LOVE POEMS, WINE, AND SONG...BUT BEWARE:

Poetry Center San Jose
Holds Its Valentine’s Day Celebration
This Year on Friday the 12th.


On Friday, February 12, 2010, Poetry Center San Jose will hold its Valentine’s Day celebration at Le Petit Trianon, 72 North Fifth Street, beginning at 5:30. Once again it will feature Nils Peterson (currently Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County) and Sally Ashton. This year, the music will be provided by Elena Sharkova and the Silicon Valley Symphony Singers.

The first event was held in 1981 at Barrington’s which is now the lounge at the St. Claire Hilton. It was part of an effort to bring poetry to downtown San Jose. It was thought that right after work would be a good time for a drink and a poem. Nils remembers that lots of people that evening were ordering margaritas, and so the poems were punctuated with the rachety sound of a blender. There was also a little bit of controversy over a picture of a lovely, though nude, lady announcing the event. The manager did not think the lobby was a good place for her. The next year, the celebration it was held at the SJ Art Museum where she seemed to be more at home.

Since then, the event has been held in several venues, D. P. Fong’s Gallery, The Fairmont, a little theater, even Bath England, when Nils was teaching there. For the last several years it has been held at the small theater at Le Petit Trianon, but last year we graduated to the big theater. The program lasts until about 7 and ends with everyone singing “Some Enchanted Evening.” Then, filled with wine, music, and poetry, the attendees leave to celebrate with their own Valentines.

Nils Peterson is a retired Professor of English at San Jose State and the author of The Comedy of Desire in which, according to its editor, Robert Bly, he reveals himself as “a gangly, innocent, greedy, utterly incompetent lover.” Sally Ashton is a local poet, teacher, editor and author of These Metallic Days. Her prose poem collection about a donkey, Her Name Is Juanita, published in September 2009. Somehow this makes Sally just right for Valentine's Day, too.

LOVE'S NOT TIME'S FOOL


Turning to the rhythm, swaying to the syntax,
descending further into the cellars of the heart.

Flaubert to Louise Colet.
Where is the wine kept?
In the cellars of the heart.
Friend, let’s find the key.
—nils peterson

Poetry Center San Jose presents...Love’s Not Time’s Fool
an almost Valentine’s Night’s Revel with Wine, Poetry & Music
featuring Nils Peterson, Sally Ashton & Elena Sharkova with
The Silicon Valley Symphony Singers at Le Petite Trianon,
72 N. Fifth St. ,San Jose, CA 95113, Friday, February 12, 2010.
The reading will start about 5:30.
Come early for a glass of wine or soft drink.
A Donation of $10 is requested.