Poetry Reading in Downtown Taichung

https://www.facebook.com/HappenTaichung/

3-18-16 Fri.

     Some two dudes, who I never saw on Facebook before, are holding a poetry reading in Downtown Taichung on Thurs., March 31at 7:00pm. I  friended one dude named David, a guy who liked two poems that I wrote and posted on "Taiwan Writers." I want to know who I am sharing my poetry with in public and who is running the venue.  I sent a private IM to David telling him I was interested in reading (and playing the harp) and asking what kind of stuff he was looking for. My desire to "play out" has always been there and I have gone down a few dead ends to get there. 

Since I have time to go, I may just go after class two Thursdays from now.

 David Wood is a chef  affiliated with Lone Wolf Publications 

Michael Smith had mentioned starting poetry readings in Taichung. A poetry reading with him is possible. I owe it to myself to visit the event David is planning and will mention it to Michael. 

4-1-16 Fri. 

      I rode to downtown Taichung after class last evening to join a poetry reading called “Lost and Found Poetry.” It was the first time David Braden and David Woods did this at a private start-up called “Happening.” 

David Wood had  a few beers last evening. I animated the five or six onlookers with readings of “Watching Youth Harvesting Han River,” “The River is My Refuge,” and “When You Spread My Ashes,” and he  loosened up. His best poem was an angry diatribe to the city of Taichung. Meanwhile, an interesting Tibetan monk mumbled words in Mandarin with three droning musicians, one good on electric violin. During a break from the music with David Braden who blew along merrily on a harmonica David Woods and I spoke.

 The monk and players had left by the time I read but returned momentarily to have a group picture taken. All the while, projected on a wall behind the staging area, were slides of David Braden. 

      David Wood sat next to me as the music droned on. We talked a little bit and I felt close to him. I lured in a few passing musicians who looked in from the street I lured them in but they stayed only for a song and left. “Lost and Found Poetry” is not going to get walk-ins with avant guard music.

      I hope there are future poetry readings. I enjoyed reading my poems and got good reaction. “The River is My Refuge” was direct reference to the “The Refuge.” The other poems, with references to “fallow potato fields” and “youth beating the water with sticks” to flush out a catch,  and references I made during the poem reading about ex-pats who had been away from the reality too long.