Monday

The poet is a social animal above all else: the poet’s art comes second to the types of important connections the poet can make not just with readers and an audience, but with editors, curators and people in positions of institutional power. The poet owes it to the art and to themselves to look out for #1 at all times. This talk will focus on the kinds of important community-building activities that are at the heart of all things poetic. People can be manipulated much like a line of poetry, and a poet must have complete control of those around them. Jim Behrle will discuss the kinds of behavior that can help a poet stand out amid the babbling rabble. Poetry can be the loneliest journey: we’ll discuss how to feel the warmest bosoms of constant embrace. Jim Behrle is the author of She’s My Best Friend (Pressed Wafer) and he draws the cartoon “Kreepie Kats” for Gawker.