“The universe took its time on you
Crafted you to offer the world
Something different from everyone else
When you doubt
How you were created
You doubt an energy greater than us both
–“irreplaceable” (Rupi Kaur)
What better way for a podcast like ours to celebrate the accomplishments of our first year than by inviting people to join us for an open mic poetry reading? Whether they read their own work or someone else’s, it was a wonderful way for all of us to celebrate a year. Adam, Mary and Andrew hosted an in-person event at Words Matter bookstore in Pitman NJ (our official sponsor) and we thank Keryl (the owner) for sharing the space with us. Erika, the only Ivory Tower Boiler Room team member who isn’t in the Northeast right now, along with Ivory Tower Boiler Room contributors and fellow-non-Northeasterners Cameron Martin and Tiffany Sowa, hosted an online party for anyone who couldn’t join for an in person event.
What you’ll get to hear this weekend are highlights from both of those events–Cameron and Erika read original works, Mary and Andrew read some of their favorites from other poets and Adam, in the spirit of “embracing the and,” gave us a little bit of both. Among our virtual event readers, you’ll also hear from Rusty Rose and Tyler Albertino who have been featured before on our site. In New Jersey, we’ll bring you a selection from a dynamic mother-daughter duo, and from another new-to us reader, a moving poem about learning disabilities, along with many other pieces, some original and read by the authors themselves, and some readings of favorites by other poets.
Some of our previous guests have shared birthday wishes with us and we’ll share those with you, too.
We’ve really been overwhelmed by the support we’ve gotten from you, our readers and listeners, who have encouraged us to to really stretch our vision, and grow from a podcast into something so much more, all in the span of just one year. What started as a way to help navigate the pandemic has changed into something that is encouraging us to look beyond the pandemic and to envision a community for creative people in post-pandemic days. This journey has altered both personal and professional visions for the team members, and connected us to people who, a year ago, we would never have considered might be a part of our circle. The streamers are fading, and we’re getting ready to pause for a few days, catch our breath and begin our second year filled with energy, excitement, and new ideas about who and what we’re going to bring you and how we’re going to bring them to you–check out our new Instagram, for example, for one more way to connect with us as we grow.
Thank you for listening, thank you for reading, thank you for engaging with us on social media and for sharing. Thank you to all of our contributors and to our guests. Thank you to Words Matter Bookstore for sponsoring us. Here’s to writing our next chapter, together.
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