pilot books: NYC report

Last weekend in NYC is measuring up to be one of my favorite visits to the city in the past couple of years. It felt very much like a reunion of sorts, but pleasantly filled too with the meeting of new folks (Valzhyna! Dottie! Gina!) and of course hearing so many talented poets read their work for two completely varied but engaged and excited audiences. Matthew put something really great and meaningful together with both of the group readings -- I wish I had recorded his intro after the break at the St Mark's reading so you could hear what he had to say about the growing interest and importance of chapbooks for poets -- as something we can make and do ourselves, an additional way of sharing and reaching out with our work. I'm conintuously inspired and impressed by what so many small presses are doing these days (see list gaining applause to the right). I couldn't be happier that Pilot is trying to contribute its own little something to that effort.

The pile of books I came home with is so high, it's toppling over on my coffee table, balancing on top of the other pile of books I still have not made it through since AWP. So much to look forward to. Thanks to everyone who bought, traded, looked at, read from, listened to, or picked up and played with Pilot chaps and all the other small press chaps. Julia and Mathias have been writing about many of these over at their houses.

And now for some photos...

Kate, Joanna, & me at Grassroots after St Mark's reading

Dottie & her friend in the orange dress -- mz: "that dress is from the future!" -- at the texan bbq place late Friday. note the size of the margaritas. that's "texas size"... made our legs not work any more.