On March 1, 2002, the historical archive held its first public reading in San Francisco, celebrating two years of the original publication and ten published issues. The gathering brought contributors and readers together at Escape from New York Pizza and raised more than $400 for St. James Infirmary.
the archive’s first reading
Glenn Ingersoll and the Poetry & Pizza series helped make the evening possible. Kevin Killian opened the reading with a poem about Kylie Minogue, whose album Fever had appeared in the United States that week.
Featured readers from the historical archive
The featured readers were Tim Yu, Beth Murray, Cassie Lewis, and Del Ray Cross. Their appearance placed the original publication’s tenth issue inside a live San Francisco poetry gathering, where work first encountered on the page could be heard in the writers’ own voices.
Guest readers
Five contributors in attendance joined the program as guest readers: Eileen R. Tabios, Barbara Johnson, Jamine Ergas, Jennifer Dannenberg, and Chris Stroffolino. Each read work associated with the archive’s tenth issue.
A magazine in its community
The evening records an early moment in the archive’s life as a magazine: contributors, editors, readers, and a local reading series sharing one room. The benefit for St. James Infirmary also tied the celebration to a San Francisco organization serving its community.
Further reading
Explore modern poetry across the historical archive and the original publication’s guide to contemporary poets.