give John credit for this one. He's the one who said "Hey, that would make a good shot." I don't know about being clever--clever enough to take John's suggestions.

I added an "inspiration credit" to the post.

John Sandel said...

All's I did, was, step on the brake, is all.

mark's funny.

Susan C said...

I really love this shot and your title.

Cafe Pasadena said...

My fav Vroman events are the food ones. Like grilled cheeze or cupcakes.

Anonymous said...

This is what I would call parallel lines with a bird on the top and some clouds in the back.

Another alternative is a one leg bird on the edge.

Katie said...

Awesome photo and a great team effort! Since it's Poetry Month (who knew?), your busy schedule makes me think of this poem by Enda St. Vincent Millay:

My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!

Unknown said...

Be there or be a simile.

Petrea Burchard said...

Ha! Cliff. I like that.

I didn't know they had food events at Vroman's. I'll try to keep crumbs off the pages.

Thanks for the poem, Katie. It's perfect.

TheChieftess said...

Love the photo!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'll be there.(I bought her book months ago, and am so glad I did. Been able to savor it all this time.)

Ms M said...

Your photo fits your post so well! Visual poetry :)


I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.
~ Wallace Stevens
from "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"

pasadenapio said...

Pasadena public libraries also have events in celebration of National Poetry Month, including these.

John Sandel said...

Oh, Cliff, your joke is like a simile, but is probably more a species of … metaphor.

Shanna said...

I plan to be there.
And...I love the photo!

Petrea Burchard said...

Hiker, Shanna, I'll see you there.

Wallace Stevens is one of my favorites.

Wow, Ann, our libraries have always got it goin' on!

Now I have to go back to high school in my brain and look up simile and metaphor.

Unknown said...

J+P, that was no joke, we were deadly serious. We are poet. You will be a simile.

Desiree said...

Be there or be bummed--
cuz Linda in particular was terrific