LOOKIN FOR NAMESso it was suggested to me there be a Greater Cleveland Area Poets Festival...
a fairly inclusive gathering of all walks of verse. now typical of this town is to name a 'fest' after a dead poet, giving us all an excuse to party like rockstars.
but i don't think honoring the dead is the only way to go. (in fact, peers of mine sorta laugh it up because they want to know what dead guy we are currently upholding with our own relevant voices).
in May Green Panda has up its sleeve three days of poetry and music...
but many (most?) on the bill are coming here from faraway. and certainly, the poets who will read their work do not cover the Great lake of us. in fact they are mainly indy poets who deal in (very) small presses.
is there a "reason" or theme for gathering the wildly diverse voices which does not point to the deceased, albeit desrving all our honor?
is it possible to throw a few days party that would not exclude a well-tuned voice?
it would be pretty awesome if Cleveland got it together for say a semi-annual shindig with a really cool name. sure some folks from out of town could be featured, so they could brag to their cronies, i read in CLEVELAND for their semi-anny.
i am beginning to think if there's a Name there's a way...
10 comments:
plus maybe people who know what haiku are could have a slot to give us the genuine gist...
I know this may sound obvious, but what's wrong with "Cleveland Poetry Festival" or something of that ilk? How about "Cleveland Poetry Conference" or "Cleveland Poetry Jubilee," etc.
As far as haiku readings are concerned, in a recent post I proposed a two year project for haiku in Cleveland. Considering the natural wealth encapsulated in NEOH, I see no reason why haiku couldn't be a part of any poetry event, if not a one time festival focus in and of itself.
I think this is a great idea! (regardless of what it ends up being named...and with all the writers here, we should all be able to come up with a few titles for some kind of Clevelandesque Poetry Extravaganza)
Lake Effect Poetry!
Leave It To Cleveland!
Going off of Mr. Goddard's suggestion, how 'bout "Lake Effect Language Festival"?
I like the idea of a name that doesn't necessarily include the city's name.
ie the Bumbershoot fest in Seattle
Litquake in San Francisco
Words by the Water in Devon England
Not that I have anyting against our fine city - but I think having such a moniker helps to transcend location.
Could we name it something iconic of Cleveland, but completely unrelatd to literature?
Wouldn't it be great it poets said "Hey, I'm going to 'Free Stamp'" this year or "I'll see you at 'Lake Effect' next month" or something like that.
Lake Effect--- i swear to gawd i was watchin the news last night and thought of Lake Effect!
i really like that...i have really thought alot about this...and think its feasible. in a moment i will post a more honed-in vision of how this can go down, and what all it can be.
if everyone enthusiastic about this adds brainstorming ideas we can feasibly make it happen, even as early as Summer 2009.
Eerf Stamp.
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