Poets, Politics And The Lights Of State Street
Over the transom.
1. From Chicago Art Expo 2012:
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2. From the Poetry Foundation: Poets on Politics:
The Poetry Foundation presents Red, White & Blue: Poets on Politics, an event that is part of a national series presented in partnership with the Poetry Society of America.
The program, which explores the role of politics in the literary landscape today, features Suji Kwock Kim, Li-Young Lee, and D. Nurkse.
Suji Kwock Kim is a Korean American whose first collection, Notes from the Divided Country, won the Walt Whitman Award.
Li-Young Lee, a Chicago poet and the son of Chinese political exiles, has published four volumes of poetry and a memoir, The Winged Seed.
D. Nurkse is the former poet laureate of Brooklyn, a frequent commentator on human rights, and the author of 10 poetry collections, most recently A Night in Brooklyn.
Alice Quinn, executive director of the Poetry Society of America, will moderate the discussion.
When: Thursday, September 27, 7:00 PM
Where: Poetry Foundation, 61 West Superior Street
Admission: Free admission on a first come, first-served basis.
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3. From the Chicago Loop Alliance: State Street Poetry:
Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) announced that it will present an unprecedented public display of audio and textual poetry along State Street beginning October 1, 2012, in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. In celebration of the centennial of Poetry magazine, the organizations will bring poetry of, by and for Chicagoans to the 220,000 pedestrians who traverse State Street each day, through an extensive installation of visual and audio poem excerpts.
Throughout the month of October, each side of State Street from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway will be decorated with poetry-filled banners, planter signs, news racks and CTA subway entrances, and CLA’s unique year-round light and sound installation Lightscape: a Multisensory Experience on State Street will fill the air with audio recordings that highlight the diversity of Poetry’s authors, the rich history of the magazine and its deep connection to the city of Chicago.
Poetry excerpts will adorn the streets, from poets that include some of Poetry’s early discoveries – such as Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot and Wallace Stevens – and more contemporary writers, including former U. S. Poets Laureate Kay Ryan and Robert Hass, as well as local poets Reginald Gibbons and Li-Young Lee.
CLA’s partnership with the Poetry Foundation coincides with the addition of six additional clusters to Lightscape: a Multisensory Experience on State Street, which will add visual and sound density to pedestrians’ experiences.
Commissioned by CLA and unveiled last November, Lightscape is currently comprised of a dozen “prairie grass” landscapes of varying heights up to nine feet tall, “planted” along sidewalks on State Street from Lake to Van Buren Streets.
The decorative clusters feature 50-100 energy-efficient LED lights each, along with embedded speakers that broadcast musical selections and special announcements, as the lights change patterns in synchronization with audio content.
CLA’s continued plans for Lightscape include updates to generate public attention and engagement, and future creative partnerships with Chicago businesses and cultural organizations. Lightscape is funded by State Street property owners.
Lightscape:
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4. From the Scrabble Literacy Challenge:
Did you know that the SCRABBLE record for most points earned in a single turn is 365 with the play of the word QUIXOTRY?
(Editor’s Note: It’s true!)
Join Literacy Volunteers of Illinois for our 9th annual SCRABBLE for Literacy Challenge as Scrabblers strive to break records!
This event serves the dual purpose of hosting Chicago players as well as supporting the serious issue of adult literacy.
The annual event is sponsored by Literacy Volunteers of Illinois and supported by local chapters of the North American SCRABBLE Players Association (NASPA).
It will be held at the Grossinger City Autoplex at 1500 North Dayton Street.
The special event is a fun-filled fundraiser for literacy that features three ways to play. Players find their best SCRABBLE match by entering Tournament, Competitive, or Just for Fun competitions.
Cash prizes will be awarded for the tournament and competitive play, which follows NASPA rules.
Tournament level play kicks off at 10 a.m. and these players must be NASPA members.
Registration for the Competitive and Just for Fun games begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for teens. All games end at 7 p.m.
For further information, a complete schedule, and tickets and registration for the SCRABBLE for Literacy Challenge visit the Literacy Volunteers of Illinois website.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on September 24, 2012