Featuring: Poetry by Askia Humphrey

Here at Bean Up The Nose Art, we love to feature the works of other artists. Often those are visual artists. But last week, we got out and about and heard the latest offering in the Marin Poetry Center's 2010-2011 Reading Series.


And heard the butt-kicking poetry of Askia Humphrey.



Before we get to his poetry, let's talk about the Falkirk Cultural Center and the Marin Poetry Center.


Located on Mission St. in San Rafael, CA, the Falkirk Cultural Center is an amazing old Victorian mansion, on grounds with a garden. It regularly hosts shows of all kinds, and is available for rental privately as well.

You can check out the Falkirk Cultural Center here.

The Marin Poetry Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the love of poetry. It offers a rich variety of programs and events and publications for poets and poetry-lovers. For example, a $25.00 membership guarantees you a reading of your work in Marin County, and a chance to be published in the yearly anthology. You can check the Marin Poetry Center out here.

Coolness abounds at their "Third Thursday" readings, which feature excellent local poets. Which is where we come to the work of Askia Humphrey.

Who has a day job at Avatar Community Business Center in Fairfax (which we love), and whose poetry will blow you away. But you have to come see him at readings . . . because he hasn't disseminated it elsewhere yet. Which is soon to be remedied, with an upcoming blog where he will be posting his work. For now though, you need to find him at readings . . . like the next upcoming on June 6 at the Marin City Library.


If you are very lucky, you will be there and hear him read poems like "Orpheus," in which Askia wrestles with death and loss and mortality in ways that will leave you in tears. Some of his poetry heros are William Carlos Williams, Pablo Neruda and W.B. Yeats. And those guys would be proud of Askia. Growing up in Oakland and many other venues in the U.S., Askia trained as a dancer and moved into prose, and then poetry -- which, as he related in the question and answer session after his reading, is really "language boiled down to a syrup." Yes, indeed.


Wishing you the best of luck, Askia. And wishing that all of you folks will get the chance to hear and read his work whenever possible.