The P4 Blog

Imaging Our Collection

Submitted by Mongo on

A quick peek behind the scenes!  Pictured is the imaging rig we have set up to snap cataloging images of every item in the P4 collection.  Featured is our Solo 8 document imaging camera, and associated software.  Even as we continue the detailed cataloging of every CD, tape, chapbook, and piece of ephemera in our collection (all the way down to individual poem names and other details!), we're also developing the search interface into our collection.

And the Partners Keep Rolling In! Welcome, SpeakeasyNYC!

Submitted by Mongo on

When spoken word superstar Sarah Kay was teenage poet, absorbing the poetry and cutting her teeth around the slam venues of New York City, her father, Jeff Kay, would accompany her to the shows.  But as much as Jeff loved to watch his daughter perform, he often found that his daughter's poetry moved him so much that he spent too much of each evening watching through his tears.

MILESTONE! 1,000 items in the P4 Collection!

Submitted by Mongo on

I'm proud to announce that P4 has reached an important milestone!  While cataloging materials into our database this afternoon, I added our 1,000th item!  That's a cool grand of CDs, DVDs, Books, Chapbooks, digital video items, etc.  And of course, that number represents tens of thousands of individual poems and performances.

Ben and Jerry and Kirin and Lena

Submitted by Tom on

"Five months after forming their slam poetry group, Muslim Girls Making Change is competing this week in the Brave New Voices international youth poetry slam competition in Washington, D.C. 'We write poems about things that we can't keep inside of ourselves anymore, things that we care about', said Kirin Waqar, 16, of South Burlington [VT], whose parents are from Pakistan. ... 'We will never be white only pretend to be. We hide behind big mirrors and lies unsure of who we really are. African American or the other way around? Pakistani first, American?', they say. 

P4 hires an Executive Director!

Submitted by Tom on

The P4 Board met to make a a crucial decision earlier this year...  Were we ready to hire an actual Executive Director? Founder and President Wess Mongo Jolley had volunteered to take on the role upon his retirement from two decades at Dartmouth College. The Board voted yes and so P4 has a brand-new Executive Director as of July 1st !
 

Poetry Spoken Here examines Juan Felipe Herrera through a Performance Poetry lens

Submitted by Mongo on

Today we'd like to highlight the work of our friend Charlie Rossiter over at Poetry Spoken Here, a wonderful online resource for the finest poetry, read and performed.  And let's start with his most recent blog entry, where he explores the work of our current Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera, through a performance poetry lens.  Charlie writes: 

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