Last night, I celebrated my Independence Day and the beginning of my journey as a freelance writer with a trip to Chinatown to cover Matjames Metson’s assemblage show and read poetry with Slake.  It was an amazing night.  And not just because of the art show, but because the city was booming with people.   Kids were banging on drums, and dragons were dancing in between the pedestrians.  Check out the photos taken by my lady.

Really loved having the opportunity to read my poem, “Before the Week Ahead,” with Slake.  It was a poem about the anxiety I felt driving to work on the 405 from Long Beach to Woodland Hills.  Sort of felt like a moment of freedom to read this poem — almost a declaration of Independence.  (Heard Craig Gaines use this phrase, and I borrowed it.)

I always wanted to see one of these dragon dances, and Bianca and I followed them around Chinatown for a while.  There is so much to learn from the diversity of Los Angeles.

These images are made by the great Matjames Metson.  The photos were taken at his opening-night event at Coagula in Chinatown.  It was an amazing show.  What I like best about his work is that when you look at each piece, there is something new to be seen every time.  It’s mind blowing that all the images are found objects.  Plus, it was great to find small objects — like a small toy soldier in a massive automaton — that remind me of something from childhood.  Each piece seems to exist as a city to itself.  There is something to discover around every turn.