2 Ugly Ducklings + 1 Canadian at the Cake Shop

1. Poets Melissa Broder & Natalie Lyalin. 2. 2 Ugly Ducklings + 1 Canadian: Ben Fama, Natalie, & Adam Seelig.

Polestar Poetry did a double launch party last night at the Cake Shop. Melissa Broder, who runs the series & who made this amazing thing, began with an apology about the little cross-over that exists between NFL Sundays and Poetry.

1. Poet & Sappho admirer Aaron Poochigian. 2. Ben in Cake Shop lights.

The Canadian, Adam Seelig, who runs One Little Goat Theatre Company in Toronto, read first. One of his poems mentioned poets who turn into novelists, and I’m one of those, so I liked that.

Ben Fama, who founded Supermachine, read second; Ben told us about his dream last night. Who’s reading? he asked in his dream, and the answer was William Burroughs, and so he chose not to read at that dream reading.

Natalie Lyalin, who when she is not strictly a poet edits Glitter Pony mag, also dreamt about the reading — she made glass mosaics on stage with another poet. Her last poem included the line, “Make a panda, panda,” which is why you should read it whole.

Anna Prushinskaya edits The Outlet.