Poetry & Police

Saw lotsa poetry today with poet and fellow MPWer Lisa. First we went and saw Galway Kinnell read at Antioch University down by Slauson and the 405. Galway Kinnell was amazing. His poem about his son’s long ago birthday party was wrenching and beautiful. The event also included a surprise visit by Ray Bradbury, who spoke briefly about the fortuitous origins of his novels The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man. Viggo Mortenson was supposed to arrive there later, but we couldn’t stay to see him because next we were off to Long Beach to see a poetry slam that some of Lisa’s friends were participating in. The slam poetry was great too, and I talked to a bunch of new people, including one guy who was an enthusiastic sf fan. LAPD had closed down the intersection adjacent to the venue because someone saw a suspicious package on a city bus, and the police forced everyone inside and then detonated the package. I never found out if it was actually a bomb or anything, though I kind of doubt it. Actually, right now a police helicopter is repeatedly circling over my apartment, sweeping the nearby streets and alleys with a floodlight, so I’m assuming there must’ve been a crime. I guess I’ll find out when I get my next USC crime alert.