Cultural Evening with
City Poets at MOCAD
by Mary Sitto
Ted Greenwald and Dennis Teichman read their poetry at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit on November 20. The evening opened with Teichman’s enjoyable reading from his books of poetry, “Edge to Edge” and “V-8.” Teichman, a native Detroiter and publisher of Past Tents Press, is an essential part of Detroit’s literary community. His distinctive poetry investigates the human condition with an ironic flair.

Ted Greenwald

Ted Greenwald, “from New York forever,” has a considerable influence in the tradition of the New York Language poets. His poems are conversational, rooted in everyday dialogue. He takes the common talk of America and weaves it into a rhythmic beat. When Greenwald reads he pulses in a repetitive jazz-like tempo. But, Greenwald insists his poems aren’t lyrics. “I don’t think of music, I write poetry.” Greenwald said. “The words are part of the American language, they’re here, they’re in the newspaper every day and books, they’re all over the place, they’re with you and me talking here.”

The first few lines in “Speaking Of” from “In Your Dreams:”

“On your way back
Get me a coffee
Remember me to friends

On your way back
Remember me to friends
Think of me often

On your way back …”

This poem embodies Greenwald’s short lines of street talk stitched in a melodious repetitive pattern. “They [words] come from just passing on the street, buying a pack of cigarettes or a pack of gum, you know, those close transactions are conducted with words, so you try and get those on to the page.” Greenwald said. “That’s a harder thing to do than most people realize.”