Last evening I had the pleasure of attending the poetical readings of Daniela Elza and Sam Stephenson at Nelson’s Booksmyth Underground. These reading were supplemented by some open mike offerings by other local writers.
This is the first time I have heard Sam Stephensen read. He is an extremely polished and engaging presenter. He paces his material brilliantly. His eye contact with his audience is spell-binding but never threatening. Best of all, however, is the quality of the material itself. Sonorous, jumping from universal god-like perspectives to close-up microscopic views as intimate as water droplets on cedar leaves. Sam’s material is thoughtful, lyrical, wryly humorous and begs to be heard aloud.
In a question period after the readings, Sam was asked to speak about his ‘process’. He answered that he was a great fan of discipline in writing and wished he had some! This, of course, was a facetious remark which drew many laughs from the audience. Clearly Sam has talent and discipline in spades. Don’t miss a chance to hear this man read.
Here's a link to a radio interview with Sam
This is the first time I have heard Sam Stephensen read. He is an extremely polished and engaging presenter. He paces his material brilliantly. His eye contact with his audience is spell-binding but never threatening. Best of all, however, is the quality of the material itself. Sonorous, jumping from universal god-like perspectives to close-up microscopic views as intimate as water droplets on cedar leaves. Sam’s material is thoughtful, lyrical, wryly humorous and begs to be heard aloud.
In a question period after the readings, Sam was asked to speak about his ‘process’. He answered that he was a great fan of discipline in writing and wished he had some! This, of course, was a facetious remark which drew many laughs from the audience. Clearly Sam has talent and discipline in spades. Don’t miss a chance to hear this man read.
Here's a link to a radio interview with Sam
I was a little slower to warm to the readings of Daniela Elza. Her work was more fragmentary, more like trying to catch a flitting butterfly. Gradually, however, Daniela’s poems connected more deeply with me. In many of her poems, crows were important symbols. As they seem to be for me also. How universal is this I wonder? Daniela is a good reader also, though not as polished as Sam. She professed to dreaming of busking as a poet on Granville Island. Sam, who had done just such a thing, advised her that it was no easy task and that one could only hope for success by inviting a group of friends to attend and bribing them with gluten-free muffins!
It was fine evening and I am happy to report that poetry is alive and well within the Nelson Underground, and concur with Sam Stephenson that freshly baked muffins are pretty much the answer to everything.
It was fine evening and I am happy to report that poetry is alive and well within the Nelson Underground, and concur with Sam Stephenson that freshly baked muffins are pretty much the answer to everything.
