SPECIAL POETRY EVENT.
Friday, November 1. Door 7:00pm, start 7:30pm.
Close Encounter #22 - RACHEL FERGUSON in Morgan Salon, Daitabashi (near Meidaimae).
Rachel Ferguson is a Scottish writer and voice artist. She is author of two books: 'Thoughts On Waking,' a volume of poetry, and 'Gugu and Penfin Sleep,' a bedtime story designed to help children fall asleep. For over a decade she was based in Japan, and has recently returned to live in Scotland.
Rachel writes:
"I have poetry, the writing of which demands deliberation; it is a word-by-word, sound-by-sound, dot-by-dash process. Reading it compels me to muse and mull over each word, savouring the anticipation of the final payoff. In the daily information deluge, for me, poetry is a riceball savoured on a mountaintop, bite by bite."
At short notice, during her current brief visit to Tokyo, we are very fortunate to have Rachel perform in Morgan Salon. She will speak in depth of her life in Japan, and read some of her newest, unpublished poems.
I (Morgan Fisher) will provide some musical interludes.
Just prior to posting this event, I've been reading Rachel's book, and have myself slipped into a poetic frame of mind and allowed this poem out:
GLASS
I'm always looking through plate glass
Borderless, endless
An invisible barrier
Betwixt me and the "real world"
Watching Rachel on the other side, cleaning stretching sleeping dancing
mothering wondering silent speaking sharing
She's clear about the fog
bright amid the dark
true about the delusions
sure about her unsureness
I try to understand her
And in the effort of trying, I remember
Another wise friend's words:
"Don't try to understand
stand under."
I put my glasses on to try and clarify my depreciating vision
I've acquired 3 pairs over the years
Each now has a clear (pun intended) function:
One for station names and street signs
One for computers and books
One for iPhone, tiny CD texts, and +/- symbols on battery compartments
I'm in my glasses, behind glass
And as bedtime approaches and I can't/won't relax or yawn
I reach for a glass
Filled with Italy, Spain, Australia or Chile
And one more
And then another
I'm under glass, in glasses, behind glass
And even more baffled/attracted by my non-understanding of Rachel
Until I get behind a keyboard
Let a few notes out
My lifelong intuition clicks gently in
And poof:
All glass is gone.
-- I'm truly grateful for this rare surprise of morning creativity, and invite you to come and also be inspired by Rachel.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is a cultural series curated by Morgan Fisher, giving you a chance to meet artists face-to-face in an intimate space and experience their creativity on a more personal level.
ENTRY is 3000 yen, payable at the door (cash only please).
*** Complimentary wine, tea, and snacks will be served.
*** EMAIL RESERVATION IS APPRECIATED (see below) as seating is limited to 30 persons, but of course last-minute, unreserved attendees are also welcome!
Morgan Salon is just a five-minute walk from Daitabashi Station (only 2 stops by local train from Shinjuku on the Keio Line).
*** TO BOOK: Please send an email with the title "CE22" to:
morganfff@gmail.com
Please include your name and a callback number. Your reservation will be confirmed and a map will be emailed to you.
Rachel and Morgan really look forward to meeting you!