While You Were Reading

Received word a couple of days ago that I came in a second place tie in the Columbus Arts Festival poetry audition.

What does this mean?

I get to read for half an hour (instead of fifteen minutes) at the festival on Saturday, June 6th at 6PM. I think I also get a short bio in the program.



Two years ago I was stunned to get a slot. I suspected I did well in this year's audition, but not that good. I am humbled to be on the podium, as it were, with a couple of Columbus' finest poets in Mikelle Hickman-Romaine and Louise Robertson.

Taking off on a mini road trip tomorrow. I have a real itch to get out of the city now that the weather is getting better. There is some paperwork that has to get done this weekend. Tonight and Sunday should take care of at least half of that. Must get cracking on the poetry. Big slam on Wednesday night, along with pre=preparation for June.

Also booked a flight for my son and I to head to Long Island and see my parents next month.



The still is from the film Hunger. It's one of the most brutal and profound films I've seen in a long time. It tells the story of IRA terrorist Bobby Sands and the hunger strike that killed him in 1981. Director Steve McQueen makes his feature director/writer debut with this and knocks it out of the building with brilliant visuals such as snow falling on the bloody knuckles of a prison guard. I may be projecting this but I believe some of this film was influenced by the work of Bresson and Truffaut. The politics are kept neutral through some brutal scenes of violence and grotesque artistry. There is one breathtaking long shot of Sands discussing his hunger strike with a priest that was done in a single take of 17 minutes. Michael Fassbender goes through a physical transformation not unlike Christian Bale's in The Machinist. It's not a film for the faint of heart, but if you want to see a bleak transformation of a character it's a stunning piece of film making.



Image from brooklynvegan.com

Been tracking down the latest record from Elvis Perkins and what I've heard is amazing. It's a bit more upbeat musically that Ash Wednesday, but the content of the songs is just as bittersweet.