Ode to Brandi Homan

Last night, at Brandi's book release party, I had a little flashback. It was AWP 2007 in Atlanta and I was feeling a little overwhelmed with all the crowds at the bookfair, a little overloaded from all the panels that I had gone to that morning, and I just wanted some peace and quiet, and since it was winter, a little Atlanta sunshine. I found a spot in the courtyard and sat down, started sifting through my swag. I pulled out a chapbook, Two Kinds of Arson, by some girl I'd never heard of, but I opened it up, read the first poem, and loved it. And then I loved the second, and the third, and so on. When I got to the last poem, I flipped back to the beginning. Brandi had written the poems I was trying to write--the angst ridden ex-boyfriend poems that don't even hover on sentimentality. Kick-ass single girl poems that don't make being single sound sad even when it is lonely. I was in love with these poems.

That night, Brandi read with a bunch of fabulous poets at a place called D'jango, in a dimly lit basement which is part of why the release party at the Hideout started the flashback...but anyhow, after she read, Mary made me introduce myself and tell Brandi that I was in love with her poems. I was (am) shy and really didn't want to, but I did. Oh, I was so nervous, which seems silly, now that I know Brandi. She signed my book "So glad I'm not the only one who obsesses" or something along those lines, and I adored her even more.

Since then, Brandi and I have become friends, and I almost forgot that we met because she was one of my poetry idols. Last night, I remembered. And I finally got my hands on a copy of Hard Reds, which I haven't gotten all the way through yet, but I am totally loving it just as much as I loved Arson. So here's to you, Brandi, for being an inspiring poet and for being the first member of my Chicago family. Thanks for everything!