hotel poem, poets of cleveland

cover of Charlotte Mann’s Hotel Poem – foto of Charlotte Mann’s foto by Smith

Lady and I were lucky enough to each have one of our poems and our foto taken by Charlotte Mann in her just released 9″ x 12″ 100 page hardcover book Hotel Poem, Poets of Cleveland featuring 47 Cleveland poets. We’ll all be gathering at Visible Voice Books tonight to read our poems out on the patio under the stars.

The book is $40 and contains a cd of 30 of the poets reading their poems. There were 20 copies of a limited edition book hand-printed by J.S. Makkos of Language Foundry which featured a linoleum print cover and special inserts which sold for $60, but those sold out. I believe most of the regular copies are also nearly sold out, but the remaining copies will be on sale tonight. The 47 fotos will also be on display at the Brandt Gallery tonight (which is right across the street).

Here’s Charlotte’s announcement

August 22, 2009 / 7:00 p.m. / Visible Voice Books 1023 Kenilworth in Tremont
Poets: Come read your poem from Hotel Poem, Poets of Cleveland
Poets: Open-Mic to follow (time permitting)
Poets: You will be accompanied by a jazz pianist
Poets: Photographs will be viewable across the street at Brandt Gallery (special extended hours for this event)
Poets: Tell your friends. Tell your families. Tell your other poets.
Poets: Check out the website: hotelpoemcleveland.com

Poets: Anyone who has bought a non limited edition Hotel Poem, Poets of Cleveland is due a CD. I have decided to include that in all the copies. If you got a book then let me know, I’ll get the CD to you. It’s brilliant, compiled by Jose Alberto Luna.

Poets: Thank You, Charlotte Mann

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Here are the poems we have in the book.

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THIS DESERT

This desert
this was once lush jungle
(until writers ate the trees)

– Lady, 6.23.2007

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Formulating Future

My psychotropic trauma
began before my Mama
cloned in chromosome
the she in me.

Back before my Poppa
anted up in oughta
spared my need
with better seed of he.

Genes for seeking others
genes for tricking brothers
flow from seed to breed
to heed or flee.

Being nice or naughty
isn’t all about me
but a creed to be
properly unscrambled
programmed reassembled
leaving bleeding weed
on bead of thee.

To rise above my wiring
I try to tame desiring
willfully
by letting Eden be.

Original sin Ma may be
to our current crazy
more than lately hazy
leads from sea to troubled see.

So seize ya on the downsize
hope you see in upside
the making of our maybe
lies in we.

Steven B. Smith – 2.21.2009

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Hotel Poem‘s Lady & Smith pages – fotos of Charlotte Mann’s fotos by Smith