Winter Fest, January 16

This was not a literary event per se, but a party at the home of Jennifer Pearce & Alan Casline that so many local poets & writers were invited to that naturally there had to be round-robin open mic. There was a table full of hors d’oeuvres when we arrived, beer, wine & a wonderful spread of roast turkey, root-veggies, various salads — & an over-flowing dessert table.

Charlie the dog reading from Alan's book

In between & amongst the eating & drinking there were 2 sessions of readings of a mix of prose & poetry. I read my poem “A.J. Muste” & later a “Birthday Poem” I had allegedly written for my birthday in 2006 & that was “found” by Pierre Joris on his way to my surprise party. There were a couple poems by Joe Krausman, “Ted William’s Head” & “Tattoo,” a troilet by Therese Broderick for her mother’s funeral, a “numismatic poem” (the first I can recall) by Frank Robinson, & a couple of pieces by Tim Verhaegen, “Summer Sounds in Amagansett” & his friendship poem “My Buddy James.”

Donna Williams read a poem, “Pantum” by her late husband, Jim Williams, that I had found in my files because he had dedicated the poem to me; later she recited a poem by Emily Dickinson. Joyce hadn’t expected to read but found some poems on her laptop, an anti-war piece, & another about hunting, “Male Rituals.” Someone read from a longer prose piece titled “Happy Hour,” set in Florida, while Mimi Moriarty’s poems were both about birds, “Pigeons on Cornice” & “Crows.”

Adam Tedesco read the seasonal “The Weatherman Gut Checks” & a section from his “Heart Sutra,” Paul Amidon read of a more pleasant season “Summer at Lake Abenaki,” Obeeduid wore his Irish hat for a funeral piece (I did say “Irish,” right?), & another about an old house in Voorheesville & its animals, & our host, Alan Casline read a couple poems from the end of his book 64 Changes (FootHills Publishing), “On a Cold Morning Walk” (#64) & “The Spaces of the World” (#63).

The sharing of food, drink, warmth, & words is an ancient tradition, they say — & this was a most enjoyable evening in that tradition, with thanks to Alan & Jennifer.