jamie k.

BONK! 40

2012-01-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to be reading for the BONK! Reading Series next Saturday, 14 January. I'll be reading with Timothy Yu and Families. The reading is at Racine Arts Council (316 6th Street, Racine, WI). Doors open at 6PM. See you there!

november reading

2011-11-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

Revolving door is featuring Derrick Weston Brown and Jennifer Karmin this month. Wednesday, 30 November at the South Halsted Gallery (1825 South Halsted), from 7-10p.m. Open mic at 7:30p.m. and features at 8p.m. Fathom DJ! $5 donation = drinks.

Derrick Weston Brown has studied poetry under Dr. Tony Medina at Howard University and Cornelius Eady at American University, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from American University. He is the auth…or of a chapbook, The Unscene (published in 2006), and his work has appeared in DrumVoices Review, The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Black Issues & Book Reviews, and the Cave Canem Poetry Anthologies of 2002 and 2003. He is a native of Charlotte, NC and currently resides in Mount Rainier, MD. He is a Cave Canem fellow and the poet-in-residence at Busboys & Poets bookstore and restaurant.

Jennifer Karmin is the author of the text-sound epic Aaaaaaaaaaalice (Flim Forum Press, 2010) and has poems forthcoming in the anthology I’ll Drown My Book: Conceptual Writing by Women (Les Figues Press, 2012). Her multidisciplinary projects have been presented at festivals, artist-run spaces, and on city streets across the U.S., Japan, and Kenya. She teaches in the Creative Writing program at Columbia College Chicago and at Truman College, where she works with immigrants as a community educator.

http://aaaaaaaaaaaaalice.blogspot.com/

twilight. swoon. hmm.

2011-09-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

The new "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" trailer was released today. Swoon. I am so excited that I can hardly wait. But, wait I must because the latest saga doesn't hit theaters until 18 November. O, the torture. I'm waiting on the longest "to be continued" for what has to be one of the strongest (strangest) love stories I've ever know. And I just can't help myself. How many people actually get to marry their high school sweetheart? I swear the writers are hitting on the fundamental with this story. And what am I supposed to do until then. Watch the drama-filled trailer on repeat, of course. Are you a fellow fan? Not yet? Well, here's what you're missing: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/twilight-breaking-dawn-part-1.html.

Hmm. I looked up and it was NY Fashion Week. But, I have to say it just didn't grab me this year. Well, I thought about it. But, didn't plan like I did last year. I just couldn't feel good about getting into it. Well, really, who am I kidding. I fell for a lipstick, MAC's Scarlet Ibis, from Jason Wu's Spring Collection. The models looked so dazzling with this fresh take on color for lips.

And then my heart went pitter patter when I saw the architectural eyebrows on the Derek Lam models. As I admired the sensibility and ease of fabric and texture, I felt a little guilty. Yes, guilty for coveting when the economy is circling the crapper and natural disasters seem to visit monthly (poor, poor country). Indeed, these are tough times. And it made me stop and wonder about the relevance of fashion. I mean assemblage: the focus on detail. In the end I made peace. I had to. I should be allowed to indulge in the beautiful. I shouldn't feel guilty because this year designers seemed to go back to the basics, the necessary. So far, I've seen lipstick (sans mascara) and garments with simple shapes that translate art.

find fiction

2011-09-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

We hope you join us this month for Find Fiction: September Revolving Door. This month's features are James Tadd Adcox! and Ellen Wadey! South Halsted Gallery (1825 S. Halsted). Open mic at 7:30PM, features at 8PM. Music by FathomDJ! $5 donation = drinks!

nietzsche. denim dress. meep.

2011-08-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly this summer has gone. It's not totally over. But, it's been pretty swell. I took a short trip, went to a few festivals, where I discovered some awesome bands, and even managed to make it to the beach more than once. Along the way I "porched" (thank goodness for friends, records, and PÖlka Dot), started boot camp, which I hope to continue, and (finally) finished Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. I swear, I took my time with this one. It was a gift that I kept putting it down. In the end, I was drawn to the humanity on display, looking inward and finding truth. Essentially, these are modern themes. It's human nature that wants to know the beginning, middle, end. It's a relevant text. I've barely scratched the surface of meaning(s). And I'm excited about what I'll get from a second read.

With school starting next week, I have been in a mad dash to get last minute details finished. I may actually be ready before this Friday. Swoon. All of my classes are full. This means it's going to be a busy, busy semester. And in the middle of preparing I've been thinking about dresses to wear while teaching. Well, I'm always thinking about dresses. I usually wear one everyday. For the last three weeks I've been coveting a denim dress for the first day of school and beyond. You know, the prefect shade of denim, one with pockets, and it should fit comfortably, and be able to sustain layers in winter. It kinda sounds like I'm looking for the Wonder Woman of denim dresses. It's a tall order, but I think I may have found the one.

So, I get sentimental when I think about October 2009. This was the first month Revolving Door had a reading. This series was born at AWP. And we've created a special community, with lasting partnerships. This October will mark our second anniversary. It's going to be a celebration. And this month Revolving Door is featuring Keli Stewart. When: Wednesday, 24 August! Where: South Halsted Gallery (1825 S. Halsted). Open mic: 7:30PM. Features: 8PM. FathomDJ! Join us for an evening of poetry and music!

chapbook. summer sizzle. brothel.

2011-07-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited about my chapbook, Small Hollering, getting published. You may find it at Dancing Girl Press: http://dulcetshop.ecrater.com/p/11897816/jamie-kazay-small-hollering. There are several other amazing collections to see. Happy shopping.

