Poets at the Farm, March 22

It was not quite yet National Poetry Month & already a new poetry venue was poking thru, like the tulips in Washington Park. This was the first of a new series run by poet Avery Stempel (of Collar City Mushrooms) held on a Sunday afternoon at Indian Ladder Farms, either Altamont or Clarksville, in the hills outside Albany, NY. It was held in the bar with a generous selection of beers & ciders, informal & relaxed. 

Our Host, Avery, was the 1st to take the stage with a poem written this morning, “A New Vision,” on the potential of the New, then one of his older chant/rants, “Because You Have Opened.” 

I followed with the 2 related poems that I had read at the Third Thursday Poetry Night, “Angels,” inspired by the late Jayne Robbins (1945 - 2014), then my elegy to her, “A Poem for Ja(y)ne Robbins, for Daring Deluxe with Vincent.”

Mimi Moriarty didn’t have far to go to be here & began with a new poem, “The Hardy Birds of Winter,” mixing the seasonal birds with the murder of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by ICE agents; “Precious Light” is also a new poem, a morning poem; & “Good Friday,” a poem in 3 parts, mixing the Biblical story & getting ready for Easter.

David Gonsalves read 3 short poems, “Brother from Another Mother,” & “Silent Movie,” both characteristically enigmatic. 

Elaine Klein began with a funny childhood memory of a pet toad, in rhyme, “The Ballad of Worm Doom,” then a most appropriate piece for the times, “Speak truth to power…”

This new monthly series was off to a great start. Poets at the Farm takes place on the 4th Sunday of each month at the local landmark, Indian Ladder Farms, 342 Altamont Rd., Altamont, NY, -- bring some poems to read, & maybe do some shopping while you are there.

: An Evening of Music & Poetry for Peace & Justice, March 20

With poems & songs of peace & social justice at the Friends Meeting House on Madison Ave., Albany NY, organized by the Upper Hudson Peace Action, & co-sponsorship by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild & the Poetry Motel Foundation. 

The house was packed by long time & loyal members & friends of Upper Hudson Peace Action & I was honored to have been asked to be the MC for the evening. The celebration started & ended as well it should with music from the Solidarity Singers who have been performing rousing songs of social protest for decades throughout the Capital District. Tonight was no different, with the obligatory songs by Woody Guthrie, but also with an eclectic mix of songs from still-living musician activists. Although the ensemble has changed somewhat over the years, the Singers are still motivated by the belief that good social movements, like good lives, need good music.

The featured poet for the night was a great treasure of the poetry & arts scene in the Capital District, D. Colin, a multidisciplinary artist of Haitian descent whose creative practice spans poetry, visual art & theater. She has a background in English & Africana Studies & is a teaching artist & curator who creates & facilitates spaces for creativity, storytelling & healing. She is the author of Dreaming in Kreyol, a poetry collection, & two plays, as well as a number of publications & performances at venues both nationally & abroad. Her performance this night included readings from her book & other poems, even singing in her ancestral Kreyol.

After a break for light refreshments, the evening continued with an open mic of music & poetry performances  from the riches of the local art & activist community. The musicians included Chrys Ballurano, Mary Baker with Sheree Cammer (who also performed together with poetry), Mark Shaeffer (with Tom Lehrer’s humorous piece on Huntly/Brinkley), Melanie Pores (with Terri Roben, who also performed solo).

The poets included Sylvia Barnard, Tom Ellis, Edie Abrams (with John Lennon’s “Imagine”), Lex Bhagat, David Gonsalves, Fred Pfeiffer, Charlie Lapinski, Mike McGlynn & Elaine Klein.

These are tough times (some would say it has always been tough times) but, with the seasonal increase of light, we also need each other’s light carried by music & words. 

