- Poetry Press Week
Are you so sad that this year’s Open Season is now closed? Tonight’s first installment of spring/summer Poetry Press Week at Disjecta might—might—soothe the burn. Don’t be fooled by the name: Poetry Press Week isn’t actually a week, nor is it a press. Nor is it (really) like any poetry reading you’ve been subjected to. Instead, over two nights, writers enlist “models” to present their work—the effect is something much closer to theater or performance than your usual watch-someone-read-a-book non-song ‘n’ dance*. The structure is based on Fashion Week, which is one of those crazy ideas that works very well in practice.
Here’s your lineup for both nights, curated by Octopus Books’ Zachary Schomburg and Reed creative writing prof Samiya Bashir:
Fri, June 19
Carl Adamshick
Tyler Brewington
Zachary Cosby
Alicia Jo Rabins
Drew Scott SwenhaugenSat, June 20
A.M. O’Malley
Robert Lashley
Andrea Hollander
Stacey Tran
Timmy Straw
If you’ve spent any time at all with Portland’s literary community, you know this is a promising lineup, and an interesting mix of writers, with ties to Portland’s small presses (Look! It’s the guy from Tavern Books, and one-half of Bone Tax Press!) and a wide range of approaches—from poetry in actual verse to the highly interdisciplinary (fair warning, Pure Surface curator Stacey Tran is probably going to do something really cool).
I’ll be there tonight. If you prefer your readings with a side of swagger and visual art, rather than, you know, poet voice, well, now’s the time! See you there!
Poetry Press Week: Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate, Fri June 19 and Sat June 20, 7:30 pm, free ($3-12 donation encouraged)
*Because I openly LOVE poetry readings, and even I know that can often be a recipe for just an INSUFFERABLE time for all involved. No, thanks!