February 11, 2006

Gloria Frym & Bernadette Mayer at Small Press Traffic, February 10.

Bernadette Mayer read first. Engaging, funny, seemingly light-hearted even while reading more serious (ie. not funny) poems. I had never seen her read before, and I realized immediately that I have been reading her much differently than she reads herself. It now gives me fodder to go back and reread her in a different light. Poetry readings seldom do that to/for me. It was great that she read a few of the mis-translation pieces, French text included (with the help of an audience member).

Gloria Frym read several war related poems and used a lot of the tools utilized succesfully by slam poets (rhyme, catalogue verse) but without the cadence that makes spoken word actually flow. Also unlike slam poets, she'd let the rhyme drop, making it seem that she wasn't committed to or sure of the device.