Keep at it.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, March 19

Tonight’s featured reader was Caitlin Conlon, but first I invoked the Muse, tonight for the first time not a poet (although who knows, maybe she did write poems, I just have not found any) but the visual artist Jane (sometimes Jayne) Robbins (1945 - 2024) whose work I was introduced to by a volume she collaborated on with Vincent Ferrini, Deluxe Daring (Bliss Publications, 1994); I read my elegy, “A Poem for Ja(y)ne Robbins, Deluxe Daring, with Vincent.” Then on to the open mic sign-up. With just 7 signed up to read, it was a 2-poem night if folks wanted to. 

First up was Doug, who had been here last month for the 1st time, read 2 autobiographical poems in rhyme, the first perhaps titled “Dawn’s Early Light.” Ian Macks was the featured poet last month, tonight he joined the open mic with 2 poems from his collection titled Identity Crises (Recto y Verso, 2024) “Homecoming”  & “Ghosts among me.” David Gonsalves gets around to lots of poetry open mics, tonight read “Variations on a Theme by Howard Kogan,” & “Altar Crawl,” both short & succinct. Sam Maurice, who had been the featured poet here in January, was back from a short sojourn on the West Coast; he recited from his collection Vibrant Sounds, Colors in Motion (Deadman’s Press Ink, 2nd ed. 2025), “The Therapist, the Meteorologist …,” & “Zoetic Hydrant.”

Caitlin Conlon had read in the open mic here last month. Tonight she read from both of her poetry collections, first from Burning the Ghost Light (Central Avenue Publishing, 2025), which is formatted like a play, with poems about how she “performs” when she is with different people in her life. From Act I: The Mother, “Three Vignettes on Loss;” from Act II: The Father, “Cluttered Intimacy” & “Genesis.” She took a brief “intermission” to read from her first poetry collection, The Surender Theory (Central Avenue Publishing, 2022), poems dealing with grief & loss, first the title poem, then “Coded Signals” (formatted like a telegram), “Nesting Doll” (on the sizes of different griefs). Back to Burning the Ghost Light, she ended with poems from Act IV:  The Self, “26,” “The Moveable Future,” & “Night Walk,” poems to lead us from the dark, back into the light. 

We took a short break for Caitlin to sell books & for folks to make contributions to the cause of poetry, then returned for what remained of the open mic list. I stepped in with a poem from 1994, inspired by Jayne Robbins’ drawing of a nude male angel in Deluxe Daring, “Angels.” Maria Sohn was back again to share her poetry, tonight 2 poems, a memory of childhood, “Que Sera Sera,” & “Bird in the House.” 

I’ve known Anthony Bernini for a very long lime in the local poetry scene & published his firs book Distant Kinships (A.P.D., 2002); he began with a new piece “The Shortest Day,” then from his Selected Poems (The Troy Bookmakers, 2025), (& also in Distant Kinships), “The Banks of the Stream” about the “sundered heart of Palestine.”

One can find us each month at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY at 7:30PM for a local or regional poet & an open mic for community writers -- you donation supports poetry events in Albany & the work of the Social Justice Center.

Poetry at the Saratoga Senior Center, March 13

This monthly gathering of poets is now just an open mic, no featured poet — but the same good, local poets & the same brownie-baking host, Rachel Baum. She had suggested a theme, COVID-19, & to start us off she read “Love in a Pandemic” by John Grinsell, then went on to read her poem on that theme, “I Would Be That Bud.”

David Graham read “Ode to Pandemic Hair,” sprouting like mushrooms. I read one of my poem cards, “Easter Sunday,” finding painted rocks. Rhonda Rosenheck read a poem from her own project on the theme, the poem titled “Opulence.” David Gonsalves has a conversation with COVID-19 in his poem “Misery for 2 & 4 Hands.”

Pat Curtis’ poem was not about COVID, but about traveling across America by car, from the cat’s point of view, “I Remember the Old Home.” Elaine Klein read her poem, “Smallest Deserters,” not COVID, but a sad screed against cancer. Elaine Handley was on theme with a piece titled “Quarantine 2020.” Lin Murphy read a piece about trying to get the vaccine, “My COVID Covert Mission.” Sue Valartis read a descriptive piece about her town & her home.

