Poems come into being in many ways: some are deliberately composed and often start from an idea or experience. Some seem inspired but require a certain amount of work, revision and struggle to get them right. Others, however, seem to arrive whole: what is required of the poet is to get out of the way and let the poem "write itself". The great San Francisco poet, Robert Duncan, called this "obedience to the poem", and Jack Spicer, his colleague, called it "taking dictation" and left it an open question as to who or what was dictating.
The Excelsior Branch Arts & Culture Salon presents a very special evening with poet Diane di Prima, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by PEN Oakland in 2008, and who was just recently named San Francisco's Poet Laureate. In this informal talk/reading, Diane will discuss various ways the poem may be "received" and read poems that have arrived as if dictated. Dialogue with the audience will be invited and encouraged throughout the presentation.
Wednesday, May 27th - 7 p.m.
Marie Jobling of the Community Living Campaign will discuss strategies for ending isolation and loneliness for older adults and people with disabilities. The Community Living Campaign works to build and strengthen intentional communities that provide practical support to isolated older adults and people with disabilities, as well as advocate broadly to make San Francisco an aging and disability friendly city.
This unique film tells the story of the Holocaust through the eyes of eight-year-old Bruno whose father is a Nazi commander at Auschwitz. Bruno strikes up a friendship with a Jewish boy, Shmuel, through the fence surrounding the camp where everyone wears striped pajamas. Their friendship will have startling and unexpected consequences for both of them. Rated PG-13 (2008, 94 minutes)
Joan Crawford gives one of her most compelling performances in this story of a determined woman's rise from waitress to restaurateur. Following her divorce from her unfaithful husband, Mildred's sole motivation in life becomes the happiness of her decadent, spoiled daughter Veda (Ann Blyth). The film conveys director Michael Curtiz's love of the American night world and captures the ambiance of 1940s Southern California. Crawford won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Based on the novel by James M. Cain. (1945, 111 mins.)
The Excelsior Branch Library and all other San Francisco public libraries will be closed on Monday, May 25th for Memorial Day. Excelsior Branch will reopen on Tuesday, 5/26, at 10 a.m.
Bear the dog is coming to the Excelsior Library! Join Sandra from the SPCA and Bear for a program on dog safety. Learn about dog behavior, safety dos and don'ts, including around strange dogs, and about meeting a new dog.