Bumbershoot, “A Word Bath”
SATURDAY 'Salright, because over at Lit Central we had Adeena Karasick, who was from another planet, and bill bissett, who speaks the same alien language. These two blew the roof off, channelling some primal or future language you had to hear to believe. Bissett is the Canadian counter-cultural icon who writes phonetic-impressionism, and is much nicer than Sandra Bernhard. Adeena is so smart you almost miss her wicked humor, unless you can speak Hebrew, French, English, and Derrida simultaneously. They're both published on Talon Books, from British Columbia.
Staggered Thirds, the quirky trio from Seattle, helped the experimental vibe with a long set of poems for three voices.
Australia's Jayne Fenton Keane, who has made friends all over the country at Slam Nationals and other festivals, did a stunning 20-minute continuous poem/song that deserved a bigger audience and more acclaim. If you ever get to hear Jayne, do it. She also has a fine, interactive Web site, “the stalking tongue,” and is looking for your work to put on it.
Language Poetry Day also featured Paul Nelson and dancer Stephanie Skura, who had to go up at noon-thirty (ouch!) but presented Paul's epic “Twisted Runes” with unabashed verve.
And let's not forget Roger Bonair-Agard, who has been to town several times in the past year and has attracted quite a following. Full house for Roger, from whom we're waiting for that full-length book!
Other readers were Brett Axel (editor of the Will Work for Peace anthology & Woodstock Slam Team organizer), who read a mix of originals and covers (Taylor Mali, Marge Piercy). . . unusual for poets. . . why is that? . . and Timothy Liu, who just edited an anthology of gay American poetry, and read his own excellent poetry (out on Copper Canyon).
THE PARTY And then we ate and drank and talked till late, late, late.
Clayton Eshleman's reading of Antonin Artaud had to be phenomenal, since Clayton is brilliant and since Artaud is French, and dead. But since he read on another Bumbershoot stage, I can't say anything more about it.
speaks the same alien language
the stalking tongue
“Twisted Runes”
a mix of originals and covers
Saturday night, at Elliott Bay Book Co., a reading by Janine Pommy Vega, Roger Bonair-Agard (again!) and Jim Carroll. I caught the Jim Carroll reading. Solo in a quiet room of 100 people, Jim makes things happen to your insides. Fills you up with smoke, makes you want to rock his voice back and forth all night; he's talking just to you. Easily the most moving reading of the weekend.