Jeanne Ungar did 2 short pieces, the first about a garden, the 2nd titled “The Past that Weaves Me.” Susan Kress also had a garden poem, that she wrote this morning, “Today in the Garden” with the birds.

Marilyn McCabe read a poem with a nod to Elizabeth Bishop, “Man Moth.” Leslie Sittner brought us back to the theme with an exploration & word-play with “Pandemic.”

Our host said we had more time & a few of us read another. I read my poem “Epidemic” in 3 very short parts, on bird flu, swine flu & COVID. Rhonda read “Recipe for a Day of Isolation,” which was indeed formatted as recipe. Sue read “COVID Haircut.” Jeanne read “A Collection Clouds” inspired by her former job as security at the Museum of Modern Art. Leslie read “Bleeding” about a nose bleed that brought her to the Emergency Room.

Always a mixed bag of local poets, this open mic is held at the Saratoga Springs Senior Center, 290 West Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY at 1:00PM on the 2nd Friday of each month.

2nd Tuesday All-Genre Open Mic out of Bennington, March 10

I rarely use Zoom these days, but this event is one I do use it for, but lately whenever I go to an event the Zoom app jumps me hoops, sometimes landing at a virtual brick wall. This night was one of those times & by the time I was connected it was well underway.

Cheryl Rice apparently was the first on the list & I heard only the last few words of her 1st round poem (the host, Charlie Rossiter likes to do the 2-round thing, 1 poem each round). But I was there from the beginning for her 2nd round poem, “Ocean & Sky,” about the actors Robert Redford & Paul Newman (Cheryl is a big fan of old-time movies).

Sharon Smith’s first poem, titled “Discernment,” is in her latest book, stages (self-published, 2025) (contact her at sharonsmithyoga@comcast.net to find out how to order a copy). Her poem in the 2nd round was a new piece, “Why I Never Write About MY Mother,” a celebration in details of her life.

In both rounds Ginny Folger read poems of the season, in the 1st round “I Dream of Spring,” memories & cats; in the 2nd round the descriptive “March is Messy…” set in a graveyard.

Tom Nicotera began with a poem from a workshop prompt to write about a childhood experience, his a memory of fellow student in a wheelchair from polio, the first time he had thought about death. In his 2nd round he read “The Coming of the Light” in honor of the change to Daylight Savings Time.

Mark O’Brien, in the 1st round, read one of his “correspondence sonnets,” this one titled Ninehva Junction” on the Susquehanna River; in round 2 he read his annual birthday poem, this in the voice of his dogs, “What We Did for Daddy on His Birthday.”

Our host, Charlie Rossiter, read from his new book, For Now, from Foothills Publishing; in the first round, “Reading a Friend’s Poems,” just the fun of it, hearing the poet's voice; in the 2nd round, “They Say Clothes Makes the Man,” about starting to wear a beret — a vest, sky-blue speedo, ties, faded jeans — so fashionable!

Carl Nyberg’s label on Zoom said he was from Shelburne, I’m guessing Vermont; his 1st round poem was titled “Discontinuing the Lincoln Penny.” His 2nd round poem, “Not Creole, Not Jargon, Not Pidgin,” was about language in the military.

I thought I was the last poet to sign in & for the 1st round read a poem inspired by a breakup letter from some years back, “different taste in music,” then in the 2nd round a poem modeled on one by William Carlos Williams of the same title & inspired by a visit to Philadelphia, “The Great Figure.”

Julie Lomoe joined the Zoom event sometime in the 2nd round & spent the time going through her poems, apparently oblivious to what others were reading, was the final reader of the evening with a piece from a few years ago about getting fat, titled “Excess Baggage.”

