Fall Reading List?

I've been trying to find time to finish reading a book about toddler sleep. I'd have more time if the bambino slept more. Perhaps he'd sleep more if I could glean some tips from this book I can't seem to finish reading, Dr. Karp's he Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep: Simple Solutions for Kids from Birth to 5 Years.

I have a pile of books that I want to read, but time is short and I'm tired. At this point in the hormonal journey of pregnancy (my son is almost 15 months old), I doubt I can blame any kind of "pregnancy brain." But I can blame exhaustion. I want to keep up with the newest - and oldest - poetry collections, but I read a few lines and have to keep rereading them.

I have been having more luck with fiction, maybe because missing a line or two doesn't derail the entire, tiny piece, as it would in a poem? That's not fair to fiction, which can be expertly crafted, but that's my current experience. Of course the book I'm reading, or trying to read, right now has multiple perspectives and I continue to be confused by who the current narrator is. Perhaps this is a time in my life for a more traditional text.

That said, live readings have been a joy. I'm able to focus since I've carved out (and caffeinated for) a period of time to listen and be present. Luckily, fall is the time of some great literature festivals. I hope to see you at some of them! And I hope to return to my pile of library books before the last renewal ends.

Our Son's First Poetry Reading

Last week, our son heard me publicly read my poems for the first time. Alongside Finishing Line Press poets Dorothy Bendel, David Ebenbach, and Pia Taavila-Borsheim, I stood at the front of a room in the Georgetown Neighborhood Library and recited poems. Seeing him in the audience was just delightful.

Knowing that this would be our son's first poetry reading, I chose my reading selection carefully. While I write a lot about grief and mourning, I wanted to read more celebratory poems, which meant a lot of poems about him. (Yes, my poems have changed greatly; that's for another post.) Of course, he's only a little over ten months old and can't understand the words, but he can understand tone.

My husband was holding our son in the back of the room and when I first started talking, our son turned his head towards me, made an O with his mouth and started to (vaguely) point and coo towards me. He seemed very surprised. I couldn't help but smile; it was all I could do not to run to the back of the room to snuggle with him. After a few moments, my husband took our son into the hallway outside the room so he could crawl, make noise, but still hear me.

I was proud of our son and look forward to taking him to many more readings. Perhaps the Dodge Poetry Festival this fall? 

Poetry Reading this Sunday: Joaquin Miller Poetry Series

I'm looking forward to reading this Sunday with Terri Merz at the Joaquin Miller Poetry Series at the Rock Creek Nature Center in Washington, D.C., this Sunday afternoon. I hope to see you there! Click through for directions.

I'll be reading poems from my chapbook Unrest and some newer poems. I might even read some about pregnancy and my son. These are, of course, newer poems, but I think a few might be ready for an audience. I don't think that my writing style has changed, although the subject has deepened. And I'm more exhausted, so I'm writing in shorter (and fewer) spurts at this point. 

Unrest was published this winter. To learn more or to order your signed copy, click here. 

Pregnant Book Tour: Reading from Unrest

 

Reading poems - with a baby bump - at Cornelia Street Cafe, New York City

My first poetry chapbook, Unrest, was published last month and I've been reading from the book and newer poems. And, of course, I'm pregnant. Quite the busy and exciting combination.

I love sharing the book and poems with friends and new friends. Since I know I'll be super busy once the baby comes, it feels good to be out and about sharing the work that's most important to me. It has been particularly heartwarming to see friends smiling in the audience. Don't give up on me friends, I won't be in baby-hibernation forever.

I've been a bit nervous reading pregnant. My body is, um, noisier (toots, burps) than usual. Luckily that hasn't happened during a reading. I also have to go to the bathroom just about constantly, so I've been worried about standing on stage or listening to other performers and having to rudely excuse myself. So far, so good. Not every venue has supplied a microphone, either. I've been a bit out of breath with the pregnancy and it is hard to speak for long periods of time, let alone project my voice.

I can feel the baby move while I'm reading and listening to other writers or musicians. Maybe the baby loves the sounds? Or, maybe the baby is annoyed by the change in the schedule (I'm usually in bed or lying down quite early in the evenings these days.) Hard to say. We'll know more about each other once we meet this summer.

There are three more readings on the tour. I'd love to see you at one of them:

Big Blue Marble Bookstore, Philadelphia, PA
551 Carpenter Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Finishing Line Press Poetry Reading with David Ebenbach, Alison Hicks, Chloe Yelena Miller, and Hila Ratzabi
Saturday, March 16th, 5 PM

Takoma Park’s Third Thursday Series, Takoma Park, MD
Poetry Reading with Four Poets
Takoma Park Community Center
7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM)

Nora School Poetry Reading Series, Silver Spring, MD
Poetry reading with Rod Jellema, Chloe Yelena Miller and Marie Pavlicek-Wehrli
Thursday April 18, 2013; 7:30 PM