27 July 2011: Join us Wednesday for Summer Sizzle: July Revolving Door! South Halsted Galley (1825 S. Halsted)! Open Mic 7:30PM! Fathom DJ! Paul Martinez Pompa! Discopoet Khari B.! (https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=254382457908563)

6 August 2011: Chicago Poetry Brothel's our next show: Saints & Sinners! Thalia Hall! (Ristorante al Teatro, 1227 W 18th St.) 8pm to Midnight! $5 if dressed Victorian. $10 if not.

Join Chicago's poetry whores, performers and fortune tellers as they burn up Chicago's historic Pilsen neighborhood once again. Indulge yourself in the intermperances of what the Chicago Sun-Times calls the "best literary whorehouse in Chicago" as we celebrate Chicago's Saints & Sinners! Libations and comestibles will be available all night as well as private poetry readings.

Musical guests: Jeffrey Levin & the Sisters of Sin on Piano and The White City Rippers! Special guest classic burlesque performer, Pearl Pistol—keeping the Victorian dream alive since 1890! All the usual rogues will be there.... will you? (www.ChicagoPoetryBrothel.com)

ap's video essay

2011-05-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm having such a blast being apart of the Chicago Poetry Brothel. And when I heard that the AP was going to create a video essay at our April show, I was over the moon. It was such a fun night at an exqusite venue. If you weren't able to attend, follow the link to see what you missed: http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/video-essay-poets-share-work-at-brothel-25184424

revolving door

2011-05-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

inside look at revolving door

2011-04-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

At Revolving Door Reading Series we aspire to bring together all of the artistic talents from across Chicago's various communities. Find us every 4th Wednesday at the South Halsted Gallery (1825 South Halsted). Come recite, perform, listen, enjoy, and be inspired by poetry outside of the lines!

spring: chicago poetry brothel

2011-04-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Poetry Brothel's Poezie Comique!!

Celebrating Chicago's Victorian Past!

Thalia Hall (1227 W 18th St Chicago)!

Doors open @ 8PM!

poetry outside the lines

2011-04-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Join Revolving Door Reading Series

for Poetry Outside the Lines

on Wednesday, 27 April!!!

This month's features:

Sunny Byers & Jacob Saenz!

Where: South Halsted Gallery (1825 South Halsted)

When: Open mic @ 7PM, Features @ 7:30PM

"the dust of suns"

2011-03-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Poetry Project presents

a staged reading of the play

"The Dust of Suns"

by Raymond Roussel

Trans. Harry Mathews

March 4-6th

Fri & Sat 8pm; Sun 3pm

All performances are FREE!

at The Charnel House

3421 W. Fullerton Street

773.871.9046

This script-in-hand performance of Raymond Roussel’s play, directed by John Beer, with design by Caroline Picard, features an array of Chicago writers and artists.

Performers include: James Tadd Alcox, Joshua Corey, Joel Craig, Monica Fambrough, Sara Gothard, Judith Goldman, Samantha Irby, Lisa Janssen, Jennifer Karmin, Jamie Kazay, John Keene, Jacob Knabb, Francesco Levato, Brian Nemtusak, Travis Nichols, Jacob Saenz, Larry Sawyer, Suzanne Scanlon, Jennifer Steele and Nicole Wilson.

French poet, novelist and playwright Raymond Roussel (1877-1933) faced almost universal incomprehension and derision during his lifetime, for works that neglected traditional character and plot development in favor of the construction of elaborate descriptions and anecdotes based on hidden wordplay. While the premieres of his self-financed plays caused near-riots, admirers included Surrealists Andre Breton and Robert Desnos, who called The Dust of Suns (1926) “another incursion into the unknown which you alone are exploring.” Roussel never enjoyed the posthumous fame of his hero Jules Verne, but he has exercised a powerful fascination upon later writers and artists including the French Oulipo group, Marcel Duchamp, John Ashbery, Michel Foucault, and Michael Palmer. New editions of his novels and poetry are forthcoming this year from Princeton and Dalkey Archive.

Like much of Roussel’s writing, The Dust of Suns has a colonial setting. Against the backdrop of fin-de-siecle French Guiana, a convoluted treasure hunt unfolds. Along the way, Roussel fully indulges his penchant for bizarre invention and juxtaposition. The Frenchman Blache seeks his uncle’s inheritance: a cache of gems whose location lies at the end of a chain of clues that includes a sonnet engraved on a skull and the recollections of an albino shepherdess. Meanwhile, his daughter Solange is in love with Jacques—but all Jacques knows of his parentage is a mysterious tattoo on his shoulder...

winter: poetry brothel

2011-02-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Poetry Brothel Explores the Seamy Side of Poetry!!

Floods of Love-lorn Poetry Whores, Whiskey, Vaudeville, Dancers, Fortune Tellers!

House of Blues, Foundation Room!

Doors Open at 8PM!

winter blahs

2011-01-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

Snow is falling on all of Chicago and my back porch. I'm waiting on the first signs of Spring, while wondering where the red balloon went...

winter: poetry brothel

2011-01-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Poetry Brothel's Dangerous Amusements!!

