Dia's Readings in Contemporary Poetry

Bringing together poets from different generations, the Readings in Contemporary Poetry series, curated by Vincent Katz, explores a range of experimentation and voices in contemporary poetry. Readings take place at Dia:Chelsea, 535 West 22nd Street, 5th Floor, in New York City.

From the fall of 1987 through the spring of 2003, over one hundred poets read in Dia's Readings in Contemporary Poetry series, coordinated by Brighde Mullins. These readings included historic literary events, such as James Schuyler's first public reading and Joseph Brodsky’s last, as well as readings by Nobel Laureates and other luminaries. The series resumed in fall 2010.

Publications by poets in the series can be found on diabooks.org.

Dia Anthology at 192 Books, September 21, 2017

1. Introduction by Vincent Katz (6:50): MP3

Julian Talamantez Brolaski

2. pyramidal / julian was shown the entirety (5:08): MP3

Charles Bernstein

3. If Sappho Were a UFO (1:54): MP3
4. Our United Fates (5:17): MP3

Todd Colby

5. July Poem (01:18): MP3
6. Lost Sleep (04:41): MP3
7. National Poetry Day (00:30): MP3
8. Soothing Poem (01:35): MP3
9. Sweetie (03:02): MP3

Trace Peterson

10. No One Could See the Vast Crowd (06:49): MP3
11. The Other Members With My ID (05:27): MP3

Anne Waldman

12. Denouement (04:47): MP3
13. Eye of the Falcon (05:50): MP3
14. Shadow Behind Eclipse (04:06): MP3

• Ron Padgett and Thomas Devaney: Recordings available here.
• Patrizia Cavalli and Rosanna Warren: Recordings available here.

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• John Yau (39:49): MP3
• Arlo Quint (21:51): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Jerome Rothenberg (34:49): MP3
• Pierre Joris (27:30): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Ron Silliman (35:21): MP3
• Robert Fitterman (24:40): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Susan Howe (33:31): MP3 (segmented reading)
• Kate Colby (22:47): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Laura Moriarty (25:21): MP3
• Kimberly Lyons (22:33): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Norma Cole (20:02): MP3
• Julian Talamantez Brolaski (31:59): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Elaine Equi (27:13): MP3 (segmented reading)
• Jerome Sala (21:35): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• (accompanying Anne Waldman, on cello: Ha-Yang Kim)
• Anne Waldman (42:45): MP3
• Lee Ann Brown (28:09): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Tony Towle (30:07): MP3
• Jennifer Moxley (26:44): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Alice Notley (34:26): MP3
• Brenda Coultas: Recording available here

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Rae Armantrout (28:55): MP3 (segmented reading)
• Lisa Jarnot (22:58): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Anselm Berrigan (20:40): MP3
• John Godfrey (23:29): MP3 (segmented reading)

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Michael Lally (25:48): MP3
• Brenda Iijima (38:23): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• John Ashbery (40:17): MP3
• Paolo Javier (27:21): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Ann Lauterbach (28:32): MP3
• Paul Foster Johnson: Recording available here

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Charles Bernstein (45:25): MP3 (segmented reading)
• Trace Peterson (24:50): MP3

• introduced by Vincent Katz
• Eileen Myles (28:32): MP3 (segmented reading)
• Stacy Szymaszek (29:06): MP3

November 15, 1988

James Schuyler, introduced by John Ashbery

1. opening comments (2:14): MP3
2. introduction by John Ashbery (4:55): MP3
3. Salute (1:03): MP3
4. Light Blue Above (1:38): MP3
5. Empathy and New Year (4:17): MP3
6. February (2:14): MP3
7. Unlike Joubert (1:59): MP3
8. Closed Gentian Distances (0:32): MP3
9. Eyes at the Window (3:20): MP3
10. Light from Canada (1:21): MP3
11. A Stone Knife (2:00): MP3
12. A Man in Blue (3:31): MP3
13. December (2:11): MP3
14. Verge (1:30): MP3
15. Money Musk (2:39): MP3
16. Song (1:29): MP3
17. What Ails My Fern (1:22): MP3
18. Procession (0:51): MP3
19. Suddenly (0:23): MP3

Complete reading: MP3

This program is underwritten by Amalia Dayan and Adam Lindemann. Additional support has been provided by Barbara and Charles Wright, an anonymous donor, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Beverages compliments of Brooklyn Brewery.

These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the authors. © 2017 the authors. Used with permission. Distributed by Dia / PennSound.