Some attend simply to "be seen" at a reading and spend their time staring
back over their shoulders at all those whom they think are looking at them
and not at the poor poet/performer/novelist in the front. I've seen this
happen many times at poetry readings, but remember well the fellow who sat
zazen with eyes blissfully rolled upwards as Colin Wilson attempted to
explain his belief in the reality of evil spirits to one particular skeptic
in the back row. The fellow had the hint of a lizard-like grin as he so
obviously strove to upstage Mr. Wilson with his zen antics. Eventually a
disgruntled lady told him to stop meditating in her personal space and he
reluctantly returned to normal posture.
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
To: British poets <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, June 18, 1999 3:31 AM
Subject: Re: Windy Stair?
>>I do
>>wonder why people come to readings sometimes; some have little concern for
>>the poet or the other audience - I am never forget a reading at East West
>>for those who remember it with Jeff Nuttall up the front booming his thing
>>and a bloke at the back reading a newspaper, not casually but held up in
>>front of him, serious reading, and every now and then he shook it out to
>>straighten it
>
>I've been to many readings where the principle concern of 99 per cent of
>people present is not to listen, but to read. Which makes for an
>incredibly depressing experience. And the question of audience? What's
>that?
>
>Tho' the morris dancers sound memorable and peculiarly exotic in this
>hemisphere!
>
>
>
>
>Alison Croggon
>PO Box 186
>Newport VIC 3015
>Australia
>
>Masthead Online: http://www.masthead.com.au
>
>Home Page: http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/bronte/338
>
>
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