I had done my usual research about the city of Tavares and I’d prepared the list of poems for my reading on Sunday, November 9, 2008. But halfway through the very generous introduction by Harry Coverston, I realized that I’d have to change everything.It wasn’t the first time that I’d changed the format of a reading and when I follow my gut, things work for the best. So I went with reading most of the poems from Twelve Poems and A Story for Christmas, and based on the audience reaction, I made the right choice.
Twelve Poems and A Story for Christmas presents the story of Mary and Joseph from the point of view of a newlywed couple, and its starting point was a couplet from the poetry of Angelus Silesius, the mystic poet who rendered in verse some of the teachings of Meister Eckhart:
Of what use, Gabriel, your message to Marie
unless you can now bring the same message to me!
Although it was a small audience, which included my sister and niece who live in Orlando, they seemed genuinely interested in the poems and in the history of Jamaica, Reggae, and Rastafari.
Give thanks to Beth Sindler of the Tavares Public Library, Harry Coverston, and the Florida Humanities Council. It was a pleasure to be invited to read and I am sure our paths will cross again.
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