More Photos from Cave Canem's 10th Anniversary Celebration

Ditto the last post, which is to say, what a week it's been! Every time I thought I'd post, I found myself doing something else that was necessary, or I couldn't muster the mental energy, and then I looked up a week had passed. Among the highlights of course were the Cave Canem 10th Anniversary Celebration and Reunion, which included some of the most exciting and engaging panels and readings I've attended in a while. The best aspect of the event, if I can single one out, was just seeing and spending time with so many friends and acquaintances I haven't seen in a while. I wished that I could see many of them more often; some of the Chi crew were in town, but so many other fellow CCers live all across the country, and world.

Below are some more photos from the weekend (and Blogger appears to be taking quite a while to upload each of them!), which only barely capture the general feeling of exhilaration--and I know I wasn't the only one who experienced it. Anyone interested in contemporary poetry--African-American or American--could pick up the work of any of the poets shown below, or many others who were present, and learn quite a bit. To all of them, to Cave Canem's founders, Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady, to Carolyn and Sarah Micklem, to all the Faculty members, and to all the other folks who made the celebration happen, I say thank you for a remarkable weekend, and I can't wait to see you all again!

PS: If I've misidentified anyone, please don't hesitate to send in corrections!

From left: Khary Polk looking on at the Black aesthetics panel; Mendi Lewis Obadike's father is noting something in his program; Gina Dorcely is standing against the wall, and sitting in the corner are Erica Hunt and Cherryl Floyd-Miller. I think Tracie Morris is on the right, head bowed.

Reggie Harris and Douglas Kearney having a laugh after the panel

Before the politics panel; Tracy Morris at far left, Nehassaiu DeGannes (?) in the black jacket, DJ Renegade at far right

From left: Gina Dorcely, Sean Hill, and Toni Asante Lightfoot

The New Media panel: from left, Evie Shockley, Duriel Harris, Mendi Obadike, Keith Obadike (and Tonya Foster on the phone)

Audience the New Media panel; Holly Bass is in the center of the picture (visible in the front are Tyehimba Jess and Ronaldo Wilson)

From left: Julie Patton, giovanni singleton (back turned), Erica Doyle, Monica Hand, Reggie Harris

Krista Franklin striking a pose (I asked her to)

Mother Sonia Sanchez reading at the Faculty Reading

People milling about after the Faculty reading; DJ Renegade (Joel Dias-Porter is wearing the baseball cap) is chatting with Brian Gilmore, Tim Seibles is holding papers in his right hand at center, Evie Shockley is wearing the shawl at right

Tim Seibles and Herman Beavers (Karma Johnson has her back turned to the camera) after the Faculty reading

Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon (Patricia Smith is visible over Lyrae's right shoulder)

Tracie Morris, a beautiful poet whose name I don't know, and Patricia Spears Jones (I believe Aracelis Girmay is one of the poets in the background)

The "Inner Workings" panel at St. Mark's Church, from left, Dante Micheaux, Ronaldo Wilson, Gloria Burgess, Phebus Etienne, Jacqui Johnson, and Ross Gay

The incomparable Dante Micheaux

From left: Yolanda Wisher Johnson, giovanni singleton, Kate Rushin (one of the first poets I ever heard read her work live), and Harryette Mullen

People watching the Great Day photo in Union Square--Thomas Sayers Ellis is styling on the right

Teri Cross, Holly Bass, and Krista Franklin posting for a photo

The same photo from another perspective; in the foreground, Valerie Jean; at back in the left, Tracy K. Smith and Jericho Brown

Brandon Johnson, John Murillo, and Toni Asante Lightfoot (Cornelius Eady is visible at right)

Michelle Courtney Berry, CC co-founder Cornelius Eady, Yona Harvey, Terrance Hayes, Brian Gilmore

Some of the many amazing poets getting their photos taken

Mothersista Cheryl Clarke at the Sunday LGBT reading at the Schomburg Center (Photo by C)

Monica Hand (Photo by C)

Dante Micheaux (Photo by C)

Mendi Lewis Obadike (Photo by C)

Venus Thrash (Photo by C)

Reggie Harris, one of the organizers of the Sunday reading (Photo by C)

After the Schomburg Center reading; Keith Obadike in the foreground (Photo by C)

Audiologo, Doug, and Keith

Jstheater himself, with Bryan Glover and Reggie Harris

At the after-rading gathering at Native, in Harlem, from left: Ronaldo Wilson (back turned), Remica Bingham, Venus Thrash, Hallie Hobson, Shia Barnett, and Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon

Remica, Venus, Hallie, Shia, Dawn Lundy Martin, Dante, and at far right, Samiya Bashir, one of the organizers of the Sunday reading