My wife and I had a fire on our block in Brooklyn on November 19th. I lost a lot of my books, and writings, my wife lost a lot of her paintings and we lost virtually everything else. We did manage to save our beloved cats, we're both healthy and alive and I managed to get my bikes out of the building...at least I have my priorities straight! What follows is an announcement for a benefit here in NYC, if you're around drop by. I send my very best wishes to all my slowtwitch brothers and sisters.

Sunday, December 14 2003
8:00pm

Poets Helping Poets: Benefit for Todd Colby, Elizabeth
Zechel & Melissa Piechuchi!

On November 19, a fire on Monitor Street in
Greenpoint, Brooklyn destroyed the home and
possessions of Soft Skull poet Todd Colby, his wife
Elizabeth Zechel, and their neighbor and friend
Melissa Piechuchi. Please join us for a great night of
music and poetry to help them create a new home!

Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery (across from CBGBs)
New York, NY
www.bowerypoetry.com <http://www.bowerypoetry.com>
www.softskull.com <http://www.softskull.com>

MUSIC by
King Missile III with John S. Hall
Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes
Rebecca Moore (www.bluviolin.com)
Unpleasant Event Schedule the Band
Matthew Wascovich, Brian Straw & Todd Colby
Alice B. Talkless

READINGS by
Maggie Estep
Edwin Torres
Brendan Lorber
Sharon Mesmer
Regie Cabico
David Cameron
Lisa Miller
Karen Randolf
Hal Sirowitz (pending)
Wanda Phipss (pending)
Sparrow (pending)
T. Cole Rachel (pending)

SPONSORS/DONATORS
Soft Skull Press
Bowery Poetry Club
Gammon Records (Jordan Trachtenberg)
Slow Toe Publications
Skanky Possum Press
Boog City
Lungfull!
Ugly Duckling Presse
Arthur Magazine
LIT
Unpleasant Event Schedule
Call:Review (John Most)
Pagan Place Zine (Merry Fortune)
Eric Baus
Eileen Tabios
Joshua Beckman
Noah Eli Gordon
Susan Mills
Poetz.com/NYC Poetry Calendar
St. Mark's Poetry Project


Great books and zines will be on sale!

If you are a small press or magazine and would like to
donate copies to sell, contact shanna@softskull.com.

To donate before the event, contact
shanna@softskull.com. Monetary donations, checks and
gift certificates in Todd, Elizabeth, or Melissa's
names will be accepted and are most welcome!

To make a donation on behalf of the other families
affected by the fire, contact the NY Red Cross at
www.nycredcross.org <http://www.nycredcross.org>.