DULUTH — Duluth-based poet Henry Kneiszel knew when their book was released, they didn't want to do a traditional poetry reading. "I wanted to add in a fun twist," Kneiszel said. "I'm always looking for ways to make things more fun.
I have a really good time at a poetry reading, but I get kind of antsy sitting still. So I thought, wouldn't it be fun to do the reading from a dunk tank?" Kneiszel recalled sitting on a dunk tank as part of a fundraiser as a child. So they're planning to hole-punch a copy of their book and wire it to the grate on the front of the tank so they can read while sitting on top.
When someone wants to, they can throw a ball and hit the dunk button, possibly cutting off Kneiszel midsentence, a challenge they're excited to take on. ADVERTISEMENT "It'll be a fun surprise," Kneiszel said. "We'll test my adaptation.
I really like reading out loud so I think this will add more fun to it for the audience." Kneiszel will be reading from their new book, "It's All Too Much I'm Ready to Become a Canada Goose." The book gets its name from the first poem in the book, which Kneiszel said comes from their love for Canada geese.
They make their own earrings and stickers themed around Canada geese. "I love migratory birds," Kneiszel said. "I love the idea of being at home while moving and developing that relationship with many places.
I love the teamwork and family dynamics they have. ..
. The book deals with a lot of different absurdities of the modern world and matches them. The way through absurdity is your own kind of absurdity.
Hence, become a Canada goose and solve all your problems." Attendees of the book launch are invited after the reading to become Canada geese by taking part in a "goose baptism." "We can become geese together.
You can have a turn on the dunk tank and get dunked and symbolically become part of the flock," Kneiszel said. This is Kneiszel's first book. They've been writing poetry since they were a teenager, but mostly just for personal enjoyment.
When they met their partner Jess Morgan, they started sharing with them, and Morgan encouraged Kneiszel to join the Duluth Poetry Chapter. The group meets once a week on Sunday mornings at Wussow's Concert Cafe to share what they're working on and help each other find opportunities for poetry. "I got a positive reception, which I wasn't expecting because I was just writing my goofy little poems for me," Kneiszel said.
"But they encouraged me to grow and share more and get involved with the scene. And Jess encouraged me to publish and showed me the pathways." ADVERTISEMENT Morgan published their own book of poetry, "Too Many Hats," in 2023 with the help of an Arrowhead Regional Arts Council grant.
After, Kneiszel pursued their own grant and the goose was loose. "I took a big pile of poems and put them in an order that made sense to me with some poems about problems at the beginning and solutions at the end," Kneiszel said. "And I worked with my favorite local artist, Cherry Koch, to design the cover, and now it's ready.
" If you can't make the dunking event and release party, Kneiszel will be at Alt Creative, 508 E. Fourth St., on Aug.
26 and 28 for a low-key signing — no dunk tanks involved. If you go What: Book release and dunk the author event Where: Boubville Festival Grounds 315 W. Fourth St.
When: 5 p.m. Friday, Aug.
23.
