poetry in motion...stays in motion

Newsletter 12.15.24

Dec 17, 2024

Wasn’t that one of Newton’s laws or something?

In the last quarter of the year, poetry had me traveling through six different states writing at dozens of gigs. And now the last gasp of 2024 is being swallowed up by the dark, and I’m letting myself rot until the new year drags me out from my hole.

It’s been a long one, ya’ll. And you know the thread that’s been running through it all?

Mamma Mia

The picture above is of me performing as Kalokairi, my Poetry Brothel character. How is that related to Mamma Mia? Don’t worry, I’m getting there.

This year has seen the dissolution of a decade-long relationship, the death of my father, the flood of my apartment, my partner’s cross-country move, and a million other challenges. The one thing that got me through it was Mamma Mia.

I grew up listening to ABBA. And this year, when the world started crumbling around me, I clung to the Mamma Mia! movies. They became a load-bearing structure on my mental health.

In August, I went to Greece and spent a week on Skopelos, where they filmed the first movie. I took my typewriter with me, and spent days and days just typing on the beach.

I was inspired to invent Kalokairi, my Poetry Brothel character. This character is created out of irreverence and made-up Greek mythology. I also straight up stole her name from the musical. Kalokairi is the name of the island where the musical takes place.

Loss and reconnection

This year I didn’t just lose my father. My mother lost her husband. While I was on the island of Skopelos clacking away on my typewriter, I was also on the lookout for something for my mother.

After my father died, I knew I wanted to do something to bring us closer together. So I bough two tickets to the touring Broadway production of the musical. We are set to see the show December 17th—possibly as you’re reading this!

I also gifted my mother the item I found for her on Skopelos. It was a small painting of a sailboat made by an island local. I could think of nothing more fitting than to bring home a piece of Greece for my mother, and a piece of the island, while also giving money to a local artist. Especially right as we are about to go see the musical, live!

Life is poetry

One of my favorite sayings is “be the poem you want to see in the world.” I do it for the story, for the meaning we choose to make. It is so easy to get caught up in the grind of making poetry and making money. But I don’t just want to write poetry. I want to live poetry. And I’ll keep trying til I drop dead.

News and updates

As of right now, I have almost zero gigs scheduled for 2025. I’m sure that will change as 2024 rolls out the door and the year picks up steam. If you want to schedule me for an event, now is the time! This is the only time of year that I can guarantee availability on your preferred date. Other interesting things I’m doing:

I have actively begun work on my MFA thesis (I graduate in six months…eek!)
I am going to be participating in Sheryl Oring’s “I wish to say” typewriter public art project on January 5th
I am sniffing around for publishers and for a new agent. Stay tuned!

What’s Kro reading?

The Light Eaters Reading Group — Quillwood Academy

Sometimes I need to be forcibly wonderstruck by weird new facts and perspectives about the world. And that’s what this bad boy is doing. Plans have behaviors? Plants demonstrate evidence of cognition? Nothing gets the poetry juices flowing like looking at my orchids and imagining that they can talk back.