Poetry Thursday this week asks us to think about and even participate in Guerilla Poetry! That is to print or write out our own poetry and leave it in public places for other people to find. This sounds remarkably like Bookcrossing, where people register books with the site and then send them to other members or leave them in public places. If I send a poetry book to another bookcrosser, I always include some of my own poetry inside, in the form of a poetry card or a small flier of my haiku. I also try to remember to do this if I'm leaving a poetry book in a public place. I recently left a book of poetry by the statue of the Edinburgh poet Fergusson, which has now (the book, not the statue!) found its way to Canada! I have sent poetry books to Spain, Germany, Australia and Netherlands. Some of the books have then been left in public places in those countries.
When I give poetry readings, I generally leave some of my poetry on the tables in the venue. I always carry some poetry with me to give to people I meet who are interested.
As for just leaving my poems by themselves in public places, I haven't done that yet, though every year I imagine myself wandering down Edinburgh's Royal Mile, giving fliers of my poetry to passing tourists during the Festivals. If I dressed up as a giant rabbit, it would probably be easier (If you've ever walked down Edinburgh's Royal Mile during the Festivals, you'll understand why!).
A good site to visit for ideas about Guerilla Poetry is Random Acts of Poetry.
11 comments:
what an interesting post, j!
I've not visited there, so I shall google why being dressed up as a rabbit is a good idea.
What a wonderful surprise to find poetry that way.
HI Gel! The rabbit would be personal to me (given I have a pet rabbit!) but the thing about the Royal Mile during the Festivals is that everyone is dressed up in weird costumes, a lot of them performing excerpts from plays or even reciting poetry...
:) i remember when i was much younger and taking my first poetry writing class, i was so excited by it all that i would stop people in the street and read my poetry to them, at bus stops, at my job. i never had a bad experience with it but i don't think i have that same energy and innocence that i had back then ... hmmmm
I think I would have dressed up a year ago but now I have the confidence to hand out my poetry to anyone. This group has been so supportive. I really enjoyed your post. I knew nothing about that festival and I looked up info on it.
I am going to check out bookcrossing. What a great concept. I haven't left poems anywhere but I will.
I have been to poetry readings and read a few and commented on a few. But never left it to be read by strangers. Even now I couldn't do that.
Like your post.
Oh my, what fabulous fun. And inspiring. Thanks for bringing a couple of entirely different worlds to me. Bookcrossing sounds remarkable...brilliant.
thanks for introducing bookcrossing and random acts of poetry to me. what great sites!
Daisies - I was actually much more shy when I was young so less likely back then to stop people in the street and read poetry to them!
Clockworkchris - but on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh during the Festivals, you'd look out of place handing out poetry if you weren't dressed up! Everyone does it! (Well mostly they're handing out fliers for their fringe shows!)
Gautami - you could leave poems anonymously, just to brighten someone's day?
Jone, deb, jessica - yes Bookcrossing is fab! I left a book in an art gallery earlier today and already someone has logged on to say they've found it and look forward to reading it! There's a flier of my poetry inside the book too!
How beautiful to leave poems in books of poems that you release. I would love to happen upon something of yours!
Novel
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