Saturday, 15 January 2011

House of Blues, Foundation Room

Doors open at 8PM!!

beauty

2010-12-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

I'm taken by the sheer beauty of this image. It's so 1970's back to natural beauty, which I'm all about these days. I've been on a natural hair journey for about a year now. (So this means heat styling is minimal and chemicals no-longer touch my hair.) I have to say this journey has changed my life. I had no idea how much I would come to love by embracing natural, organic. I used to hate my hair in its natural state. I dreaded the curly frizz it became on rainy, muggy days. I cried because of how "big" it got, and spent hours flat ironing the "puff" away. And I have to say Miss Jessie's has made the journey lovely. Their products are full of brilliant elements that smell like candy and know my hair well. These products have taught me not to feel powerless when working with my hair. A wonderful gift. A growing experience, as this journey is taking me closer to my roots, nature. It has impacted all aspects of my life. I eat healthier. I workout. I feel better, stronger.

footage: poetry brothel

2010-11-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

division|collective

2010-11-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

I'm reading this Saturday for DivisionCollective's Salon. I'll be reading with Angela Fegan, Ethan White, Sharon Mooney, and Chris Terry. It's sure to be a great night!

So, all weekend Autour De Lucie's "Personne N'est Comme Toi" was set on repeat. This band is so Rubies meets Au Revoir Simone to play a midday festival. Take a listen...

awesome

2010-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Revolving Door Reading Series turns 1-YO this month! And I'm amazed by all of the brilliant words, art, and music we've featured. We're lucky. We've been able to create a community. It's been an awesome year. So, we hope you'll join us for our birthday party at Red Kiva on 27 October, at 7:30p.m. The evening is a celebration of words, art, and music, with features Kevin Coval and Candace Marie, spontaneous readings from past features, FathomDJ, drink specials, and goodie bags. We're sure you'll enjoy the Sexy Anne Sexton, Thirsty Artist, and The Tennessee!

I can't believe how quickly this semester is going. I swear, it was just September. The weeks keep getting away from me. Halloween is next week, and I keep thinking about Halloween in CA. When dressing-up actually meant something. It was awesone. We celebrated on Santa Monica Ave. It was a block party on steroids. The costumes were so fierce. So original. I suppose Halloween will always leave me a little homesick.

I've been listening to Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" on repeat for like a week now. What can I say. It was the 80's. She's awesome. Her voice is sensational. Her black dress rocks. And those legs. Take a gander...

fall: poetry brothel

2010-10-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Chicago Poetry Brothel @ the House of Blues!

Find us in the Foundation Room, Friday, 5 November! Doors open @ 8pm!

Come get a private reading from the poetry whores!

The Woodland Doll

A mourning wave birthed The Woodland Doll, breathing like waves on sand hiding pearls. Woodland says hiding pearls under the sand will change them from beige to blush. She says a dirty pink dress is torment and lights a cigar. Chant “Please be Good” and she’ll try. Woodland’s a sweet, mad doll, foreign calm, and master tart. She’s so good at making believe that you believe she haunts the tepid sounds of water. The Woodland Doll writes for you. Touch her red lipstick lips.

Inspirations: Niedecker, Marilyn Monroe, Clifton, Comer, Woolf, T. Williams

the unrequited

2010-10-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

It is often suggested that the late poet James Wright was a master of "lyric surreal." And with The Unrequited Carrie St. George Comer invokes this line of American poetry. She does so with certain invention, humor, and wild flirtation. I return to this book often. I take away new special gifts each time, because Comer's poems expand the meaning of human. Her work says the human experience is imagined both in life and death. With a range of rhythms Comer is able to broaden the framework of life and death. She aptly creates landscapes as she soon embodies these same landscapes.

Each poem pulses, defies, and taunts. They ask me to come play, to solve the riddle. And in the end I'm better for having done so. I've read this book while on the train, traveling, and porching. These reads leave my chest beating with a bit of blood loss in the shape of a hitting heart.

The poems that have become my mantra are bit more reckless and architecturally based. Some of these poems include "Crowscrowscrows," "Shelburne Falls," "Get Outta Town," and "Don't Let Me Forget You," with lines like:

Memory: the enemy. Its nude an worthless body

enters the evening as if on wings, smiling, and waving a white feather,

first quiet, then tanked,

but still a rating of G: for mild peril, for some scary images,

for emotional brutality.

As Comer kicks me in the jaw, she artfully inserts whimsy once the line has been crossed. It's as if she says, "Wait. Wait. Don't go." And I stay. I trust. Afterall, I want to know the secret. This balance is the perfect flirtation. I want to date her characters, want them to take me to dinner. Because there has to be something to my incessant blushing.

The Unrequited is Comer's first book, and I find her bold and honest. She is a poet that makes the myth she becomes. Her poems challenge me to turn the sharp edge. They force me write what I don't know, to look fear in the eye and say, "Hi." And it's this act of looking in the eye that keeps me waiting on the porch for Comer's sophmore collection.

toutes mes journées

2010-09-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Aujourd'hui, je ne sais pas. J'étais productif. J'ai pris le train. Et c'était affreux. Je regrette que je ne puisse pas rester dans le lit tout le jour et manger des carottes et des tomates.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way... Friday was a total blast. The crowd was rowdy, and the scene was awesome. And in the end, we really are bringing poetry to the people. I can't count how many people said to me, "This is strange, but so cool." Lots of lovely photos were taken. Take a peek at some...

And this Saturday I'm apart of the Fifth Annual Chicago Calling Arts Festival. I'll be reading at the Logan Square Library at 1p.m. It's a banned books event, one of the many happening around Chicago this week.

