[New-Poetry] Rogue panel at AWP conference

[Millicent Accardi]

I remember that! I?was in the audience. The panel looked good--


Cheers,

Millicent 

-----Original Message-----
From: James Cervantes <cervantes.james at gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 9:28 am
Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Rogue panel at AWP conference



There's an article concerning this at 


http://chicagopoetry.com/modules.php?op=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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