The Poet Is In: Lory Bedikian, 5:54pm

5:54pm – Conversation

The Poet Is In
An interactive poetry exchange
Celebrating National Poetry Month
Union Station, North Patio

In Union Station’s North Patio, poets sat at tables with typewriters. Visitors had conversations with the poets, from which the poets wrote a bespoke poem for each visitor.

I joined the line and had the pleasure of visiting with poet Lory Bedikian who wrote a lovely poem for me.

• anhingapress.org/loribedikian
• poetrysociety.org/psa
• metro.net/about/art
• @poetry_society
• @metro.art.la

6:01pm – I got scolded for taking a picture while she was reading the poem she had just written for me

6:03pm – my poem

for Glenn

Let’s Rid the Darkness

So many possibilities,
when the students arrive
I want to tell them let’s

rid ourselves of everything
but the colors, the various hues,
portraits are nothing, robots

will freeze if there is no beauty
in social practice. Bear with me
all art is identity art I tell them

You’ll never earse your own hand
from any of it. Listen,
I tell them. let’s bring back

the hospitality of a place,
the unity of a union station
Let’s bring back the earth

the land, air, trees, the sourgrass
our bare feet full of glorious
splinters from the rough

awesome quiet of Yosemite
I’m ready for a change.
I’m ready for a chance

to see how it all goes.
Give me a hundred years,
no more. I’m ready to teach

myself my own lessons as
the lens captures what we
see and don’t see.

The cadmium red won’t fade.
Not on my watch.

— Lory Bedikian
April 27, 2018
ORIGINAL