Svalina, Schomburg, Wilkinson (& Doxsee) Tour 07: A photo-diary

Day 1. Lincoln to North Newton




































Day 2. North Newton to Maryville

Day 3. Maryville to Chicago

Day 4. Chicago to Minneapolis

Day 5. Minneapolis to Lincoln

Heading out with Mathias and Joshua tomorrow morning to come read in your town this week. Above are posters for two of our five readings. Very very excited about all this. Got my poems, my bag of granola, Twizzlers, a modest wad of cash, some Noah Eli Gordon books to read, the cell phone to check in at home with A, magnetic chess, etc. If M or J let me use their laptops, I'll keep you updated.

Here are some write ups from the local campus newspapers. Beep. Boop. Write ups!

And here is the first official review for The Man Suit from Publisher's Weekly (it's in there somewhere--about halfway down the page). A good way to send me off.

Last night was the last Clean Part reading of the academic year. It was the exclamation mark. So many people showed up. Perhaps a record (outside the Poetry Bus reading) if not close to it. Books were sold sold sold. The readers were absolutely dynamite--all so deliberate and confident. They knew their poems as well as their children (they don't have actual children). It was my first time meeting Laura and I regret not hanging out more. She reads her poems as if they're memorized, but she reads them. Do you know what I am saying? Because I don't. She was good. Michael is the king of banter, so excited and engaging. His reading of The Woods are Burning is worth the price of admission. It was great to have Hadara back in town. I miss her. Her new stuff is crazy good.

It was a stellar year and we'll do it again next year. So check back in at some point soon to see next year's lineup.


Hadara reading in front of Rothko.


Clean Parters rushing back to their seats. Mathias giddy.

Nathan Slawson is now halfway through his reviews of Octopus #8 over at Luna. He's about to turn the corner and he's still going so strong.

Your last chance on the season. Saturday night at the Sheldon. Lincoln, NE. Don't be square.

Octopus has a new chapbook: the paperback version of Jonah Winter's Book Reports. Quality brown cover stock, hand-sewn, library pouch, and Date Due card (individually numbered out of 88 on the card). These however, are not due back. Yours to keep. Forever. Until the apocalypse.

A is out of town*, missing her. Just turned 30. Watching sentimental movies. Sleeping in the twin bed of my youth. A year's supply of fake tattoos from my sister. Camping equipment from my mother. Looking for a green egg with my initials on it. Found my old baseball cards in the parents garage, so that's good. Maybe I'll watch the Cubs game today on the big tv. Eat the last piece of birthday cake. Then head home.

*A big hearty congrats to A, who is now Dr. A. I'm proud and in awe.

Today, this kid is 30.

This week marks the official release date of my first full-length book of poems, The Man Suit. I appreciate all the kind and encouraging comments from those of you who managed to snag an early copy, blog about it and whatnot.

If you want to own your very own piece of the Suit, go to Black Ocean or Amazon or SPD.

I'll be reading some poems from the book here:

Tuesday, April 17. 7pm.
Pages: A Bookshop
North Newton, KS
w/ Mathias Svalina and Joshua Marie Wilkinson

Wednesday, April 18. 7pm
Charles Johnson Theater
Maryville, MO
w/Mathias Svalina and Joshua Marie Wilkinson

Thusday, April 19. TBA.
Quimby's Bookstore.
Chicago
w/Carrie O. Adams, Mathias Svalina and Joshua Marie Wilkinson

Friday, April 20. 7:30pm
Opposable Thumbs Books
Minneapolis
w/Julie Doxsee, Mathias Svalina and Joshua Marie Wilkinson

Saturday, April 21. TBA
TBA
Lincoln, NE
w/ Mathias Svalina and Joshua Marie Wilkinson

Tuesday, June 12. TBA
New Lakes Reading Series
Missoula, MT
w/ Julie Doxsee

There are also some dates tentatively scheduled for San Francisco, Cincinnati and Denver.

It is April. April is the month Octopus reads full-length poetry manuscripts. So...