Genre: Poetry

Objectified

10.22.18

“I always feel that I’ve seen a thing after I’ve described it….when I’ve written a thorough physical description of something, then I feel like I’ve seen it and I’ll remember it,” says Barbara Kingsolver in “A Talk in the Woods,” her conversation with Richard Powers in the November/December issue of Poets & Writers Magazine. Choose an object that you have never really given much thought to, but that you see frequently in your home or on your commute, perhaps a houseplant or a mailbox or a street sign. Spend some time intensely observing it, and then jot down a thorough physical description. Afterwards, write a poem about the object. How did your perception of it change, in your mind’s eye, after going through the exercise of articulating it in language?

Passages Bookshop

Passages Bookshop specializes in unusual, fine, and rare books and graphic art, focusing on poetry, modern art and literature, fine printing and artist’s books, and related materials. They host readings, book launches, music, and receptions for artists.

Newmark Theatre

The Newmark Theatre, located in Antoinette Hatfield Hall at the Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, is an 880-seat theater that hosts theater productions, concerts, author readings and talks, literary events, lectures and discussions, and other events throughout the year.

Mother Foucault’s Bookshop

Mother Foucault’s Bookshop is a serious book lover’s haven with a curated collection of literature, philosophy, literary criticism, foreign language books, and more. They regularly host literary events such as readings, talks, panels, and performances.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Lan Su Chinese Garden is a nonprofit botanical garden that frequently hosts a variety of workshops, classes, lectures and readings, performances, and exhibits. During the year, members and visitors alike have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities, including Tea & Poetry, which enhance visitors’ understanding of Chinese culture and provide opportunities to learn and play. All activities, unless otherwise noted, are free with membership or admission.

Independent Publishing Resource Center

The Independent Publishing Resource Center’s mission is to facilitate creative expression, identity, and community by providing individual access to tools and resources for creating independently published media and artwork. Since its inception in 1998 the center has been dedicated to encouraging the growth of a visual and literary publishing community by offering a space to gather and exchange information and ideas, as well as to produce work. The IPRC regularly holds workshops, classes, talks, readings, performances, presentations, and book release events.

Maw Shein Win

Caption: 

“Catch whispers in libraries. / Greet strangers with acorns and grapefruit. / Remember eyes, ghosts, smoke. / Watch brothers as they disappear.” Maw Shein Win reads several poems, including “Flower Instructions,” from her debut collection, Invisible Gifts (Manic D Press, 2018), for the Radar Reading series at the San Francisco Public Library in 2017. Win is featured in “5 Over 50” in the November/December issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.

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