KGB Bar: Red Hen Press poetry reading

Last night, I met up with Ted at the KGB Bar in the East Village, to hear my friend Ernie read from his book Sixty Sonnets (I reviewed it here). The book was published by the Red Hen Press, so three other “Red Hen Press” authors were reading as well – two poets and one novelist. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to KGB Bar, and it was good to be back. To quote Anne Shirley, that place has “scope for imagination”. Of course all the walls are a deep red. You know. Soviet.

It was a great turnout, tons of people, wine, lots of things to buy – books – and then of course there was Ernie, in a suit (“Forgive me for being dramatically over-dressed,” he said when he began his reading), strolling around passing out tchatchkes with E-verse Radio on them (his brand), and also cool memorabilia that he has created for his book. I walked out of there with my bag overflowing with key chains, stickers, and, very cool, a beer bottle – labeled Sixty Sonnets – with a rolled-up piece of paper inside, with one of the poems on it. Message in a bottle. When the editor at Red Hen Press introduced Ernie she said, “It’s funny because Ernie … well, he’s kind of a hustler … and that’s nice to see in a poet.” Meanwhile, there was Ernie strolling around passing out E-verse keychains and working the room, basically illustrating her point.

It was wonderful to see Ted, too, who is so deeply buried in schoolwork right now that it is tough to find time to see him! It was good for him to take a break – and it was a great New York kind of night: free, first of all, with wine, and interesting people, and we also got seats at a table in the corner, which was good, because it was so packed a lot of people had to stand.

Ernie read from his collection, and also read some poems that will be in his next collection – some of them I have already read, but it’s always cool to hear someone read their own work. To see where they go with it, how they put themselves into it, what they choose to emphasize.

One of the things I love about Ernie’s work is how funny it often is. How suddenly light-hearted and ridiculous. I mean, how many poets dedicate a poem to Ray Harryhausen?? “I always feel sorry for the monsters,” confessed Ernie. Poetry readings can often be solemn precious affairs. This one was not. It was a blast.

Afterwards, Ted and I went and chatted with Ernie for a bit, congratulating him, and we talked a bit about my review of Ernie’s book. I was joking, “I was laying it on thick, don’t you think? ‘As JAMES JOYCE once said … SO DOES ERNIE.'” We were all laughing. Ernie said, “Seriously – the comparisons you put in there were killing me! I was also compared to Michael Jackson in the same week. James Joyce and Michael Jackson.” “You can die in peace now. But you know I meant every word.”

And so I did.

Then Ted and I went out to go grab a bite, not an easy prospect at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday night in the East Village. We tried a couple of our favorite joints, only to find them packed, with a half-hour wait … and finally we walked up to 11th Street to our favorite tapas place. Ted used to have annual birthday bashes there, and it’s an awesome place. We couldn’t believe there was a table free, but there was, right up by the front window. You have to go down a couple of steps to enter the place, and one of the best parts about it is its decor. The entire ceiling is draped in fishing nets, strung with blue and red lights. The waiters are knowledgeable, fast, and uniformly sweet. Great wine. Ted and I have our favorite tapas to get (why fix it if it ain’t broke) so we ordered a bunch, and then settled in for some good conversation (shouted above the music).

I was a bit manic yesterday, for various reasons, and I had had a good hour where all I did was cry and laugh at the same time … I had to get up and walk around the block and cry and laugh like a crazy person, circling Chelsea Market – and my hair was huge and wild – I had tried to calm it down but there was wind yesterday so when I walked into the poetry reading, I felt like I looked as though I had just leapt off my Harley. “Yo, what up, Red Hen peeps … got my bike outside … good to see you.” It was good to not be manic, you know, all by myself, in my apartment – I talked Ted’s EARS OFF – but he talked my ears off, too.

It was really really fun. Yesterday was a very good day.

Some pictures below. Of course, once the events in question started – I stopped taking pictures – which means, yet again, that I have photos only of PLACES, not of people. But during the poetry reading, even though lots of people were taking pictures, I just wanted to be “in” it, and not trying to capture it.

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2 Responses to KGB Bar: Red Hen Press poetry reading

  1. ted says:

    I love that first picture of Xunta – fabulous! And a fab night, by the way. I loved your excitement, you’re on fire!

  2. red says:

    I feel like I am LITERALLY on fire!

    Yes – great night! Good luck with everything!!

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