In 2001, the Gathering continued to combine readings with musical performances, including poetry rock concerts by singer songwriters such as Patti Smith, panel discussions, and offbeat happenings, such as a day-long reading of Homer’s Odyssey on a ship at South Street Seaport. That year we also began to focus our programming around specific topics in poetry. We began with the oral tradition. Forms as diverse as the Calypso of Caribbean Carnivals; P’ansori, the Korean art of storytelling; the intimate Urdu mushaira; and the American occupational poetry of cowboys and fishermen were represented by artists from New York City and the world and demonstrated the mode’s easy rapport with audiences.
Selections from the 2001 Poetry Gathering Brochure:
- Introduction by Lee Briccetti
- The War of the Sexes
- Duels with Words (Calypso, Balagtasan)
- Forms and Formats: Ancient and New
- More Featured Traditions (Dub Poetry, P’ansori, Occupational Poetry)
- Tributes (Luis Pales Matos and Verso Negro etc.)
- Languages: Endangered and New (ASL Poetry, Folk Meets Avant Garde)
- Poetry of Resistance (The Romani by Carol Silverman, The Eritreans Are Coming Bob Holman)
- Reading, Writing, Reciting
- Participating Poets
