Poetic Hill by Karen Lyon

Veteran DC tour guide Andrea Seiger shares some intriguing local lore in “111 Places in Washington That You Must Not Miss.”

Those and 109 other fascinating entries—from the Art-oMat installation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum to the Waldseemüller Map at the Library of Congress—are presented in an easy-todigest format, with an informative essay on one side and a gorgeous image by photographer John Dean on the other.

Many DC icons make an appearance— Mumbo sauce, Chuck Brown Park, the Big Chair—but Seiger gives an interesting twist to even the more familiar landmarks. The entry for Planet Word, for example, focuses on the goofy puns that grace the restroom walls. And the Iron Gate Inn writeup is all about a Soviet double agent who was exposed after he

was lured there by a prostitute.

On Capitol Hill, Seiger directs visitors to John Philip Sousa’s house (she includes a tip about Friday evening parades at the Marine Corps Barracks), points out the allegorical Bartholdi Fountain at the base of the Hill, extols the blueberry pancakes and crabcake sandwiches at The Market Lunch, and gives props to Peterbug Shoe Academy (noting in her tip that The Pretzel Bakery is nearby).

All told, it’s a whirlwind tour that more than lives up to Seiger’s description in the foreword. “DC is the seat of world power,” she writes, “but the city itself has a distinct funkiness, charm, and coolness.” She invites readers—and explorers—to nd their own stories, and, with “111 Places,” she’s given them a terri c head start.

Andréa Seiger is a world and domestic traveler who “has worked in nearly every business involved in tourism and hospitality.” She has lived in DC for more than 30 years and claims “it is my business to know my city.” Find her on Instagram @urbansafaridc111. ◆

THE POETIC HILL

by Karen Lyon

The Poets’ Corner@Tunnicli ’s attracted a crowd of poetry lovers on May 1 who braved the wet weather to hear readings both by well-known local poets and by newcomers who participated in an open-mic session. The event, held in conjunction with the Literary Hill BookFest, was hosted by Jona Colson, whose rst poetry collection, “Said Through Glass,” won the 2018 Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House (WWPH). His work has appeared in numerous publications and he is also the poetry editor of WWPH’s anthology, “This Is What America Looks Like: Poetry and Fiction from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.”

In addition to the readings, Colson used the gathering to create a crowd-sourced poem. “Inspired by the community poems at many Split This Rock readings, I wanted to generate an on-site poem during Poets’ Corner,” he explains. “It was an amazing crowd; even though it was pouring rain most of the time, the energy was palpable. I think the energy and creativity of the day is re ected in this poem.”

Kindness at Poets’ Corner:

A Crowd Poem Created at Poets’ Corner@Tunnicli ’s, 5/1/22 The rst line is from the poem, “Kindness,” by Naomi Shihab Nye (adapted by Jona Colson)

Before you know what kindness really is, You must know the air And consider everything the air has moved through.

Consider the escaped air of the gasp At an unexpected gift.

Before you know meanness, consider The galaxy, the black hole, the metaverse, Then read a poem.

Newton’s gravity should plummet from one line, And a red apple should shatter beneath your shoe.

Consider your inside self, relishing in Momentary hope of dance and the end of dance. Do you hear me? Is this thing on? And on.

The boats against the current as the rain And clouds clear up slowly as we lean

Into words in the shadow of the Capitol. The words of poets make the pandemic fade And let us not face into shades of fear, but reach

Like those green tendrils in the light Like those giants that reach, defying gravity

And beasts to show what joy looks like. Know cruelty because cruelty knows everyone. Walk a mile in the rain to attend a poetry reading.

Be missed and remember love and how it will surround you And the obsession of kindness.

E. Ethelbert Miller shares a poem at the 2022 Poets’ Corner@Tunnicliff ’s reading.

Jona Colson emcees the 2022 Poets’ Corner@Tunnicliff ’s reading.