Inprint Poets & Writers Ball Showcases Houston Talent, Including a UH Pulitzer Prize Winner
A 40th Anniversary That Triumphs the Power of the Written Word
BY Shelby Hodge // 02.18.23
Inprint Ball chairs Rishi & Michelle Varma with featured speaker poet Jericho Brown at River Oaks Country Club. (Photo by rmphoto.com)
What: Inprint Poets & Writers Ball
Where: River Oaks Country Club
PC Moment: Highlight of the evening for bibliophiles celebrating the nonprofit’s 40th anniversary was the presentation by Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Inprint Fellow and Inprint Prize winner, and University of Houston Creative Writing Program alumnus Jericho Brown. He spoke about poetry as a a form of social activism, playing with poetic form and finding his voice in Houston. All in a spirited, joyful and meaningful talk over coffee and dessert.
In a playful and creative move, Brown borrowed a flower crown from a guest and read poems from The Tradition and his other books, plus a new poem inspired by The Jeffersons.
Before dinner, the black-tie gathering was treated to readings from poet Josh Estanislao Lopez, author Oindrila Mukherjee and poet Joy Priest. In addition to their readings, each spoke on the importance of Inprint’s support to their lives as writers, their work and their involvement in the Houston community.
As is tradition with this always-interesting evening, The Annie Cafe chef emeritus Robert Del Grande created the menu for the fundraiser and shared his literary inspiration for the meal. Also, as is tradition, tabletops were decorated with literary themes such as Banned Books, Love in the Time of Cholera, Black American Poets and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Elizabeth Anthony
Guests were gifted with a limited-edition chapbook, Happy Poems by Brown which included poems selected by Brown from each of his three books. Bonus: The chapbook was signed by the author. It was the work of artists Fiona McGettigan and Alan Krathaus of CORE Design Studio.
PC Seen: Gala chairs Michelle and Rishi Varma, Inprint executive director Rich Levy, Robin Angly and Miles Smith, Candace Baggett and Ron Restrepo, Katharine Barthelme and Shane Frank, Carolyn Russell Brock and Glen Brock, Heather Brown and Hank Segelke, Laura Calaway, Bettie Cartwright, Yini and Dane Collette, Carolyn and Platt Davis, Mary S and Jack Dawson, Susie and Joe Dilg, Debbie Gary, and Cullen Geiselman.
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