Poetry Fire! 2020
This poster hangs on the backside of our garage in the window facing out towards our backyard. Printed in an edition of 8 or so, set in Kabel wood type and hand inked, it was designed to catch the attention of one person for whom the event was for. That is, my partner Rebecca. We were looking for an excuse to reacquaint ourselves with the poetry chapbooks sitting on our shelves in the house. So, during our first stage* covid-lock-down-backyard-hang-outs (the two of us) we'd read poetry around the backyard fire pit. We made a cocktail for the event as well. Recipe below.
Poetry Fire Cocktail
2 oz bourbon
1 oz lemon juice
¾ oz maple syrup
2 pinches fresh grated ginger
Backdate blog
*During the first stage of the pandemic, when very little was known about the Coronavirus - at a time where it was rumored that people could be stricken instantly with the bug, and drop dead to the sidewalk with no warning (remember that? yes, during the early months of 2020 this tale had traction) Also, I believe at this time the idea of transmission through aerosols was down played, and the focus was on transmission through touch. Impenetrable objects could host the virus for 72 hours or more, so you better not touch anything. That was the thought. Anyway, it was during this time that a lot of the world shut down. It was quiet. People were scared. I still worked and showed up in-person with my colleagues as an essential worker at the light rail train-yard. My brother still worked and showed up in person at the waste water treatment plant. People who turned wrenches, people who drove trucks, people who worked in the business of making food, moving food, delivering food, selling food, people who monitored systems of civilization did not slow their pace. They all showed up to work. At the time, many people who didn't work those types of jobs and who were sent home to hunker down recognized these workers as heroes. It was a sentiment that was very short lived. Anyway, I'll steer away from the bitter tone here, I just wanted to document that thought somehow. As a reminder. Perhaps another time will be appropriate to expound on those thoughts.
