[VIRTUAL] POETS GATHER TO CELEBRATE NANDI COMER’S BOOK RELEASE

Presented in partnership with Northwestern University Press, PEN America invites you to a virtual reading celebration of Nandi Comer’s new poetry collection, Tapping Out, on Saturday, May 16th, 3pm Eastern time on PEN America’s Facebook page. 

The relentless motions and blinding colors of lucha libre, the high-flying wrestling sport, are the arresting backdrop to Comer’s new collection. Mexican freestyle wrestling becomes the poet’s lyrical motif, uncovering what is behind the intricate masks we wear in society and our search for place within our personal histories. Comer’s poetic narratives include explorations of violence, trauma, and identity. The harsh realities of being migrant and immigrant, being birthright and oppressed, are as hard-pressed as the plancha move to the body. Each poem in Tapping Out is a “freestyle movement” of language and complexity put on full display, under the bright lights and roars of survival. Comer’s splendid and barbed Detroit style of language melts the masks with searing words.

Comer will be joined by Detroit poets Tommye Blount and Aricka Foreman. Both of these poets will read from their respective forthcoming collections and will join Comer to celebrate the book, talk about putting together their respective collections, and discuss the larger Detroit literary community in a conversation moderated by poet Tarfia Faizulla. 

To join, visit PEN America’s facebook page at facebook.com/PENamerica. 

City of Detroit Government

• Parker Durand, 8003 Kercheval, at the corner of Van Dyke.
• Sugar Hill, 119 Garfield, at the corner of John R.
• COTS Peterboro, 26 Peterboro, just west of Woodward.
• The Sanctuary, 3300 Mack, near Gratiot.
• The Marlborough, 910-1031 Marlborough.
• Midtown West, Fourth and Selden.

Eastern Market Partnership