As Milan Fashion Week comes to a close and the shows in Paris begin, I have to say I'm running to the make-up counter this weekend. I'm in love. And it's bright and sometimes dewy, but mostly matte. And I need to replenish. I have been wearing MAC's lipstick Ruby Woo for awhile. So, I was utterly excited to learn that at the Jonathan Sunders show this shade was all over the runway. And it was lovely and fresh and all a girl really needs for her journées. Take a gander....

the game of chess

2010-09-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

So, I finally got more than three hours of sleep last night. And I dreamed about playing chess... checkmate. I totally won. And I looked-up the meaning in my dream dictionary. I guess it has something to do with annoyances in business. But, I kinda think (as it relates to my daily life) that it has something to do with my thoughts on relationships and such. You know. Relationships are a game for the witty. One person makes a move. And then the other makes a move. And so on and so on. I've heard this isn't a 'good' philosophy. But I don't know. Sometimes winning the battle is necessary. No matter how extensive the war.

This Wednesday Revolving Door is featuring Erika Mikkalo, Nikki Patin, and Kenyatta Rogers. Open mic is at 7:30p.m. and features are at 8:00p.m. Red Kiva (1108 W. Randolph St.) We hope you will join us!

On Friday, The Chicago Poetry Brothel will be in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues. Doors open at 8p.m. Come see me, The Woodland Doll, and the other lovely poetry whores!

chicago poetry brothel

2010-09-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Poetry Brothel is an organization that plans and carries out local events intended to propagate and promote public awareness of local poets and performers and their work. Successful Poetry Brothels currently exist in several cities including: New York, Los Angeles, and Barcelona, Spain, where they have had surprisingly wide-appeal to very diverse audiences. The Chicago Poetry Brothel is the youngest of these, having had its first event in the Summer of 2010.

The Poetry Brothel is a troupe of poets and performers who play various roles that might be found in a late 19th Century Victorian brothel. During this romantic period of history, poetry writing and reading were much more of a common, intimate and personal activity than they are today; now poetry readings are encountered primarily in academic and coffee house settings, and as a result, the personal interplay between poets and their audience is minimal. The Poetry Brothel provides a venue in which visitors, or “patrons,” who may consider themselves neophytes to poetry, have the opportunity to experience poetry in an intimate and romantic environment through one-on-one poetry readings with professional poets.

We bring poetry to the people! Our next event is Friday, 24 September at the House of Blues. Doors open at 8p.m. Come see me,The Woodland Doll, and my lovely cohorts!

shameless plug

2010-08-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

I'm reading tomorrow for Rec Room at Black Rock Bar. This month's theme: Writing Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This means: Readers will draw a parallel between the process of writing through traumatic history/herstory and the form of psychotherapy know as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reproduction (EMDR). According to the theory posed by Francine Shapiro Ph.D, when a traumatic or distressing experience occurs it may overwhelm usual ways of coping and the memory of the event is inadequately processed. This memory is stored in an isolated memory network that, when accessed, may cause the individual to experience once more aspects of the original (traumatic) event. Many of us have seen our writing as a method of grounding ourselves firmly enough that we may gaze upon the treachery of past traumas with insight and, daresay, some form of resolution; of equal import, we find ourselves scrutinizing these events without the severe reaction(s) that proliferate without the foundation the practice of our discipline provides. In much the same way EMDR forges associations between our distressing memories and semantic memory indices thought to be independent of context and personal relevance, the writers featured this evening forge an association between history/herstory, ink and page, writer/reader and reader/listener that, beyond resolution, also promotes, at the very least, a modicum of detachment from these traumas.

With performances by:

Adrienne Dodt
LeAnne Ray
Jamie Kazay
Erin Hellweg
Jason McDaniel
Anndell Quintero
David Trinidad
Miki Howald
Allison Gruber
Erin Teegarden
Carlos Cumpian

I'm pretty excited. This is sure to be a wonderful night!

acm. party. ponty.

2010-08-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a constant party since the ACM50 pre-release party last month. Which I must say was a complete blast and got glowing response. Take a gander at CJ Laity's review! Anyhow, I'm bordering on pretty tired. I think I may need a vacation from my summer. I’ve been dancing, developing, mingling, writing, and the fun doesn’t seem to be coming to an end. Especially since we have a Revolving Door reading this Wednesday (featuring Roger Bonair), and getting ready for the fall semester and other September planning: the Poetry Brothel—Chicago style, The Rec Room reading, etc. And while I’m nearly on empty, I’m taking a second to bask in how far I’ve come in a year. I’m reflecting on how many lovely, brilliant opportunities have crossed my path. Yes, I am a lucky girl, and a happy one at that. So, let’s keep the party summer rolling with Jean-Luc Ponty's “King Kong.”

champs de marguerite

2010-07-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve been dreaming about daisy fields. When I wake in the dream, it’s always midday and the sun is shinning like it does when you’re in love and on vacation. But, I’m never super hot even though I’m uncovered in the middle of this field that I wish I could place. And I can smell the beach off in the distance, hear the waves. And I don't really want for anything. Ah, it’s such a calming dream. I wake happy, rested. Too bad life isn’t always as breezy.

J'ai travaillé sur la nouvelle collection. Tout ce que je peux dire est qu'il n'entre pas dans la direction que j'avais planifiée. Quelques poèmes appartiennent dans les déchets, pendant que d'autres poèmes tirent plus que leur part de prix. J'ai révisé l'enfer de tant de poèmes qui est presque semble nécessaire d'essayer d'écrire de nouveaux poèmes. Je veux dire, je ne crois pas que j'aie écrit un nouveau poème dans environ un mois, peut-être plus long.

