National Poetry Month has begun. There are already more readings than I can attend as friends send me notes informing me that they’ll be reading here, reading there. I’ll hit what I can. And save my mixed feelings about this month for another post.
Last night I attended a pre-reading cocktail party at Katy Lederer’s in honor of Brenda Hillman and Matt Rohrer who then read at the KGB bar. When I arrived I was greeted by a handsome Siamese Chocolate Point kitty named “Mew” who was coming down the stairs as I was ascending. Mew turned and walked the rest of the way up with me. We had kitty time—head and ear scratching, sniffing, a playful nibble of my palm. But as the apartment filled Mew began hissing at others, and so his mother gave him a time out in the bathroom so he could think about his hissing.
Katy’s apartment is beautiful and she had a fire going on this mild spring evening. I can’t remember the names of every guest, but Brenda and Matt Rohrer were there along with Starr Black, Matthew Zapruder, Joshua Beckman, Tim Liu, Regan Good and a blur of other faces I can’t all place on this Tuesday morning. Brenda was quite friendly and I can see why she is hailed as a generous person and teacher. I love her squeaky voice!
The KGB bar was packed and I fought to focus on the readings, enjoying the red walls and black ceiling and the old photographs and propaganda plastered to the walls. The crowd was a mix of seated middle aged spectacled folk and standing young painfully hip kids from the New School and NYU it seemed. I felt out of place with both.