Catherynne M. Valente and Amal El-Mohtar reading “Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero”
No, don’t just jump ahead and click on the video! Read this first:
As I mentioned in the comments the other day, the first time I’d encountered Catherynne M. Valente’s work was at a poetry reading at Readercon, 2009.
I try to catch at least part of the poetry “slan” (as Readercon calls it) every time I go to Readercon. I always hear something I enjoy. But this time I was totally blown away, and brought to tears, by “Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero.”
Later, in the dealer’s room, I bought a copy of the 2008 Rhysling Anthology 
Later still, I discovered myself seated right beside Valente at our joint autographing session!
I did get her autograph, but El-Mohtar, alas, had left the convention. But I also bought from Valente a copy of Palimpsest
Then other day, while looking up the exact spelling of Amal El-Mohtar’s name on the internet, I came across a YouTube video of that very reading.
I watched it, but I noticed something: the video failed to recapture my experience.
I fear that the problem is that the person who made the recording had not as good a seat as I had, and the words are not always clearly audible. It makes a difference.
Solution: Keep the text beside you as you watch the video!
So, I found the text online here: Lone Star Stories: Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero by Amal El-Mohtar and Catherynne M. Valente. I suggest that you open in it a separate window, make that window half your screen, and put the video on the other half; then you can watch and read along… (Alternatively, print out the text.)
Last point: as I recall from the introduction they gave the reading, Valente and El-Mohtar had each independently written poems about Damascus (by intent or accident, I can’t recall which), and when they compared them, found that they paralleled each other, and fit together beautifully; and so they wove them into one poem for two voices.
Ready?
Okay… now run the video.
The poem:
Lone Star Stories: Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero by Amal El-Mohtar and Catherynne M. Valente.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Unless I have good reason to, I use my computer about as often as I use an astrolabe. Avoid it, actually. (The blogosphere & e-readers upped my average slightly.) So, I will add the 2009 (not ’08) Rhysling Anthology to my list of must-have books.
How I wish I was there to experience Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero! Reading the text next to the video being played helped a lot. Thank you.
Reading Valente is entirely an experience in a category of it’s own. And I find it quite strange & sweet to discuss reading her on the blog of another author whose work I consider unparalleled too!
How quickly one’s little world can change. Will be able to log on in another 24 hours only. Can’t wait to join the discussion.