Where I'll be Reading: Oxford American Annex, Little Rock, Thursday, July 31

75º ~ windows open at 10 a.m. on July 29th ~ Arkansas doing its best to charm me this summer ~ too much beauty?


Rebecca Gayle Howell, the Oxford American's Poetry Editor will be in town this week, and the magazine is hosting a poetry reading to celebrate. In addition to Howell, Hope Coulter and I will be filling out the line up.

This reading will be Thursday, July 31st at 7:00 p.m. at the OA Annex, which is next door to South on Main in Little Rock. The reading is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30; however, if you'd like to eat or have a drink, I highly recommend South on Main, which has a happy hour from 4-6, just one door down.

The three of us will read, and then there will be a brief Q & A, and we should be wrapped up around 8. I have to say that I got a bit of thrill from seeing the announcement about the reading in the OA's weekly email. Zing.

For those unfamiliar, here's a bit of a teaser (just the beginnings of poems for copyright purposes).

Rebecca Gayle Howell
"My Mother Told Us Not to Have Children" from Rattle #42

She'd say never have a child you don't want.
Then, she'd say, of course, I wanted you

when you were here. She's not cruel. Just practical.
Like a kitchen knife. Still, the blade. The care.


Hope Coulter
"Morning Haul" from Rattle #36

Just as, every morning,
my grandfather checked his trotlines,

throwing out gar and snapping turtles,
pulling in bream and catfish

and sometimes a bass
green-wet turning white in the sun...


Sandy Longhorn
"Backdrop for an Archetypal Bloodline" from Anti- #68

Here is a map to the tree
that bears
            the heirloom fruit.
Fragile flesh.
                  Indian blood peach
prized for its tart bite.


Hope to see y'all there!