Poetry Goggles

... Because words are dangerous!

Here is a photo of Steve and his mum, taken by his sister Karen. He's wearing his poetry goggles.

The poetry goggles have become something of a regular feature of the Dusty Owl Reading Series, as well as other events Steve drops in on around town.

How did poetry goggles happen? Steve tells this story: "In the spring of 2004, a few weeks after we started holding the Dusty Owl readings at Swizzles, Cathy was getting some stuff together for a garage sale. I came in from somewhere and saw the box of stuff sitting by the door in our apartment. Almost without thinking, I reached into the box and pulled out this pair of swimming goggles Cathy had used in university, and said, 'Hey, you can't give these away -- they're my poetry goggles!' She naturally said no, that I had to put them back into the box, but I hid them away until we held our next reading. I've lost and found them from time to time, but I still have them. I like the idea. I take poetry and writing very seriously, but I think people tend to forget that a poetry reading should be a little fun, too -- you know, the whole 'intellectual hooliganism' and 'serious whimsy' thing. That's what poetry goggles are all about to me."