- The Raw Characters # 2

L.M. one of my favorite Raw Characters of East Village

Ghost Writer - Jewelry Designer - Building Super

"American Super Woman" Exhibit by Maria Garozi

There are days of my life in New York City that resemble to the rhythm of the Ike & Tina Turner song;Nutbush City Limits. Days that there are just no limits at all actually. You wake up, run to your morning cubicle work like Dolly Parton, then run to your second job 6-11pm, then you go for a drink with S.T. and Guille your new good friend who is visiting from Spain, and then you walk back home realizing that your super L.M. is still cleaning the street.

You try to start a conversation with her woman to woman:

"Hey Lynn, at least we both know it is the end of the day. Now we can relax"

"I have to write now" she replies

"You are writing a book?"

"I am a ghost writer. Dont forget that ghost writers do work very late at night like the ghosts" she replied to me.

And just like that you realize why New York is the one and only ghost city.

"I am proud of you Lynn" I said loudly as I was walking up the stairs to my apartment.

I just wanted to share with you this moment. It just felt right to do so. It was such a New York moment.

Hope you all keep creating even during the late hours wherever you are. Just keep it up.

Much love to all,

- Garia August

- Reading the Poem as Present by E.E.C.

Ernesto Estrella Cózar

Photograph by Nysos Vasilopoulos

It is rather challenging to attempt to describe Ernesto Estrella Cózar, a poet, performer and professor at Yale University. Primarily due to the truth that I do not know him that well. But even if I knew him well enough, again a description would be a rather difficult task knowing the complexity and the many layers of his work.

Here some excerpts from a manifesto on voice and poetry reading that he has;

* **The voice is a fragile state of sound *

* rhythm and silence the possibilities *

* of which are infinite. *

* *

**

* The nearness of a poem is a chance *

* for a reassessment of the creative *

* nature of poetry reading. *

**

**

**

* The voice sustains the possibility of *

* sharing the sensitive exploration of *

* this search.*

This is why I would personally call Ernesto Estrella a dangerously playful artist when it comes to sound, a deep with words poet & a genuine performer. One can easily distinguish the many layers of his work on his book Achronos; a virtual poetry project in collaboration with Greek photographer Nysos Vasilopoulos. To view more of Achronos you can visit http://newmedialab.cuny.edu/blog/2011/01/vpp-dossier-3-achronos/

In his new poetry workshop Reading the Poem as Present,Ernesto Estrella Cózar will explore the poem's potential to trigger and sustain a methodical questioning of our reading practices. Activating the poem as present offers an opportunity to develop new ears, new eyes and another dynamic, both mental and physical, in our relation to cultural and daily practices. We will look into manifestations of traditional and experimental poetry in diverse cultures, while extending poetic thinking to films, music and visual arts. Reading the Poem as Present is divided into four interwoven sessions that provide entry to the subject through a variety of media.

Saturday, April 9th from 2pm to 3:30pm: Who reads the poem?

Wednesday, April 13th from 6pm to 7:30pm: Discipline of the Ear

Saturday, April 16th from 2pm to 3:30pm: Discipline of the Eye

Wednesday, April 20th from 6pm to 7:30pm: Out of poem, without leaving it

The Bowery Poetry Club. 308 Bowery. New York, NY 10012

Workshop fee: $60 for series (drop in Session: $20)

Registration: poemaspresent@gmail.com