Readings-Performances

Readings and Performances

Poetry is ultimately a spoken art that creates and brings together community, strengthens bonds among people, and revitalizes our commitment to living culturally rich, humane lives. Readings and performances of poetry help to bridge the gap between publishers and readers, and they affirm the irreplaceable role of bookstores, schools, colleges, universities, theaters, town halls, coffee houses, taverns, and other meeting places as gathering venues for those who seek to experience poetry live in a communal setting.

William O’Daly gives readings on a regular basis, sometimes featuring his translations of Pablo Neruda in combination with his own poems and prose. The mix offers audiences a sense of the correspondences and divergences between his own and Neruda’s poetry, after decades of his bringing the master Chilean poet’s work to English-speaking audiences.

Click to hear Folded Word Poetry Reading: Karla Van Vliet, JS Graustein, and William O’Daly

O’Daly often collaborates with classical and jazz musicians in performances that feature the combination of his own poetry and his Neruda translations. On a number of occasions and in various venues, he has performed with innovative guitarist Louis Valentine Johnson. He has performed with Paul Bloom, Laila Smith, Connor Schultze, and Jeremy Dutton of the jazz group “We Are iiii.” as well as with jazz bassist Glen Moore, of the group, “Oregon,” and flautist Rick Wilson.

To schedule a reading or performance, please see the Calendar for open dates or go directly to the Contact page.

William O’Daly and Louis Valentine Johnson

The artist Galen Garwood, who has collaborated with O’Daly on several projects, has rendered two poems from O’Daly’s The New Gods, “Origin” and “Tonight…,” in video and music presentations.

View Origin poem here. Music by Jami Sieber.

View Tonight… poem here. Music by Louis Valentine Johnson.

Paul Bloom (keyboard), Jeremy Dutton (drums), Connor Schultze (bass), and Laila Smith (vocals) of We Are iiii perform at Silvana, East Harlem, New York City.

Click to listen to We Are iiii’s adaption of William O’Daly’s poem
“Our Names Returning After Rain” to music and lyrics, from their album “iiii” (2013).
The album can be purchased here.