Creating Art in the Midst of a Storm?

Below is a blog that I wrote several days after Hurricane Sandy, but never got around to posting. So, here it is. Posted:

As New York works to regain some sense of normalcy after Hurricane Sandy, I've found myself consistently thinking about one particular thing—artistic sensitivity (and artistic necessity?) in the midst of a disaster. I've been thinking about this so much that I'm not exactly sure where to start, so I'll just delve into it.

On November 2^nd, several days after Sandy hit, my husband was scheduled to appear at KGB Bar in the East Village to celebrate the release of his first book of poetry, Enduro's Lament. This was years of writing and months of preparation in the making. Despite the storm and its affects, the books found their way safely to Brooklyn in time. And thus popped up the big question: Do we still hold the reading when so many people are still suffering and dealing with the hurricane's after-effects? Enter internal debate.

Enduro's Lament chilling at the KGB Bar

Are we being insensitive if we hold the reading? Could this actually be a significant and beautiful thing if we proceed as planned? Does the venue even have electricity? Will we be safe?