I watched The September Issue over the weekend. I loved, loved it. This documentary closely follows Grace Coddington, Creative Director and Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of U.S. Vogue Magazine. Ladytron’s “Destroy Everything You Touch” totally sets the pace. I must say I had notions about these types of women. But, after watching this foray bordering on satire, I realized the brilliance. The ice. The isolation. The art.

o my gosh, le quatorze juillet

2010-07-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

I had such a blast reading for The Poetry Brothel. I can't say enough positive things about The Madame, Tennessee, and the evening itself. It was brilliant. O my gosh, I liked playing a character. And I was so not ready to be Jamie again. So, I'm going to try writing poems from my character's voice. I really think "Doll" has much to say. Take a gander at the article in Time Out.

Revolving Door is working toward 501(c)(3) status! We are so excited about our new partnerships and those partnerships currently in the works. O my gosh. This is an exciting time as Revolving Door moves into phase two. Be on the lookout for our electronic newsletter (out next week).

We hope you will join us at the ACM50 pre-release party on 28 July at Red Kiva, from 9PM-1AM. No Cover! Drink Specials! DJ Third Degree & Fathom DJ will be spinning. Featured readings by: Tara Betts, Quaraysh Ali Lansana, Bayo Ojikutu, Timothy Yu & much more!

Et, j'ai pensé à écrire dans l'anglais que dans le français sur mon blog. Je vais commencer aujourd'hui puisque c'est la Fête nationale française. Il m'aidera aussi pour un autre projet que je travaille actuellement . Oh ma bonté. Comme si je n'ai pas déjà assez sur ma plaque...

O my gosh, I've haven't been able to get this song out of my head for like two days now. Thank you wonderful latenight cab driver. Enjoy...

summer: poetry brothel

2010-07-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Jen Steele and I are reading with The Poetry Brothel regulars this Saturday at the House of Blues. We're going to be your whores for the evening... this means razzle, dazzle, bunches of red lipstick, poetry readings, and such. It's going to be a fun evening. Come meet Seraphine LaCroix and JamieDoll!

On 28 July Revolving Door is hosting the pre-release party for ACM50. This issue is going to be about 400 pages, the largest issue ever published by ACM. The festivities will be at Red Kiva from 9PM-1AM. No Cover! Drink Specials! DJ Third Degree & Fathom DJ will be spinning. Featured readings by: Tara Betts, Quaraysh Ali Lansana, Bayo Ojikutu, Timothy Yu & much more!

I have been playing the hell out of "Funeral Song" by the Minks. They're kinda cool, a little hep. And they totally sound like New Order meets Bob Dylan to play at a punk show. Take a listen.

Funeral Song - Minks by Tough Love

just because

2010-06-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

I love this song and stumbled upon the (rare long version) video...

pink. sonnet. man.

2010-06-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

So, I have been obsessed with finding the perfect pink dress. You know one that transforms from day to evening, without being too tight, and isn’t bubble gum. All of a sudden the idea of this pink dress is the thing. I had a dream about it and I’ve written it into a poem: dirty pink dress / . And I’ve been thinking a lot about my color choices. I’ve stayed away from color, unless it’s a special occasion, since moving to Chicago. It’s like naturals, blacks, and grays have been my armor. Because flashy colors seem to draw attention. And the last thing I want on the train or walking these urban streets is attention. Think: stranger danger.

Maybe I should start working on a collection of sonnets about women of note. I started a version of this in my thesis, but am now thinking I should revisit this idea with a bit more focus on structure and purpose. I know this type of collection has been done before. So what would make my approach important is the inclusion of color. I think the color pink. Totally not too sure about that though because in this instance it kinda makes me feel bubble gum...the whole girls and pink and boys and blue thing.

Late nights I’ve been watching documentaries on all things serial killer. The myth around the type of man that could do this has always terrified me. When I was younger I was so afraid to walk alone to the mall. It was all about the buddy system. And now I don’t take the train at night or call my sister on the 5-min walk from train to apartment, swear by the closing click of the perimeter door, lock and recheck the locks, and it goes on. So, watching these documentaries is one small step to reclaiming years of fearful living.

an awesome reading

2010-06-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

I'm reading at Open Books on Thursday, 17 June at 7PM. It's gonna be an evening of awesomeness. I'm super excited to be reading with Mary Hamilton, Amy McDaniel, and Dave Snyder. Seriously, this is gonna be an awesome reading. Hope to see you!

set on repeat

2010-05-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

So, I'm always a little late to the next big thing. But, I'm sure it's better than never—The xx were pitchfork's belle of the ball, says the dude on Sound Opinions who had their interview on loop for three days. Anyhow, I played the heck out of The xx this weekend. And I must say I’m in love, again. This band is like the bittersweet taste of The Cure meets El Perro del Mar, and they make sexy, sad grooves all night long. I listened while gardening and grocery shopping, talking to mom, cleaning the apartment, and wedding planning. And I have one complaint: this album is only 38 minutes long. Hence, set on repeat makes for a busy, blissful weekend. Still not sure, listen to “Night Time” below.

red flowers

2010-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

I pass the sweetest flower & nursery shoppe on the way to work. Looking at the flowers this morning totally made me remember my dream. I woke-up in a field of red flowers and I had cuts on my knees and cheeks and I could hear a baby crying from the locked wicker basket next to me. Yes, good times, indeed.

Photos by blue-poppy

crossword puzzles?

2010-04-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

I've been hit with a bit of motion sickness the past few weeks. We're talking get off the train and walk motion sickness. It's the real pits. In the end what seems to calm the impulse is working on crossword puzzles. This seems wackadoo although it actually helps. Puzzles take my mind off of the movement, the sweats go away, and my stomach quickly settles.

