Amethyst Gate: New Poetry Series Begins in Philadelphia

A new poetry/performance art/music series has just begun in Philadelphia. Debrah Morkun, Poetry Editor of FairiesInAmerica.com is collaborating with three artists: Lora Bloom, Dre Grigoropol and Kim Essex, to bring this unique multi-genre series to Space 1026 at 844 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia.

For the inaugural reading on October 23rd, the lineup featured two poets: Chris McCreery and Elizabeth Guthries, musician Sloopy Gloop and performance artist Marshall James Kavanaugh. Each had their own unique artistry to bring to the performance.

Chris McCreary has long been known on the Philadelphia poetry scene and has authored several books: Dismembers, The Effacements, and his newest collection, Awry. His performance featured many new works from Awry. McCreary shared his sardonic sense of humor, his excellent turn of the phrase, and some poignant observations garnered through travel, the contemplation of art and day-to-day experiences colored by a rich imagination.

Elizabeth Guthrie lives in the Hudson River Valley in New York and teaches at Suny New Paltz. She has a Phd in Text and Performance from the University of East London, and has published X Portraits (chapbook) and Yellow and Red. She’s the founder of Stone Collective. Guthrie read selections from X Portraits as well as some new poetry she’s been working on recently. Her work is visual and ethereal and emerges from a stream of consciousness style of writing that inspires the reader and listener to embark on a journey filled with tactile and visceral sensations.

Sloopy Goop is a musician who uses Game Boy, a technology from yesteryear, for some of his sound. He combines the sounds from the game with other electronic nuances as well as voice. Sloopy Goop is a versatile musician who plays the accordion and sings his original stylized songs that are bizarre, relatable and remarkably memorable for his use of repetition and narrative storytelling. His choices of subject matters are eclectic and amusing at times. In the accompanying video, he plays “Headsnatcher,” a song that is grounded on earth while illustrating the effect of alien influences on the human mind and behavior.

Marshall James Kavanaugh is a well-known Philadelphia poet and performance artists who has presented his work at many venues in the United States. He has traveled widely, often in the woods and wilderness areas, and his poems recollect visions of the natural world unfolding and transmuting human consciousness. His performance includes him seated and typing on an old school typewriter, while a large scroll of paper slowly ripples onto the floor. His poetry is accompanied by props that evoke natural encounters and electronic music suited perfectly to his musings on wild animal sightings, forests, camping trips and trail running in remote, wild places.

The inaugural series of Amethyst Gate drew a packed house and incorporated an open mic at intervals, Afterward, many of the participants gathered at Lorraine’s Bar on Brown Street to share a drink and exchange ideas. The next installment in the series is set for November 21st at Space 1026, from 6:30-9:30 pm.

– Elizabeth Kirwin, FIA Editor