| Festival Neruda | Events at the Red Poppy Art House |
For the celebration of what would have been Neruda's 100th birthday, Red Poppy produced a festival, intended for a week but extended for two, which has become part of the lore of San Francisco's tremendous literary history. The opening night crowd overflowed Theater Artaud, we had to set up pa's to pipe out the audio to those crowded in the lobby, unable to get in, emotionally just like they had to at the 92nd St Y in NYC for Neruda's first US reading in 1966. Starting with a spirited, emotional reading by poet's such as the legendary beat capĂtan Lawrence Ferlinghetti, former US Poet Laureate Robert Hass, SF Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman, and Mark Eisner[**link me to new bio page were going to make], we followed with the first showing of the rough cut of the first version, finished that same day. Birthday cake and celebration followed; the San Francisco Chronicle called it "a perfect birthday party."
Two weeks of art, dance, children reading their own translations of Neruda, politics and poetry panels, music and more followed.
Some highlights are listed below and a video clip will soon be posted here... stay tuned!





