hollow weenie

Went to the Front Cafe for the last friday in every month poetry reading. there is a reading the last friday of every month at the cafe orgainsed (and he does not get enough credit for it) by uber poetry nerd julian this is always (well almost always) a nice gig, not too crowded, not to sparse. this month was themed of halloween, which was not really a surprise, as it was on october 31 (which is also my youngest girl's birthday - she turned two - very cute bundle of emotion).

There was an exhibit by a painter in the gallery space, but i was not very moved by his work, so let us get on to the poetry. the night was won by a young woman named Liz Beaton, who wrote a rhyming poem (only finished on the night) about falling asleep and rip van winkle wise waking up in the future. in this case only a few years into the future, but one in which the right wing had gained power again (which of course assumes the ALP is to the left) and things were not very good. Seung Baek came in second and Hadley third (which in fact surprised me, as both of them seemed flat compared to their usual efforts.)

My winner was a woman named Jen (sorry did not get her last name) with a very beautiful poem which she described as a "gothic rhapsody" she had a lovely phrasing, and a slow power not often seen in the hurly burly of the slam format. speaking with the winner liz, we both agreed that her poem was one of the few that evening that it would be good to read.

i also enjoyed the reading of anthony (who has just handed in his thesis), as he held up his poems in such a way that a photo copy of his face, on the back of the page, covered his real face. it was an effective conceit. i would have taken better notes , but alas i gave my pencil to one of the judges, so could not take notes.

hmm maybe i should bring a camera.