In 2007, I founded the Downtown Poet Walk This video on YouTube features some of the readings. Yours truly went first to break the ice.
Early on, I invited Teka-Lark Lo, poet and Editor of the BrickBat Revue. Here’s an example of the itinerary, written up by the creative activist. Many of these places have since gone out of business, done in by corporate landlords and greed.
Poetry Walk Itinerary
Readers will get inaugural shot glasses that say, “I got drunk with Teka” or if I can’t get that together I’ll go to this store that’s closing to get on the cheap and they’ll say “I’m proud to be Pinoy.” Either way there will be mementos. And be sure to tape some bail money to your ankle, because even if you don’t need it to get out of jail you might have to get a taxi. Read, listen, your own work, someone else’s work, with eight venues everyone’s getting their own little mini feature and that’ll look fab on your poetryland resume.
Lost Souls Café, 124 W 4th St.
6:30-7:00pm
For snacks and poetry starts. It’s an awesome place, and after work you need some pastries and sandwiches. Green Schnapps, in honor of Lord Byron I can’t get real absinthe and then advertise that on a listserve, that’s kind of stupid.
Crewest Gallery, 110 Winston St.
7:10pm
Scotch, in honor of Charles Bukowski, bitch.
Park Market, 4th and Main
7:15pm
We’re buying water in honor of Langston Hughes, because he said good writers are sober, but not like that, I’m just paraphrasing.
Stella Dottir, 430 S. Main St.
7:20pm-7:35pm
Gin, in honor of Dorothy Parker, she’s my favorite writer, of course she’s lots of people’s favorite writer, but they don’t understand her the way I do.
Metropolis Books, 440 S Main St.
7:40-8:00pm
They are having a grand opening on Friday December 15 at 2:30 pm with authors Andre Coleman of the Pasadena Weekly Vodka, in honor of Frank O’Hara, because it’s true, after a glass of Vodka you can just about accept anything.
Pharmaka Gallery, 101 W 5th St.
8:10-8:20pm
Free choice in honor of the New York School of Poets.
El Nopal Press Gallery,109 W 5th St.
8:25-8:40pm
Rum in honor of Frida, though this is a poetry walk it is still about the art.
Red Dot, 118 W 5th St.
8:45-9:00pm
Two buck chuck (Trader Joes Charles Shaw) in honor of the LA Poetry scene, because even though we’re classless, people still buy us by the cases. LA RULES!!!!
Pete’s Café, 400 S Main St.
9:00pm
Post poetry drinking and eating and a possibly impromptu salon dishing dirt about those who were caught, we who escaped, and what we should do to spring the shackled stragglers…
Miss Lo LA Poetry Princess (because a diva is way too labor-intensive)
Don’t see your gallery, store or bookstore? Want to participate next time drop me and Ed an email.
poetbroker.com 