Portland songwriter Anna Tivel wants to email you a newly-made Stayhomepoem every week along with a link to a new weekly song to listen to.
“In trying to dream up ways to stay afloat,” Tivel said, “after having to cancel and come home from a 30-date tour in Europe and cancel all shows in the States for the foreseeable future, I wanted to find a way to connect and stay hopeful and creative; to somehow still put art into the world.”
To sign up, she asks you to send your email address and consider a small donation of whatever makes sense for you at this time through PayPal, Venmo or check.
“So many artists are out of work with no safety net whatsoever, in a world of streaming music for halves of pennies and with live shows being the only way to bring in any income. It’s a pretty terrifying reality, but I know musicians are also feeling hugely grateful for the strength of the community and well aware that there are many, many folks struggling who don’t have the ability to reach out publicly.”
Anna Tivel reaches for that thread of understanding with her music; that moment of recognition, of shared experience. Her songs are moving and her Stayhomepoems are a mindful weekly event to look forward to. Email her at stayhomepoems@gmail.com for sign up, details. Listen to her music and watch vids at annativel.com.
blooming
spent three days
in the tall grass
dirt clods
and the broken faucet
of my body
dripping and swearing
the world’s gone mad
and all I could think to do
was fill the wheel barrow
over and over
with dug up rocks
and tiny earthen creatures
some weeds are twisted
painful
others have young
purple flowers
and seeds that reach out
even as you maim them
the world’s like that
ugly
contagious
and also
slowly blooming
© anna tivel, 2020
Image: Anna Tivel photo by Matt Dayak