I spent the weekend in BED. It was lovely. I journaled a bit, finally started that book, and watched a few movies. In between I watched my bulbs that I planted a month ago. But it has been so chilly that I hope they survive. I can't wait to see my new flowers. And each Spring I have a bunch of new favorite accessories. This year isn't any different. Those things I simply can't live without:

chai tea latte
sleeping in
kisses & cuddles
gold mary-jane flats
blue scarf
butterfly journal

procrastination

2010-03-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

I've been lagging for the past few weeks in procrastination city. I'm supposed to read a few books, file taxes (check, finally done today), select a text for my Fall course, purchase tickets for the May trip, work on new poems for the next collection, order supplies for the paper craft, and the list goes on. But, it's way more fun to play solitare, lounge around, and eat cherry tomatoes and carrots. I swear, "The Last Days of Disco" has been on repeat for days. And I take away something new with each view. Like the scene where the "Lady and the Tramp" is deconstructed. Priceless.

I finally finished Isn't It Romantic?: An Entertainment, by Ron Hansen. And I wish I had gotten more out of it. I like the whimsy, lovers' romp in Middle America. It's cute, reminds me of those times I've pouted to get what I wanted. And I'm a fan of adding French phrases into English texts. But, the way Hansen does so becomes cumbersome around page 15. He dumbs it down. It seems he doesn't trust that his readers are thinkers. I finished the book wishing I didn't understand French. I may have enjoyed it a bit more.

I'm also pretty excited about Revolving Door. My baby's growing and making all kinds of great new friends. And Red Kiva is so good to us. I'm still giddy from this month's reading! We have some pretty neat things lined-up for the next few months. I swear, it's gonna be a great summer.

song set on repeat

2010-03-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am so love'n Leona Naess' "He's Gone" today. I found this live version, which simply adds more.

2 sentence shameless plug

2010-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

I'm reading at Myopic Saturday, 13 March at 7PM. I would love to see you!

the grifters

2010-02-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post suggests that Jim Thompson was the offspring of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Cornell Woolrich—their literary offspring wrote The Grifters, a novel that I arrived late to. I’m thankful that I was urged to read this book. It prompted various existential questions. Like, why do I keep doing this? After reading the book, I had to watch the film starring John Cusack, Annette Bening, and Angelica Huston. I must say too many of the lines just did not translate to screen. They felt rushed or botched all together. It was a bit disappointing.

Anyhow, Roy Dillon is one short con that I would like to date. I blush as I admit that I’d like to take-up with someone who is amoral (and that is a whole other animal). Thompson created a character that transcends the page. Dillon is sometimes antagonistic and mainly protagonist. I needed to know Dillon’s character. He makes a mockery out of being the victim. In his life there are winners, losers and they seem to hold equal importance in this game. Yes, Thompson reaffirms the idea that life is a hustle (whatever your profession) one short or long con at a time.

A former student, at Columbia, once said something of this nature to me. I wonder if she’s read this novel too. This all has me thinking about a certain mode of functioning. Why are so few programmed? See what I mean, the existential abounds. Thompson suggests that timing and turn of phrase can make. His female characters Moira Langtry and Lilly Dillon are emphatically bad. They make it look good. It’s dark and twisted. This book has been my perfect train companion. I’ve been able to see the beauty in the gritty side of Chicago.

But, it’s not all dark. Thompson artfully inserted an angel with Carol Rothberg’s character. How fitting, I suppose, because she is a nurse. A struggling nurse, implanted to care for Dillon and help Lilly by blocking Moira’s access. Rothberg is innocent. The sweetest little doe one could ever know. Whenever I encounter her, I feel like a high school girl of 15. I’m in uniform and I avert gazes. This is the simple beauty of Rothberg. She is an apparition of all things pure in an American text.

I have since read The Getaway, and I find Thompson honest and undisciplined. He is a writer that runs straight into just about everything I was taught to stay away from. Reading The Grifters made me look at things I don’t often want to see. It has made me reexamine those poems with shady corners and closets—am I saying what needs to be said? His cutting language is a beast. And it was like taking a trip to the darkside, to return to the ding of train bells.

ny fashion week

2010-02-19T14:58:00.001-08:00

It comes to Bryant Park bringing tents and fashion lingo. It goes leaving behind the hangover of something better. And once again, I'm reminded that I have no real ties to the fashion industry. During this week, I allow myself to indulge in extravagance, objectification, beauty. Pretension is rampant. And it’s ok, you know. Models are primped, pricked, prepped (again and again) as they manage to play solitaire, snack (yes, I realized a while back that they do eat), and sleep. I would like to live in a FashionShowBackstage everyday of the year... maybe a Lanvin, Rodarte, Chloé backstage show. It’s the thing. All the snapshots I’ve seen consist of total model pampering—facials, manicures & pedicures, maquiller. I want. I want it. And now that it’s over, I’ve come back down to reality. Like, a reality where one can’t actually wear two different shoes and look chic, dog fur and look sexy, a rat’s nest of kinks & curls without looking crazy.

I searched the interweb for images of my top five faves from the week. I only found two that will do. They are: Orange lipstick (I so ran out and got some), Ballerina buns (sexy and neck elongating). The others are: Sky mile heels (it’s all about being able to reach the clouds), Red accessories (usually worn with neutrals or black), and The boyfriend jacket (not to be confused with the bf blazer, the bf jacket is puffy and worn with a pretty, pretty dress).

etch a sketch

2010-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

So, I don't think Voxtrot has a video for "The Start of Something." And as I was trolling YouTube I found this one. It's such a cute display of one of my fave songs. Look closely for the line: “Poetry is not a luxury, it’s how I’ll break this home.” Love it! Think 1986 Etch A Sketch with the colorful flare of 2010—my mind wanders to little space men and space junk even though we're not going back to the moon anytime soon.

happy birthday, chekhov!

