Post-Poetic Bliss: Live from Beyond Baroque

Photos provided by Chase Yi, Ryan Buynak, and Denise Rae Summers

Well, well, well, you curious little nothings, you. Another weekend, another opportunity for us to contemplate the profound depths of the human condition. Yay!

Last Saturday, from the wonderful Wanda Coleman Theater at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA, a quartet of word-wielding warriors took to the stage in person and virtually. The Wanda Coleman Theater, named after the influential poet, is a cozy yet vibrant space that has witnessed many such poetic marvels.

Beyond Baroque is the literary soul of Venice, California. Housed in the old City Hall, it's and true institution and legendary clubhouse where the literary arts thrive. For over 50 years, it's been the epicenter for groundbreaking readings, workshops that'll kickstart your creative spirit, and a bookstore chock-full of indie treasures. It's the vibrant, beating heart of L.A.'s poetry scene, keeping the written word wild, weird, and wonderfully alive.

For those of you who missed out on this veritable smorgasbord of verse, allow us to present the lineup:

First up, the man, the myth, the legend whose output rivals a small publishing house, Ryan Buynak, who flew out from swampy Florida to host and emcee the afternoon’s event.

Then we had the multi-talented Danielle Altman, who scales the peaks of fiction, essays, and poetry. A true literary polymath.

Next up was none other than our very own Denise Rae Summers. Yes, the poet-artist and Editor-in-Chief of this very mag/zine brought her unique blend of wit and wisdom to the forefront.

And finally, bringing a fresh perspective that probably made some of the seasoned poets clutch their metaphorical pearls, we had Chase Yi. A poet and performer who reminds us that poetry isn't just for dusty old books and hushed libraries.

One additional notable thing that happened - the founders of Philosopher’s Stone Poetry reunited for the first time in quite a while! Chase Sergio, and Denise were stoked to see each other and to discuss a future revival of the company (stay tuned!).

So there you have it. A Saturday afternoon of intellectual heavy lifting, where we delved into the profound themes of life and existence through the lens of poetry, prompting some serious existential pondering, and probably a few awkward moments.

If you were there, virtually speaking, we salute your dedication to the arts. If you weren't, well, now you have homework. Get watching, you culture vultures! And keep an eye out for our next installment of poetic shenanigans. You never know what (the) curious nothing will get up to next, but we promise it will be worth the wait.