My First “Public Appearance”
This evening I’ll put on my best dress, paint a smile on my face, and head downtown to Linnaea’s Café where, at 7 o’clock on the third Sunday of every month, they hold poetry readings, open to the public. I’ll put my name on the sign-up sheet and an hour or more later when it’s called, I’ll stand up at the front of the room and recite into the microphone, in the space of five minutes or less and in as steady a voice as I can muster, one or more of my so-called poems. I say so-called because while I feel confident that I’m a good writer, writing poetry doesn’t come naturally to me like it does to other people I know; I have to work hard to create a poem I consider “worthy.” But what the hell, huh? It’s all part of the “writer” experience, or so I hear… (read?)
July 19, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I know you’ll be great – your poems will flow, as they do on paper. And have fun!
July 19, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Thanks, Pam, appreciate your encouragement
July 20, 2009 at 1:28 am
have fun girl… something i will not do,i guess, go out and speak something out load of my soul…
July 20, 2009 at 3:59 am
… and how did it go? Baited breath have we!
July 20, 2009 at 8:07 am
When you put it out there, on a blog or in front of a room, it’s out there. But I’m the same way D., don’t like to expose myself to ridicule that I can actually see with my eyes.
July 20, 2009 at 8:12 am
Thanks, Noah. My opinion about it all is mixed. I don’t think I’m a big fan of readings where there’s a guest speaker who goes on for hours before the open mike, because unless you’re a big fan of that person, you’ve got to sit through every poem they’ve ever written (some of which leaves you stone cold.) Then the open mike and it’s your turn and it’s over in 2 minutes, which is the good part, and then any positive feedback anyone wants to give when the evening breaks up and you head out the door. I sold one book last night as I was leaving, so that was cool. But it was bizarre too because halfway thru the open mike someone went over his time limit and when the moderator called him on it, he got belligerent and so did another participant on his behalf, and before long there was practically a brawl going on, with the rest of us looking on in wonder and thinking maybe it was time to bolt… pretty weird.
July 21, 2009 at 2:50 am
rarely is anyone’s first time at anything, perfect. good on you for getting out there 🙂
July 21, 2009 at 7:31 am
Thanks, Noah!
July 21, 2009 at 10:06 am
nice one, selling one book sounds good, and as i said, i would not go out there (well i think so, for now). it is big different to put something here behinde the screen and to stand, tying to hide behinde a mic.
happy it went good…
July 23, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I am so glad you had the guts to do this!! I can tell you from experience.. each time is easier… but each time is different. I don’t get nervous at all anymore, but when my name is called and I bolt up to the mic, I find my hands shake while I read, I guess out of sheer exhilaration. But I’ve turned lemons into spiked lemonade and wrote a poem about my hands shaking to read at my next open mic. Use your obstacles as inspiration, that’s what I say.
Bravo!!! I’m so proud of you! I hope you do more of this.
July 26, 2009 at 4:35 pm
You are absolutely right D., it’s very different, and I prefer the writing to the speaking myself, by far.
July 26, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Bryan, my hands were shaking too, and my voice. Your encouragement means a great deal to me, I can’t tell you. Many thanks!