[New-Poetry] Rogue panel at AWP conference

[James Cervantes]

There's an article concerning this at
http://chicagopoetry.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1221<http://chicagopoetry.com/modules.phpop=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1221>

Several years ago at the AWP conference in Palm Springs, I was the only
panelist to show up for a panel on poetry & dreams.  The others had
legitimate reasons or mishaps that prevented them from coming, though I had
not been notified until the last minute.  I went to the appointed room at
the appointed time and discovered, to my horror, that the room was packed.
 Luckily, an official AWP person showed up at the same time and did the
dirty work of informing the audience that the panel had been cancelled.
 Friends and wags commented that the whole thing had been a dream.

- Jim


On Sun, Feb 15, 2009 at 8:45 PM, David Graham <grahamd at ripon.edu> wrote:

> I am just back from Chicago, where I ingested millions of new words by many
> poets at the AWP annual conference.
> Thought I would report on the most interesting panel I've ever attended.
>  It was billed as Chicago Poetry Slam, and was to have featured the inventor
> of the slam, Marc Smith, along with several others.
>
> None of the promised panelists showed up.  I don't know why, though I heard
> a number of rumors later.
>
> The room was packed, and everyone stayed for 10, 15, 20 minutes into the
> nonexistent event.  Finally a gentleman named C. J. Laity stood up and asked
> if anyone wanted to read a poem.  As it happens, several did.  Pretty soon
> there was an absolutely unplanned poetry slam occurring.  Mr. Laity
> performed as M.C., ushered readers up and led the applause after they read,
> etc.  He began calling it the Illegal Panel, the Anti-Slam, etc.  Things got
> more and more riotous.  Almost nobody left the room, and there were many
> readers, in a wide range of styles.
>
> At one point someone from the next room came over and complained that our
> room was too raucous, which it was.
>
> As at any open mic, the quality of the offerings and performances varied,
> but I can't say it was any more uneven than the average sponsored event I've
> attended over many years.
>
> It was easily the most interesting AWP event I've ever seen, and I walked
> out feeling just great.
>
> No, I did not read anything myself--which is what everyone asks me when I
> tell the story.  I just relished it.
>
>  Read more about this event and see some photos here:
>
>
> http://chicagopoetry.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1221
>
>
>
>
>
> ========================================
> David Graham
> grahamd at ripon.edu
>
> Home Page:
> http://web.mac.com/drjazz
>
> Poetry Library:
> http://web.mac.com/drjazz/iWeb/Site/DGPoLibrary.html
> ==========================================
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