BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | A gathering to remember East Village poet Steve Cannon will be held Sun., July 14, at the Bowery Poetry Club, at 308 Bowery, at E. First St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cannon, 84, the founder of A Gathering of the Tribes, died in the early-morning hours on Sun., July 7, in the intensive-care unit of the Veterans Affairs Hospital on E. 23rd St. Cannon, who was blind, had been rehabbing from a broken hip suffered a month earlier when he fell in his Avenue D home.
Poet Bob Holman and novelist Chavisa Woods sent out an e-mail notice Thursday afternoon about Sunday’s remembrance.
A huge outpouring of memorials — of all sorts, and in many forms — is expected at the five-hour event for the East Village “art godfather.” In the early 1990s, Cannon turned his E. Third St. home into an art and literary salon, where he gathered all “the tribes” of creativity. He encouraged and nurtured generations of writers and creators.
“For the gathering this Sunday at the Bowery Poetry Club,” Woods and Holman wrote, “we will make a sign-up sheet available at the club for those who wish to take the stage and share a story of remembrance, a poem, a song or dance, or anything of your choosing in honor of Steve. Select featured hosts and speakers/readers will also be announced soon.
“We ask that all who take the stage keep their artistic remembrances to under three minutes in length, respecting the large number of people who will wish to share. We cannot guarantee everyone who signs up will get a chance to speak, but we will do our best to give everyone who wants to share, a chance to do so.
“We ask, for those sharing poetry and music, that the piece you share be in some way related to Steve, and you are also encouraged to share his own writing.”
People can RSVP via the Facebook event page, though entry is on a first-come basis. Details about the event will be updated daily on the Facebook page.
Woods and Holman said that a more formal “celebration of life” for Cannon will be held in October, so that those who live out of town, or who are currently traveling for the summer, may attend. Details about the October memorial service will be announced soon.