2010-01-29T11:26:00.000-08:00

I own everything you ever wrote. Thank you for "The Cherry Orchard."

the woman always dies

2010-01-26T11:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, she does. No, not really. Yes. She does. Literally or figuratively, the tragic woman dies. She totally does. She dies from shame, the loaded word. Shame of living, not living enough, acting inappropriately, shame acquired (the hopeless romantic in me). The list of 'tragedy' is endless. Think about Shakespeare's Juliet, Portia, Ophelia and Cordelia. What fates they met. What about Hawthorne’s Hester. What a lovely way to live. Yes, she lived decades before Williams' Maggie, Stella and Blanche. But, tragic women all have one thing in common. They love. Unrequited. Shallow. Forbidden. It is the heart that makes a woman tragic. Pish posh, said outloud because, men love too. I've know a few tragedies in my day. It's just (I'm the first to admit) not that interesting to read about tragic men. Yes, I perpetuate the stereotype here, and I can't mention tragic women without calling attention to Ms. Monroe and Ms. Woolf. The belles of tragedy. Why o why. In all of my searching, I am continually drawn to their deaths and the ghosts that followed. Is that something missing. Because, it seems a more meaningful act when the woman dies.

revolving door

2010-01-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Revolving Door continues on Wednesday, 17 February, 7:30p.m., (1108 West Randolph) with performances from Allison Gruber, Donna Pecore, Luis Humberto Valadez, and Sid Yiddish!!

Allison Gruber writes fiction, plays, essays and sometimes, for good measure, poetry. Her work has appeared on-stage, online and in print. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and teaches composition, literature and creative writing at Carthage College and The Illinois Institute of Art.

Alma Stuckey award winner Donna Pecore claims Poetry saved her. It wooshed down over her at Weeds, a Chicago venue-Gregorio Gomez MC in 1996, transforming her. Donna finds this transformation is a daily process, in which something new is found every day-if she looks. This woosh of words has turned Donna into a Word Wrangler, trying to bring voice to the pangs and the joys and the little things, roping them into a cohesive collaboration of sound and sense. Poetry took her to school, first NBC, a two year business school, to learn to type. Falling even more madly in love with poetry at Columbia College Chicago, via Women's poetry, New York School and the Beat, God bless Keroac; she is aquiring her MA at UIC. She has been published in: the South Loop Review, NCC Review, Chicago Poetry's publications, among others and her baby is “Word Curves,” a CCC anthology she edited (Next issue pending) She believes poetry should be heard out loud as well as read. Donna workshops with the Neighborhood Writers Alliance and The Small Table. She hopes her words will woosh down on you, lighting even a little corner of your world, leaving you either with a smile...or a thought.

Luis Humberto Valadez is from Chicago Heights, IL, music, and his jefa. He went to school at Columbia College Chicago and Naropa University. His first book "what i'm on" was published last March by the University of Arizona Press as part of the Camino del Sol series. His first CD "wat ahm on (ep)" was released in conjunction with the book by Last Minute Records. He is deeply influenced by writers like Harryette Mullen, Sonia Sanchez, Anne Waldman, and Amiri Baraka. His performance style is bread from a combination of the influence of the aforementioned writers as well as hardcore punk and hip-hop.

Sid Yiddish is a semi-sweet kosher industrial poet-throat-singing radio broadcasting-Furby spy. He’s performed in tight spaces within the USA & by web-cast in Norway & Denmark, plus published in; Tomorrow, Children, Churches & Daddies, Flipside, Si Senor, Satyr, Urban Coaster, Magnetic Poetry-Book Of Poetry, Poem800.com, Bardball.com & PoetrySuperHighway.com. From 1986 to 1991, he published the poetry fanzine, Cops Hate Poetry. In the past, he's worked diligently as an oddball actor, teacher, beat reporter & as the Chicago coordinator for the Bathroom Poetry Project. He's a current member of the Chicago Composers Forum, Atomic Theory Dance Band & Flabby Hoffman Trio and an honorary member of the Danish punk band, Clean Boys & has been covered by news media including Time Out Chicago, Chicago Tribune, WGN Radio, Chicago Reader, Memphis Flyer & Yahoo! Sports. This spring, Sid will embark upon a tour of Denmark w/Clean Boys, in support of their collaboration together on Sid’s penned “punk opera” & an album that will be subsequently released. In his spare time, Sid roots out crazy sounds by throat-singing & playing Shofars to be in harmony with crows & Furbies worldwide. Sid Yiddish lives in Evanston, Illinois.

cornbread. gumbo. california.

2009-12-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

I always say i'm not traveling for the holiday, and I always do... it was lots of family, friends, gifts and reminiscing. It was sunny, shopping malls, and I was able to get to the beach. I missed california, salty air and the 405. I mean, most of my poems call to the beach and the freeway. These are my roots. Anyway, on baby jesus' birthday, we ate gumbo and cornbread muffins. And my aunt made her famous chicken wings. I think I had two plates full of the wings. I lost count. I was in food heaven. I swear. I ate and ate. And since returning, I've been making cornbread. My favorite part is mixing the batter. It gives me warm fuzzies. And when it comes out of the oven, it smells nothing short of divine. Bring on the cornbread!

I've been thinking about the lessons learned this year. They span. I mean, I learned how to better relate to my students. I learned how to close various important doors. I learned how to forgive. I learned how to better manage my time. I learned more about poetry. I learned more about crafts. I learned that I'm a bit conservative. I learned more about sex and love.

