Where I Dry The Flowers Release Show

Join award-winning author Ollie Schminkey to celebrate the release of their second book, Where I Dry the Flowers. Opening poets to be announced shortly--can’t wait to see you there!

Tickets $10, doors at 7--show at 7:30.

PRAISE FOR WHERE I DRY THE FLOWERS:

“In the aftermath of their father’s death, Ollie Schminkey has written a stunning meditation on what it means to grieve the loss of a complex person. The poems inside this book are courageous enough to tell the whole truth. They neither sanctify a man because he has died, nor vilify a man because he caused pain. They grapple with what it is to love a person who is both “the drink and the fist” but also “guilty and blameless.” With their insistence on not painting a singular portrait, Ollie Schminkey offers humanity not only to their father, but to all of us. These poems will help you love the people in your life better. Ollie is the kind of writer the world needs right now.” --ANDREA GIBSON

“This is where we tell the truth.” An entire forest of grief and hope and loss and love springs to life in this book: bursting with birdsong, paths marked and unmarked, walked by the living, holding the dead. A stunning reminder of what poetry can do.” - KYLE “GUANTE” TRAN MYHRE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ollie Schminkey is a non-binary transgender poet, artist, and organizer living in St. Paul, MN. They have spent the past decade coaching, mentoring, teaching classes, and running workshops for poets. They are the author of four chapbooks, as well as two full-length collections: Dead Dad Jokes (Button Poetry, 2021) which was shortlisted for both the Midwest Independent Publishers Association and the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize, and Where I Dry the Flowers (Button Poetry, June 2024). Their work has been featured everywhere from THEM to Upworthy, and they’ve performed poems in 19 states, with their work garnering over 3 million views on YouTube. When they’re not writing and performing poetry, they spend their time making creepy+cute pottery under the name Sick Kitty Ceramics. You can find them touring nationally, making music, or playing with their cat Pete, who is always trying to eat things he shouldn’t.

To take a class or to see more of their work, check out ollieschminkey.com.

Content warning: this show contains potentially activating subject matter including, but not limited to: death/grief, alcoholism, and sexual assault. Performers are not pre-screened for content, and content is presented uncensored as the artists see fit. If something is activating and/or triggering to you, please know that we love you and we hope you take care of yourself as you see fit.

Masking Policy

Please note that masks are required for all attendees of this show. Thank you for helping to create a safer space for my immunocompromised friends!

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