Bumbershoot

Hey, Im just writing you to say that your show on the 30th at Bumbershoot was unbelievably amazing.

I knew it had to be spectacular with a name like Fuck Off and Die: Tales in Teen Angst Poetry, but yeah. Possibly the best show of Bumbershoot this year.

I was also wondering if, by chance, at some point in the future you would be coming back this way to Seattle. Because if you are I would really really like to know, cause Ive been spreadin' the word and people 'round here definitly want to see your show now. Well, yup. What's needed to be said has been said.

FUCK THE FLAVA CREW!

Nick Jones from MySpace

-Sadly Nick I am in the UK for at least a year. Check out www.SaraBynoe.com for all of my upcoming performance dates and locals... as of now there are none. :(
-Sara

The audacity of it all. How dare you! Fan Mail

Laughing at other people's past misery? Poking fun at
profound pain? Belittling intense emotions?

I laughed so hard I cried! I must have more. More, I
tell you! And one day I'll probably share my own
samples of strife/life/knife. 'Cause this is far too
good to miss out on.

Thanks for the laughter. Please add me to your reading
series email list.

Cheers!
Susan Cormier

FAN MAIL

Hi! My name is Danielle and I am currently a student at Tulane University. I
recently purchased your book after running into it (honestly, someone left it
on the table at Barnes and Noble), and, after reading through it in the course
of a night and thinking it was screamingly hilarious, spent the next six or so
hours divulging the products of my particularly teen-angsty teen years to a
close friend of mine. He suggested that I submit some of my "gems" to you, and
I wondered if you accept submissions from just anyone...yes, I AM over 18
(haha, and thank god!). In any event, even if my work doesn't qualify, I really
love the premise of your book- what a wonderful and funny idea! It's kind of
nice to look back and realize that everybody wrote the same crappy poetry that
I did.

Thanks so much!
Danielle

FAN MAIL

Hey,

so I saw you on Breakfast TV in Toronto the other day...so I picked up the book.

OH MY GOD. It was appalling...and yet so entertaining. When I was a teenager, I was sure that my poems were so cutting edge and were going to change the world...little did I know. I was reading some last night...

Thanks,
Paul

FAN MAIL

Hi! I'm not submitting anything (although I have tons of "angsty" poetry that if I wasn't so embarrassed by it, I would love to share), but I would just like to compliment you on your site. It is an awesome idea and you did a really good job on it. I also want to express my gratitude because your site helped me immensely while working on a graphic desing project. We're doing sort of a typographic project using a "recipe" or "how to" of some form, and I did mine on "How to write Bad Poetry", because, let's face it, there might as well be a recipe for it. However, my studio instructor completely missed the point that it wasn't a serious examination of good vs. bad poetry and she suggested that I research "good" poetry to contrast it to my explanation of "bad" poetry. This frustrated me because if she'd actually read my piece then she maybe would have realized what I was shooting for. Nonetheless, I set out to research the teen angst poetry genre that I was trying to
mimic. Which brings me to your site. It was an absolutely perfect example of the type of poetry I was trying to explain, and provided the tangible evidence I needed to prove my point. Hopefully I will be able to make her understand what I am trying to do so I can salvage the concept of my project. So I just wanted to thank you for your site, even if I hadn't been on a mission to find some sort of defintion of teen angst poetry, I would still enjoy your site and was rather excited to find something of that nature on the Internet, because back in the day, I too thought my poems were brilliant and profound. Keep up the good work, and good luck with the site and future book plans!

Kelly Leaman
(Iowa State University)

sent in 2004

FAN MAIL

hey

your site is hillarious! I didn't know you guys were in vancouver! I wish i
was still there, but i left on the 14th of august :p

I live in Thunder Bay Ontario, i just wanted to say, your site is cool. keep
it up! Also, Sara Bynoe
: you are very attractive, but that's neither here nor there.

caio.

Anth.

FAN MAIL

Ultimate Getaway
Sara Bynoe

Life is a worthless Journey through hell
Walking on hot coles which in turn scorch our souls
But death is freedom, a place with no pain and no joy
just peace
Death is the Ultimate getaway

Hi, Sara, I really liked this poem. After 10 years of religion, fundamentalism, post-religion, spirituality, mysticism and confusion, I have come to the conclusion that Hell is nothing but the fire that keeps our ignorant minds alive, and stops us from realizing the ultimate truth that "death is freedom", freedom from ignorance, from hell, as the great persion poet Hafiz says, "death is a favour to us, but our mind have lost their balance". So, I really feel that your poem is true.

Here is the full poem by Hafiz:

Deepening The Wonder

Death is a favor to us,
But our scales have lost their balance.

The impermanence of the body
Should give us great clarity,
Deepening the wonder in our senses and eyes

Of this mysterious existence we share
And are surely just traveling through.

If I were in the Tavern tonight,
Hafiz would call for drinks

And as the Master poured, I would be reminded
That all I know of life and myself is that

We are just a midair flight of golden wine
Between His Pitcher and His Cup.

If I were in the Tavern tonight,
I would buy freely for everyone in this world

Because our marriage with the Cruel Beauty
Of time and space cannot endure very long.

Death is a favor to us,
But our minds have lost their balance.

The miraculous existence and impermanence of
Form
Always makes the illumined ones
Laugh and sing.


'The subject tonight is Love -
60 wild and sweet poems of Hafiz'
Versions by Daniel Ladinsky


thank you Sara, I wish you Bliss and Love
Arlind, Kosovo

E-mails from Fans

Hey i really like ur poems, they are very similar to my life. Although ive actually tried to commit suicide but I was taken to the hospital. Sometimes I don't know what to do, the concilers dont help much...but those poems are very deep and it helps me think. well i just wanted to let u know u should keep doin wutchur doin.

Ashley