Gracelessness

Went to hear Michael Palmer read his poetry at the City Art Gallery yesterday, very musical, flowing, and as most poets do, he gave an introduction to each poem, though when Bill Manhire who was running the show asked him afterwards about what he thought about introducing each poem this way in print, he did not think it was a good idea.

His last poem was very short, and memorable, The End of The War, "She lifted her arms and took the clips out of her hair", that is what I remember, it may not be exactly that.

Then he went and spoiled the whole feel of the event with bitchy comments about a colleague who had been made Poet Laureate, what bad poetry he wrote for the Queens' birthday. That is what I remember, the little poem at the end, and his bitchy comments and also rudeness to Bill, who made a little joke about doing a song and dance routine while MF was scrabbling through his papers looking for a poem, and MF said without pausing for a breath, Oh if you cannot tolerate the silence, and that was such an obvious taunt, and so stupid.

In the evening went to Ngaio Library where 6 local writers were being introduced, including one who was doing the Creative Writing course at Whitireia, 3rd year, and that took my breath away, though he has published a book...and there too someone was rude, so in the future I'll give these things a miss, which is what I used to think anyway.