Worldcon Poetry Reading

So last Wednesday:

     I took part in a poetry reading at the 2025 World Science-Fiction Convention in Seattle.

     Except I wasn't actually in Seattle. Through the magic of Modern Technology, I was sitting in my little garret room at the top of its narrow flight of stairs the way any proper poet ought to be and was still able to take part. It's a wonder of the age in which we're living!

     Unfortunately, another bit of technological magic allowed a video recording of the reading to be made and said video recording to be uploaded to the internet for all and sundry to see. This means that you, right now in the comfort and convenience of you own garret room, can view my spasmodic twitchings and flailings as I read about 10 minutes of my little verses. It starts, I guess, at about 14:55 when the moderator begins reading my introduction and ends at about 26:20 when I fix the rictus of my grin for one last time upon the unfortunate viewer.

     OK, it's maybe not as bad as that, but I do flail about as I read, something that I don't even notice anymore when I'm doing my radio show unless I happen to slap a hand against the microphone. I hardly ever do that anymore, though, since I always position myself in such a way that my twitching and writhing don't affect the quality of the sound I'm producing. In radio, that's the only thing that matters, after all. On a video recording, however...

     None of the other three poets involved in the reading gesticulate in a similar fashion, so apparently it's not required when reading aloud. I learn so many new things every day! And perhaps you can, too, by viewing the video in question. We can consider it something of a cautionary tale, perhaps.

                                                        Mike

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