"You Can't Kill A Poet" Series Celebrates Five Years

‘You Can’t Kill a Poet’ Series Celebrates Five Years Founder Boston Gordon talks Tattooed Mom and cheering as loudly as you can

Interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee

Boston Gordon

QVC: Tell us a little bit about the reading series “You Can't Kill a Poet” and why you started it.

BG: You Can’t Kill a Poet is an ongoing reading series that exclusively features writers who identify as LGBTQ. I started the series when I was feeling frustrated about tokenism in writing communities, and feeling passionately that queer-specific spaces are vital to LGBTQ folks. I started the series in May 2014 by booking a couple of friends, and friends of friends, to read at the Wooden Shoe. In a room of maybe 25 people, we kicked things off. Since then, readings have been held almost every other month, and the community of readers and attendees has bloomed.

QVC: Does the name come from anywhere in particular? What meaning does it have for you?

BG: It’s from a line in a poem by Eileen Myles called “Rotting Symbols.” When I organized the first event it felt like a good rallying cry for a series specific for queer and transgender poets. Mostly people just think we’re called “How to Kill a Poet” or some other transformation of the name that makes me laugh. It definitely is a statement of a name.

QVC: Tattooed Mom, a South Street institution, has been a longtime host of the event, though it has been held in other locations as well. How have they been as a host? Is the neighborhood welcoming?

BG: Tattooed Mom has been very supportive. They have dedicated staff for organizing events, and Robert Perry, the owner of TMom’s, is a lovely and supportive individual. He always has a kind word to say about the series, and definitely is the backbone of what makes TMom's a special place to host an event.

QVC: Do you have any favorite or proud moments from the series when you've thought to yourself, “Yes! This is why I'm doing this!”

BG: All the time! We have incredible writers at the events. My favorite moments are when a poet has expressed to me that they’ve never read at a reading before, and then they get up there and share the most amazing and earnest work. They just needed a place to read! It’s not always easy to find the right series or open mic for your work, and getting on the roster at some series can be challenging if you’re new to the scene. I love having newbies up there.

QVC: The series has been going now for five years. What do you see coming down the line? Will it keep going?

BG: For now it will definitely keep going. As long as I have the energy to organize the event, I want it to keep going. Queer spaces are vital—and disappearing. If I can bring together the queer community once every couple months, and give poets a space where they feel they can be authentic and not tokenized, then I am going to keep doing it. I didn’t create this community, but I love being a steward for it. Queer spaces have kept me alive my whole life, and there is nothing like the queer joy in the room at You Can’t Kill a Poet.

Queer spaces have kept me alive my whole life, and there is nothing like the queer joy in the room at You Can’t Kill a Poet.

QVC: If people want to participate in the reading, what's the process? What should attendees expect? BG: You can email YCKAPPhilly@gmail. com, follow the series at facebook.com/ yckap, or twitter at @cantkillapoet. I regularly put out calls for new readers on social media, and if you email directly I can provide information of how to participate. Readers don’t need to prove anything to participate, just be a writer who identifies as LGBTQ and has work to earnestly share. Readers have time slots of 5–10 minutes to share their work. Attendees absolutely pack the second-floor room every single month. It’s two hours of laughing, of cheering, of absolute awe sometimes. It’s a really fun and welcoming environment. I like the readings to feel energetic instead of stuffy. Come as you are and cheer as loud as you can.

QVC: What else should we know about the series? BG: There will be another reading in September but the date hasn’t been finalized yet, so follow the socials for information on the next reading! ■