book release: No Water by Renée Alberts

No Water will be available for the first time at the release this Friday the 6th, but if you aren't in Pittsburgh or can't make it, you can buy a copy after that here on the site.




Speed and Briscoe presents a book release reading...

No Water
poems by Renée Alberts

with readings from:
Nikki Allen
Kristofer Collins
Karl Hendricks
and Renée Alberts

hosted by:
Jason the Underwater Culprit
and Red Bob

Friday, March 6th
$7 includes museum admission
doors and cash bar at 5:30 pm
show at 8:00 pm

Andy Warhol Museum
117 Sandusky Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412.237.8300

The event will take place during the Andy Warhol Museum's weekly Good Friday happy hour on Friday, March 6th. Let's party.

***

For a preview, listen to WRCT's A Live Show, hosted by Jason the Underwater Culprit, on Thursday, March 5th at 9:00 pm. The Skirt Tasters and I will split the show. Tune in to 88.3 FM or stream it live.

come listen!

Two upcoming events this weekend:

anthology release: Encyclopedia Destructica, Coatlicue 2.

The book, edited by Jerome Crooks, features a collection of work by 29 writers and 18 artists. Contributors include: Renée Alberts, boice-Terrel Allen, Nikki Allen, Adam Atkinson, Nils Balls, Beano, Tony Burfield, Leslie Clague, Morgan Cahn, Kristofer Collins, Jen Cooney, Claire Donato, Angele Ellis, Ryan Emmett, Mike-Frank G. Epitropoulos, Kevin Finn, Karl Hendricks, Ben Hernstrom, David Howe, Ben Kehoe, Jenny Lynn Keller, Peter Kosloski, Mike Larson, Jonathan Loucks, Melodie Manojlovich, Tony Mancus, Mallory Monroe, Colin Noonan, Red Bob, Curt Riegelnegg, Nick Rogers, Adrienne Rozzi, Thomas Scioli, Ed Steck, Michelle Stoner, Matthew Torti, Mary Tremonte, Heidi Tucker, Masha Vereshchenko, Stacey Waite, Marcel Walker, Shawn Watrous, Don Wentworth, Wayne Wise, Mike Woodfill, and Katherine Young.

This anthology includes poetry, two philosophy papers, short fiction, sketch essays, non fiction essays, an exposé, non-sequitur illustrations, and of course, is handsomely hand-bound by Encyclopedia Destructica. In fact, there are 16 cover illustrations printed on 6 different colors for a grand total of 96,000,000 cover variations. Collect them all!

February 27th
Brillobox
8:30 pm
Admission to the book release and reading is free and open to the public.
Beginning at 10:30 pm there will be a $2 door charge during the dance party.

featuring readings by:
boice-Terrel Allen
Red Bob
Kristofer Collins
Michelle Stoner

Editor Jerome Crooks says, “The only qualification for inclusion in the book was that the writer be from, or spent time, in Pittsburgh. I didn't expect there to be any similarities beyond a shared location, or the mention of a local personality, or event. What I found combing through the submissions was a shared set of themes. The tone was similar. Unromantic and unflinching, writer after writer confessed, faced their fears, and challenged themselves creatively. They entertain the entire time.”

The event also marks Encyclopedia Destructica’s 4th Birthday (and 20th book), and as such will feature a post-reading Dance Party at 10:30 pm with DJ Thermos.



THEN!

Saturday, February 28, 2009
ModernFormations Gallery
8:00pm
$3

The Big Dig: 6 Gallery Press Winter Showcase featuring:

Renee Alberts
Nikki Allen
Kristofer Collins
Jerome Crooks
Che Elias
Jessica Fenlon
Dana Killmeyer
Bill Hughes
Karen Lillis
Jonathan Loucks
Scott McClanahan
John Thomas Menesini
Alexi Morrissey
Scott Silsbe
Ed Steck

woke this way

1. 

masked shaman in the doorway

checks her watch,

solo, satisfied,

and i followed her, 

paused on my way.

i woke up like this.

Had a shot and a shock and a line,

grunted, scratched.

Hold still--

she's gone.

2.

Think hard, keep that

thought aloft.

Are we done yet?

Got what you want?

i breathed light briefly--

watched it blow out my mouth

to you

from the rim of your ring.

But your eyes shut, averted.

You know it.

And the other one?

He's gone ahead  

east already

and not alone.

***

Joined a writer's group yesterday.  This poem is the product of one of the exercises we played.  Try.  Choose the first and final lines of 10 songs.  

Arrange them in a single, twenty-line poem. 

Or

Using the lines in the order they're written (however you write them), make a two-part poem.  The first part uses all of the first lines, but rephrased in your words, preserving whatever your impression was of the songwriter's sentiment.  The second part does the same with the last lines.

womanist

The following text is quoted from the introduction page to In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker. Thanks to Cathie for recommending the book.


Womanist 1. From womanish. (Opp. of "girlish," i.e. frivolous, irresponsible, not serious.) A black feminist or feminist of color. From the black folk expression of mothers to female children, "You acting womanish," i.e. like a woman. Usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous or willful behavior. Wanting to know more and in greater depth than is considered "good" for one. Interested in grown-up doings, Acting grown up. Being grown up. Interchangeable with another black folks expression: "You trying to be grown." Responsible. In charge. Serious.

2. Also: A woman who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually. Appreciates and prefers women's culture, women's emotional flexibility (values tears as natural counterbalance of laughter), and women's strength. Sometimes loves individual men, sexually and/or nonsexually. Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically, for health. Traditionally universalist, as in: "Mama, why are we brown, pink, and yellow, and our cousins are white, beige, and black?" Ans: "Well, you know the colored race is just like a flower garden, with every color flower represented." Traditionally capable, as in: "Mama, I'm walking to Canada and I'm taking you and a bunch of other slaves with me." Reply: "It wouldn't be the first time."

3. Loves music. Loves dance. Loves the moon. Loves the Spirit. Loves food and roundness. Loves struggle. Loves the Folk. Loves herself. Regardless.

4. Womanist is to feminist as purple to lavender.