'Low Down and Coming On' presents poetry about pigs

Sometimes, at least as far as trends are concerned, it seems as though there are only two major food groups: cupcakes and bacon. The two are diametric opposites; cupcakes are cute and bacon, well, isn't. Bacon's only claim to fame is being delicious and the meme has spread to restaurants well outside of the diner purview. The salty slabs are even inspiring the local literary world, specifically at the Loft Literary Center. This weekend they will celebrate their latest anthology, titled Low Down and Coming On: A Feast of Delicious and Dangerous Poems About Pigs.

This collection could definitely be classified as of the thick-cut variety. Its pages feature 133 poems by 103 poets. The idea for the porcine publication came from none other than Bill Holm before he passed in 2009 (and to whom the volume is dedicated). Editor James P. Lenfestey wrote the introduction to the book, declaring "These are poems you can EAT!" The anthology even includes a recipe.

Poems included in the collection have come from around the world and are from eras both past and present. Special guest Dan Bohnshorst will read Pablo Neruda's "Bestario" in Spanish and in his own English translation. Other authors who have devoted stanzas to sows include U.S. Poet Laureates Donald Hall and Ted Kooser. People reading at the event include contributors Sharon Chmielarz, Susan Thurston Hamerski, Kate Kysar, Julie Landsman, George Roberts, and Jay P. White. From the Loft's website: "In an introductory essay, Lenfestey roots through the history of pig poetry since Homer and Han-shan, uncovering many tasty surprises. His aside on 'proper pig diction' is a linguistic revelation, his call for 'proper pig relations' a humane grunt."

This free reading event will take place on Sunday, December 12 at 2 p.m. at the Target Performance Hall in the Loft Literary Center (1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis). To find more about this event or Low Down and Coming On: A Feast of Delicious and Dangerous Poems About Pigs, visit the Loft Literary Center online.