Gone Gonzo

A week ago I was convinced that I was going to have to cancel my planned tour and give up on my dreams of ever being a part of Gonzofest, the legendary once a year celebration held to honor the late Hunter S. Thompson. I was going to have to back out of being any part of the once in a lifetime nationwide bus tour that our National Beat Poet Laureate is currently undertaking. Then somehow, miracles fell in place, and Jess, the universe and loved ones came through.

Jess buys and resells purses and bags, and she’s been hustling that side hustle for months. We held a three day garage sale. There was part of a GoFundMe. I sold an antique on ebay. Some friends, loved ones and patrons, sent some love and support, and well, we’re heading to New Orleans this weekend, then out to follow the Vagabond Poetry Bus Tour for as far as our funds allow.

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The schedule:

Saturday from 4-5pm after a tour of William Burrough’s house, I’ll be feature reading from the Vagabond Bus AT the Lafayette No. 1 Cemetery. Yes! I’m reading poetry at a New Orleans cemetery with the National Beat Poet Laureate Mark Lipman and a handful of other poets and laureates.

The Vagabond Poetry Tour Bus Stage on the side of National Beat Poet Laureate’s bus Furtherer named after Ken Kesey’s bus Further.

Saturday night at the Library Bar I’m scheduled to read between 11 and midnight and Jess is scheduled to read between one and two in the morning. We’ll be reading with about 25 poets from across the country.

Sunday night at the Cafe Instabul, New Mexico Beat Poet Laureate PW Covington, New Jersey Poetry Renaissance founder Damian Rucci and I will be closing out the entire weekend with readings at 1:30am, after another night of poetry featuring 20 poets from all over the country.

In between these readings there are panels on Hunter S. Thompson featuring his family and friends. David Amram will be there performing with International Beat Poet Laureate, lifetime emeritus Ron Whitehead, and Amram will be performing a handful of times throughout the festival, performances not to be missed. There’ll be movies, bands, readings, walking tours of literary importance in New Orleans, and lots of fun and creative energy.

a photo Jess took of me last year in front of Hunter S. Thompson’s childhood home in Louisville.

And then…..

Tuesday at 11am Jess and I will read with the Vagabond Bus Tour in Memphis! At Graceland! I mean, I once got married by Elvis. I might as well go read some poems at his house.

Tuesday at 7pm at Cafe Noir in Memphis, the Poetry Society of Tennessee is hosting us, the Vagabond Poetry Bus Tour, for a reading.

And here is where it gets dicey. We have enough funds for the fuel and food needed for this AND if we can hustle enough books for gas money…..

Thursday May 22 in St. Louis at Dunaway Books at 7:30 the Vagabond Bus Tour has a reading.

hoping we make it here

Friday May 23 in a cave in Mitchell, IN with the Vagabond Bus Tour

Saturday May 24 in Chicago with the Vagabond Bus Tour at writer and pal Wes Heine’s big monthly reading at Gallery Cabaret

Sunday May 25 in Chicago at the Beach Poetry reading on Lake Michigan hosted by poet Cathleen Schandelmeier.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed and my heart open to the universe in hopes we can figure out how to follow the Vagabond Bus Tour through Chicago before heading back home to Ohio.

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Here is the new chapbook for the tour. Full of some new poems you ain’t read yet. Send ANY amount donation to help support our tour and I’ll ship one to you! Here is the donation info.

Thanks for all of your love, support and generosity friends. I haven’t been able to make it to an in person poetry reading in over six months, and in the middle of a tough year, this tour is much needed. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.

Namaste.

Love,

Dan