SPECIAL & CULTURAL EVENTS

On February 13th, BIP presented at El Barrio’s ArtSpace PS 109 (215 East 99 Street – Between
2nd & 3rd Avenues) The Soirée Poetry Book Party, The official presentation to the community
and media BORRACHO [Very Drunk] – LOVE POEMS & OTHER ACTS OF MADNESS
[Poemas de amor Y Otros Actos de Locura] by Jesús Papoleto Meléndez, published on February
1, 2020 by Leaf Press; trade distribution handled by University of Chicago Press / Chicago
Distribution Center.

This event featured the participation of extraordinary artists and personalities who gave voice to
the poems in English and Spanish, accompanied by live jazz music and Spanish guitar. Among
the actors performing were Rhina Valentín, Víctor Cruz, Indio Meléndez, Miriam Cruz, Amneris
Morales, Belange Rodríguez, Sery Colón, Iván Goris and Elliott Ortiz. Mr.Melendez read one
poem to close the evening; Interview and audience Q & A followed the presentation. This book
is a poetic autobiography of a hopeless romantic that extols the essence of a man’s character laid
bare in the foibles of his desire and passionate pursuit of love, “equating the state
of being in love with “madness,” as Susana Torruella-Leval describes in the introduction of this
book. This journey through a poet’s struggle in love and life were written during times of
exhilarated love and joy, as well as through times of a soul’s darkness, the painful moments of
being out of love in one’s life.

Anyone who has ever loved or ever lost will find some affinity with these poems, and their
experience with love’s embrace. You can find the book on Amazon.