Chicago has no shortage of writers who’ve excelled at capturing the city’s special charms. Nelson Algren, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alex Kotlowitz - their work can make any effort to portray the city from a fresh perspective, a daunting one. But in his recent collection, poet Reginald Gibbons is up to the task.

Gibbons combines personal memories, with his observations of Chicago’s street life, to develop a distinct portrait of the city. Eight Forty-Eight revisited a 2010 conversation with Gibbons. He kicked things off with a sample of his writing.

On Tuesday he’ll be speaking about his recent book, Slow Trains Overhead: Chicago Poems and Stories, at The Cliff Dwellers Club on S. Michigan in Chicago. It’s hosted by the Society of Midland Authors.

Music Button: Igor Boxx, "Russian Percussion," from the CD Breslau, (Ninja Tune)