Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Linda Chase, Jeffrey Wainwright and Robert Graham at the Didsbury Arts Festival

Down Dene Road through the falling leaves last night to the Nazarene Theological College and another Didsbury Festival event, a reading by poets Linda Chase and Jeffrey Wainwright. In through the gates and past the white timbered Edwardian building to a modern hall extension and the peacefully clean atmosphere which contemporary religious buildings always seem to have. As usual, it was a great pleasure to listen to these two poets read their very different kinds of poetry: Linda's sensual with vivid imagery, and Jeffrey's vibrating with exciting ideas. Before they began, two heavily moustachio'd figures dressed as cowboys emerged from the door at the side of the stage with guitars, the Mariachoo! singers, and they serenaded us before and after the readings, and as we sipped our coffee during the break.

Off to Casa Tapas tonight, to hear my fellow Salt author Robert Graham read from his story collection, The Only Living Boy. I haven't yet seen the book, which I know includes one of the brilliant stories of Robert's we published in metropolitan, and I'm really looking forward to getting a copy.

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