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!
roadside ghosts and writing your obsessions
3 days ago
