W&W February Prompt: What Are You Excited About?
Fighting The Book Banners
Something good is coming
December 23, 2017 — the date that one of my favorite places in our city closed.
A bookstore. But more than a bookstore. A safe haven for LGBTQ+ people. A stage for poets and musicians. A gathering spot for knitters and writers.
Wild Iris was a one-of-a-kind bookstore. I volunteered there and was on the store’s Board of Directors. Ben and I often ate at the indy restaurant in the back of the shop. It was our home away from home.
When Wild Iris closed its doors, I cried and wrote this poem:
We have other bookstores in our city, but far fewer than we used to have. At least three are owned and run by corporations. A few are independent, but none are like Wild Iris.
I am excited to announce that a new bookstore will open in April — a bookstore that has the Wild Iris vibe.
