Sophia Rivkin

Downtown Literary Arts Concludes 2009 Series
by Mary Sitto

On Sunday, April 19, Springfed Arts wrapped up an outstanding season of The Downtown Literary Art Series at the Scarab Club. Two familiar hosts split up the honors of introducing a stellar lineup of poets and wordsmiths. John D. Lamb, Director of Springfed Arts called Sophia Rivkin, Rebecca Rank, Elizabeth Volpe, D’Anne Witkowski and George Dila to the podium. M.L. Liebler, Director of Springfed Arts-Metro Detroit Writers brought up our out of town guests, Michael McClure and Bret Lott.

The historic second floor room of the Scarab Club (the room of “boundless creative spirit”) was filled with Springfed Arts-Metro Detroit Writers members and non-members. SA-MDW writing instructors Margo Lagattuta, Dawn McDuffie and Mary Jo Firth Gillett were in attendance, as well as many of their workshop attendees. Good portions of the audience were first time visitors who came to witness the written word effectively read out loud. Those who arrived late discovered standing room only, but they didn’t appear to mind the absence of a seat. No matter that Springfed Arts’ readings are free and open to the public, on this day seven writers offered captivating performances and two hours of valuable entertainment.

Sophia Rivkin was first up to read from her debut collection The Valise. There were tears from listeners as she read poems imagining the terrors and joys in the life of her Russian grandmother. Many of us have long known of Rivkin’s talent and it was apparent, in this rare appearance, why she is the winner of a $5000 award for First Place in a poetry competition from Rattle magazine among other awards. Said Dawn McDuffie, “Rivkin has an imagination that takes the reader into vivid landscapes where anything can happen.”

Rebecca Rank recalls a brief encounter from decades earlier that remained in her psyche to evolve into a carefully crafted Pantoum. Her common themes (Rank reminds us that she likes to write about food) blossom with rich unexpected images. In one poem she takes the necessity for nourishment and transforms it into a sensual event asking, “Do you want more, baby? Take more, everything is hungry.”

With enchanted voice, Elizabeth Volpe escorts the mythological character Daphne out of the forest, “if not quite out of the woods” and places her into a fantastical piece titled Daphne Works the Cash Register at English Gardens. The nymph is whimsically recreated in a different time and different place. Volpe fills Daphne with memories of being a tree and embellishes her with spiked hair and a tongue stud.

D’Anne Witkowski opened with a poem titled Dangerous Rockets, formed by the convergence of Hurricane Dolly and Dolly Parton. The audience can hardly contain themselves. Witkowski possesses an unassuming wit that shines thorough in her work. Her playful imagination is revealed in a variety of themes ranging from the state of the economy to pregnancy to bacteria. The introductions to her poems are equally entertaining and humorous.

In her poem titled Performance Poetry, Witkowski includes stage commands where she calls up a giant blue leotard with no bare feet, minor explosions, cowbells and UV bulbs that glow over a dance troop dressed in black. When she reads, “as they move/only the lint on their clothing is visible,” Liebler takes a break from his contagious chuckling and exclaims, “Ah, you’re killing me.”
Award winning writer George Dila, raised in Detroit and lives in Ludington, tells of the anguish after slapping his daughter on the cheek. In his poem of regret, Dila reveals a questionable subject matter with honesty and cleverly injects thought-provoking humor.

Beat Generation legend Michael McClure opened his reading with an excerpt from the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. “Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote/The droghte of March hath perced to the roote/And bathed every veyne in swich licour…” McClure brings Chaucer to life, invoking the arrival of spring in a melodious voice resonant of the era. This was the old English poem that McClure read in the movie The Last Waltz, the documentary of The Bands last performance and directed by Martin Scorsese.

His next poem is one of a series of 99 poems written in an inventive language that McClure dubs “beast language.” Another read begins with a line influenced by Diane di Prima, “The only war that matters is the war against the imagination.” McClure told the audience it is “the most important line of poetry for me in the twentieth century.”

Bret Lott is the final author to read to an audience who appears far from ready for the performances to end. He opens with an excerpt from his collection of short fiction, The Difference Between Women and Men. Everything Cut Will Come Back tells of a family relationship through the communication between two brothers. The story is characteristic of Lott’s uncommon humanistic style. He brings moments of ordinary encounters to life with a surrealistic tone.
Over two hours of readings, seven poets and writers and where did the time go? The Scarab Club claims to “stimulate the senses” with “unbridled energy” for all those who walk through their doors. That was certainly the feeling of those who attended this Springfed Arts literary event. The highly rewarding reading left the enthusiastic crowd eagerly waiting for next year’s Downtown Literary Art Series.