I have also been thinking about what's ahead: classes starting in spring at Columbia, and changes to Revolving Door Reading Series. I've accomplished A LOT in 2009. I deserve a bit of a break. Naples, FL do you hear me calling.

revolving door

2009-12-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Next Thursday, 17 December @ 7:30p.m., Revolving Door continues with poet, John-Franklin Dandridge and guitarist, Vo Era!!!

John-Franklin Dandridge lives and writes in Chicago, IL. He received his M.F.A. in Poetry from Columbia College. His poems have been published in several literary journals and online zines, the latest of which are the Smoking Poet, Spirit's Journal and Fast Geek Reader.

Vo Era is a professional independent recording artist that hit Chicago's soul music scene in 2003 with a song in his heart and a guitar in his hand. His first performances were received by the wide and receptive audience known affectionately to him as "the subway commuters." With the love and support of his eclectic audience, Vo has since performed at such venues as The Wild Hare, The Cotton Club, Winestyles/South Loop, and many others. Vo Era's unique sound fuses poignantly simple lyrics with funky soulful guitar rhythms. Vo knows how to musically take a common phrase and paint the most colorful and extraordinary picture of life's most relatable occurrences making it easy to identify his acute skill and life experience within his music.

We hope to see you next Thursday at Red Kiva (1108 W. Randolph)!!!

revolving door

2009-11-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Revolving Door Reading Series Presents:

The Book Release Celebration for

The Lingua Franca of Ninth Street

Poems by Randall Horton

When: Thursday, 12 November @ 7:30p.m.

Where: Red Kiva (1108 W. Randolph)

With open mic readings from

Krista Franklin & Toni Asante Lightfoot

Tell everyone ya know!

Revolving Door is always searching for open mic'ers. If you would like to sign-up, please contact us at: revolvingdoorrs@gmail.com

revolving door

2009-10-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

We (Jen Steele and I) hosted our first Revolving Door Reading Series on 1 October, featuring poets Kristy Bowen and Cecilia Pinto. It was a smash! Thanks to Kristy, Cecilia, and Red Kiva: Revolving Door's new home!

It took me a few weeks to process this new project. It's my baby in the bassinet begging for sweettea. Now that we're home, I can talk about the wonders of hanging out in the metaphorical nursery.

I spent months planning what we would encounter on our first night. I can safely say that all of my anxieties are, momentarily, put to rest. It was an evening full of delicate, smart, and fringe-bending poetry thanks to the aforementioned ladies and our open mic'ers. And Jen is a pretty swell co-host.

I started thinking about Revolving Door at AWP in February. I'm excited that Jen is my partner in this search for diverse parings. We want Revolving Door to become the West Loop's fashionable (whatever you deem fashionable) reading series of poetry and culture. What does this mean? Well, on the third Thursday of each month, we'll feature poets, musicians, fictionists ('fiction writer' bugs me), artists, and those in between. We hope to provide evenings of insight, laughter, dazzle--well, you know what words, music, and art can do.

We look forward to seeing you, yes you, at our next reading on 12 November, at 7:30 p.m. Revolving Door is hosting Randall Horton's, The Lingua Franca of Ninth Street, Book Release Celebration!! So, tell everyone ya know!

Revolving Door is always searching for open mic'ers. If you would like to sign-up, please contact us at: revolvingdoorrs@gmail.com

hibernation, fibernation

2008-04-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a longish Winter in Chic-a-go. It still lingers. Winter and I have settled into an engagement. I've taken to a bit of baking, and I make sweets for him. I may be something of a modern day Betty Crocker. Chocolate fudge cakes, Oatmeal raisin cookies, and (my absolute favorite) Strawberry cupcakes (see photo). O my! The apartment smells downright lovely! The only downside to this domestication project: I throw leftovers away. Wasteful. Shame on me. I must phone Winter, Spring break ends tomorrow.

chess king, 1972

2008-01-18T11:35:00.000-08:00

I was moved when I heard of Bobby Fischer's, 64, death. I grew-up playing chess, although not competitively. But, I did beat my brothers on a few occasions. Fischer was a recluse, a strange character. His style of play was manipulative, engrossing at best. He sought to crush his opponent's mind. His chess career was overshadowed by his erratic tendencies. He made anti-Semitic comments, although he was half Jewish. He was a political pawn during the Cold War. The U.S. revoked his passport, and Iceland granted him citizenship. It has always been my thought that caged things lash out, against themselves, against others...

jamie k.

BONK! 40

november reading

twilight. swoon. hmm.

find fiction

nietzsche. denim dress. meep.

chapbook. summer sizzle. brothel.

ap's video essay

revolving door

inside look at revolving door

spring: chicago poetry brothel

poetry outside the lines

"the dust of suns"

winter: poetry brothel

winter blahs

winter: poetry brothel

beauty

footage: poetry brothel

division|collective

awesome

fall: poetry brothel

the unrequited

toutes mes journées

the game of chess

chicago poetry brothel

shameless plug

acm. party. ponty.

champs de marguerite

o my gosh, le quatorze juillet

summer: poetry brothel

just because

pink. sonnet. man.

an awesome reading

set on repeat

red flowers

crossword puzzles?

procrastination

song set on repeat

2 sentence shameless plug

the grifters

ny fashion week

etch a sketch

happy birthday, chekhov!

the woman always dies

revolving door

cornbread. gumbo. california.

revolving door

revolving door

top 5 reads, lately

revolving door

hibernation, fibernation

chess king, 1972