Join the DC-based nonprofit and publisher Day Eight to celebrate its publication of Breaking the Blank, poetry collection co-authored by longtime friends Rebecca Bishophall and Dwayne Lawson-Brown.

“Breaking the Blank is a contemporary treasure.” —Sistah Joy, Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County, Maryland

Breaking the Blank is a spirited dialogue between poets—and a meditation on love, parenting, gentrification, money, and the literary life. In accessible free verse, haiku, sonnets, and other forms, Bishophall and Lawson-Brown honor the African American experience, make sacred the ordinary, and remind the reader of the marvelous in the everyday. (The cover art for the book is by Qrcky.)

Rebecca Bishophall and Dwayne Lawson-Brown met each other as juniors in high school in the late 1990’s and have been literary colleagues, and friends, ever since. Rebecca Bishophall has featured at Spit Dat, Afrocentric Book Expo, and others, and works in member services for a non-profit organization. She graduated from Trinity University in 2006 with a major in Communications. Dwayne Lawson-Brown, aka the Crochet Kingpin, is co-host of Spit Dat, the longest running open mic in Washington, D.C. Their poems were recently published in 2022 Pride Poems, they co-authored the Helen Hayes nominated play, From Gumbo to Mumbo, and they are an editor of the literary magazine Bourgeon.

DETAILS FOR ATTENDEES

This is an in-person, catered event open to all that will take place in the club space at The Gantry, a residential development located in the Union Market area of Washington, D.C. Registration is required.

During the event, Rebecca and Dwayne will read their poetry. Four ticket types are available: free attendee tickets, gold tickets that include a signed copy of Breaking the Blank, platinum tickets that include a signed copy of Breaking the Blank and any other Day Eight book available at the event, and a diamond ticket that includes a signed copy of Breaking the Blank and three other Day Eight book available at the event.

Several modes of public transportation are close to the building, and three hours of free parking are available at the apartment building next door.

The RSVP deadline is 11:59 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Register to join us and celebrate!

ABOUT DAY EIGHT

Day Eight contributes to the healing of the world through the arts as a producer, publisher, and provider of education programming. Learn more about what we do: https://dayeight.org/about/.