It's not all that often that poetry gets me all excited. Sure, I memorized "Xanadu" in college and one of my favorite books is a 12th century poem but for the most part, eh, I'm ambivilent to the form. Good poetry is great, bad poetry is terrible and most poetry I just zone out when it comes around. But about 10 years ago I ran across a beat up copy of The LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka Reader, opened it to a random page and read "Afrikan Revolution," a scathing criticism of colonialism. Best $1 I've ever spent on a used book of poetry, that's for sure.

So while lining up for a poetry reading is about the last thing on my normal list of things to do I've got a sticky note to remind me to buy a ticket to see Amiri Baraka, who comes to Santa Fe courtesy of the Lannan Foundation. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at noon (make sure you save me one or I'll just have to sneak in, and I don't want to have to do that) and the Baraka speaks March 11.