Yesterday was the first day of the Split This Rock Poetry Festival in Washington, DC. I first attended the festival in 2014 and I knew I had to come back again as it was fantastic and creative.

It proved to be a gorgeous spring day and I was all smiles from the start.

Smiles & Sunshine on Day One

The first workshop I attended discussed the poetry of Pat Parker who was an influential poet and activist in feminist publishing. The second workshop was a reading by Willow Books writers. The last workshop I attended that day was about using poetry as witness. After a quick meal, it was onto that night’s featured reading. There I listened to Aracelis Girmay, Craig Santos Perez, and Ross Gay.

Craig Santos Perez read, among others, a hysterical poem about SPAM. Yes, SPAM – you can read it here. He’s originally from Guam and now lives in Hawaii and so it is a part of his diet. When I met him after the reading I said, “There’s a SPAM  museum in Minnesota.” He smiled and said, “I’ve been to it.”

Craig Santos Perez and I

Next up was Aracelis Girmay who read, among others, a powerful poem about Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Yes, she wrote a poem about the astrophysicist. It was fantastic.

Aracelis Girmay and I

Last but certainly not least was Ross Gay. His newest book, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and he read the very long title poem. It was a very good piece that had me laughing, sighing, cringing, and loving it.

Ross Gay and I

Now I’m ready for day two – it’s certain to be amazing.