There are many things you don’t know about lesbian poets. The poetry establishment—major literary journals, male poets, poetry professors—cannot hear, see, recognize or value lesbian poetry. Lesbian poetry is largely ignored. Headmistress Press is determined to make a change in this status quo. In this special Ms. series, the brilliant, lively, lesbian poets of Headmistress Press are bringing you their conversations with each other, in a sort of online lesbian poetry conference. Previously, Jessica K. Hylton and Jen Rouse, Joy Ladin and Risa Denenberg, Gail Thomas and Lesléa Newman, Marissa Higgins and Samantha Pious, Robin Reagler and Diane Furtney, Laura Foley and Maureen Bocka, and Freesia McKee and Farrell Greenwald Brenner conversed.
This week, Carolyn Boll interviews Ruth Lehrer about her book, Tiger Laughs When You Push, and Lehrer interviews Boll about her book Social Dance: A Book of Ballroom Poetry. Boll is from Montreal, Canada, and Lehrer lives in western Massachusetts. They met at the celebrated Forbes Library in Northampton, MA to make this video. A meandering and convivial conversation ensued complete with delicious macarons and a waltz around the grounds of Smith College.
