Coming Sunday: The First Annual Stephen Crane Festival of the Short Poem

from the Bowery Poetry Club & City Lore, New York:

In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
who, squatting on the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, “Is it good, friend?”
“It is bitter -- bitter,” he answered;
“But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."
--Stephen Crane

Sunday, November 7, 3:30-6:00 pm
The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery, NYC
Admission $5
For further information: Steve at 212.529.1955

Join us in celebrating what is distinctive about the short poem –- its brevitas. Loosely defined as “longer than a haiku and shorter than a sonnet,” the best short poems can -- in performance -- be apprehended as a single thought, and -- on the page -- communicate their meaning visually as well as verbally. The way a short poem is lined out on a page, its form, can be understood simultaneously with its meaning in a single moment or epiphany. A beautiful, short poem can almost be held in one’s hand, inspecting it from all sides.

And, as a fleeting two hours slips through your fingers, you’ll hold an armful of poems! Hosted by City Lore’s Steve Zeitlin, the afternoon will feature:

• Bob Holman reading Stephen Crane (1871-1900)
• Short poem masters: Samuel Menashe, winner of the Neglected Masters Award from the Poetry Foundation, Bob Hershon, Hal Sirowitz, Sparrow, Mike Topp
• Alice Quinn, from the Poetry Society of America, reading favorite poems from the T.A.’s “Poetry in Motion.”
• Poets Alicia Vasquez, Hope Cullinan, Meg Daniel, Jim Pignetti, Annie Lanzillotto, Ed Smith, Bill Zavatsky
• Steve Zeitlin’s traditional rock and roll dance party finale
• A chance to read your own short poem at an open mic (sign up at the door)