May 31, 2009, I had a reading/celebration/opening for my book *How God Ends Us*. It was fun and nice and elegant. It was at this place called the cell in Chelsea. I had a friend from middle school and high school visiting and it was great to have new and old loves gathered under one roof.
I started the night with the poem by lucille clifton: "won't you celebrate with me". It is - as with a lot of other people i know - a favorite poem. Also, because I believe in the spirit of celebration, I wanted to open up my reading with these words:
won't you celebrate with me
by Lucille Clifton
won't you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.
I had a chance to be a bit vulnerable at the reading. I talked more than I normally would have...but I knew without a doubt that those people in that room were there to support me.
What was really cool was several people came in off the street. Some women immediately bought the book.
Other people who celebrated with me on the mic: Roger Bonair-Agard, Patrick Rosal, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, and John Murillo.
Here's a link to some photos:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2357310&id=2702460&l=ba30dc00a0
Also, my friend Saeed Jones did a little write up about the event, too: check it!
http://saeedjones.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/on-delana-damerons-book-release-party/#comments
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