Monday Muse: Poet-Sound Artist Duriel Harris

A blog post by poet Donna Vorreyer was my introduction to the work of Duriel E. Harris. Harris collaborated with videographer and photographer Scott Rankin to produce the wonderful Speleology, which debuted in 2011 at International Literary Film Festival in New York City. It's a production that, like Harris's poetry, deserves attention. Listen closely to how Harris reads.

Speleology from Scott Rankin on Vimeo.

Text from "Speleology" that is used in the short is here.

The award-winning Harris, who, in addition to writing poetry, is a performer and sound artist, playwright, and professor of English at Illinois State University, has published Amnesiac: Poems (Sheep Meadow Press, 2010) and Drag (Elixir Press, 2003). Harris also is a member of a jazz ensemble.

Duriel Harris Poems Online: "Portrait of Thee I Sing", Excerpts from "Speleology", "The Ascended Black", "self portrait in relief", All at Shampoo Poetry (Issue 35); "black magic" and "girl, 8," Audio at Drunken Boat (Issue 12); "Before this dream...", at Ploughshares (Spring 2012); "In memoriam", "Simulacrum: Sonnet after Reginald Shepherd", "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", All at Ambulant (Issue 2); "black hand side" at BlackNetArt

Reviews of Amnesiac at  Constant Critic, Kenyon Review, Lambda Literary 

Elixir Press

2011 InLiFiFe Films and Filmmakers (Do browse; there are some wonderful shorts here.)

International Literary Film Festival on FaceBook