KGB Bar – 85 E 4th St, New York, NY
Recently on the Twitter-scape, I intimated that the writer’s relationship with alcohol is complex. It is a chicken-or-the-egg dynamic, if you will. Must writers drink? Or must drinkers write? I know I am not the first one to be so bold as to tackle this puzzle.
“No poems can please for long or live that are written by water-drinkers.” – Horace, Satires
“O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!” – William Shakespeare, Othello
The last one is a tad insulting to beasts, but seeing as it is the Bard himself, I will let it slide.
Water and wine flowed in abundance at KGB Bar on Thursday night, as a procession of contemporary bards graced the weathered podium. The wonderfully unexpected humor of Paige Taggart began the evening. The mademoiselle pointed out, astutely, that the reader’s lamp on the podium made her feel like “a witch about to cast a spell on the room.” I laughed along with the rest, but really Ms. Taggart, if you only knew the witches I have had the misfortune of crossing, you might rethink such bold comments. Buy her beautifully un-cursed handmade jewelry at mactaggartjewelry.com or her collection, Want for Lion, at Amazon. The second reader, Mr. Andy Mister, whose work has appeared in various publications over the years, quoted at length from his debut book, Liner Notes. Last but not least, the creaky podium was graced with the sharp wit of Ana Božičević. The Croatian-born Mlle. Božičević’s satires of the digital realm sent giggles rippling throughout the room. Obtain a copy of her Lambda Award-winning collection, Rise In The Fall, here. What a sinfully talented bunch of humans. It makes my hide bristle to think of it.
Master of Ceremonies and human poet-about-town, Msr. Britt Melewski, was lucky enough to acquire the John Hancock, as it were, from Ms. Taggart. In the flesh, you might say. Aha! See below.
The next installment of FREE WATER will be in October. Prepare yourself now, humans!
Big City Sasquatch 