This Zoom event takes place on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7PM Eastern time. If you would like to join it & you are not already on Charlie’s list, send an email to charlierossiter@gmail.com & ask for the link. You’ll be glad you did.

  

Third Thursday Poetry Night, February 19

Tonight’s featured reader, Ian Macks, in the last half-year has had free-publicity in the Albany Times Union — but not as a poet. During the July 4th celebration in Albany a building on Madison Ave. was burned down by a flare gun being fired through a window. Ian lived across the street & the TU runs a photo of him looking at the building whenever they do a story about the incident, which was most recently in December. We’ll get to his poetry in minute. But first I invoked tonight’s Muse, the gone poet Amiri Baraka (1934 - 2014). A friend recently gifted me a copy of his collected S O S: Poems 1961 - 2013 & I read a late piece, “All Songs Are Crazy.”

There was a packed house, 11 on the open mic list, plus an enthusiastic audience of listeners. Everyone who signed the open mic list did so with just their first name (but I knew the last name of many). The first up was Avery (Stempel), who read a memoir/elegy, of 4 different people, in the details they left behind. Tim (Verhaegen) read about his history of dealing with alcoholics & a recent meeting, “Saturdays,” a rant/description of a couple in Hannafords, & a men’s only support group - phew!

Amanda (Pelletier) gave the audience a choice, the audience opted for the first part of a longer piece, with the repeating line “a breath was caught in her …” about an assault (tune in next month for the promised 2nd half). Kayla read about never writing political poems, but her personal rant was about looking for answers for justice, looking for change -- the ultimate political poem.

Shamyla said that she was a former Albany High School student who had entered a couple of poems to the Tom Nattell Peace Poetry Prize a few years back when she was 16; tonight she read an intense biographical piece, about deciding that “seize the day” is the way to live.

Ian Macks reads frequently in open mics here. Tonight he read mostly from his book Identity Crises (Recto y Verso Editions, 2024), the poems in the order that they appear in the book. He began with the opening poem, “Our Dreams are Kerosene,” mixing racist incidents with alcohol & weed; in fact he confronts racism throughout the book, as both a pervading theme & a persistent undercurrent. That includes his poems “The Ringing in my Ears” (about the “school to prison pipeline”), “Over the Top, Behind the Back,” “Veins Popping//Inconvenience” (responding to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery), & “Say Hello to the Feds.” Another major theme is that of feeling alienated, particularly in school, such as “Nevermind, forget it…,” “Autonomy Search Party,” & “Orbit.” But he could also be tender, as in “A Mother’s Love” (his parents were there in the audience to support his reading). He also read the four poems published in the recent January 2025 (Volume 7) edition of Paper Moon Magazine, then capped off his reading with “Return to (soul),” searching for peace.

We took a short break, but unfortunately Ian didn’t have copies of his book with him to sell. After which I started off the rest of the open mic with this year’s “Birthday Poem” about that day in Philadelphia. Maria (Sohn) read the contemplative “The Me That is Here” that was inspired by looking at old photos of herself, “same essence different flowers.” Cat’s poem “Lessons in Fear” was based on an encounter she saw on the street, & a litany of her fears, some scary, some even humorous.

Doug was new to this open mic; he performed a piece on growing up, "work work work," & partying, in rhyme, from memory. Austin Houston has read here many times, this night he read “Rest in Peace, Renée Nicole Good,” a love poem to the woman murdered by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Danea was another new voice, who read a poem that was an introduction & mini-bio, about her recent health issues, struggling to stay alive. Caitlin Conlon who will be the featured poet next month, read a tender piece written a week ago & never read out before, remembering sharing a joint, falling in love.

This open mic occurs on the third Thursday of each month at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY 7:30PM with a featured reader — suggested donation of $5.00 to support poetry events in Albany & the work of the Social Justice Center.

Writers Mic, February 11

The host of this Zoom event is poet Jackie Craven whose most recent collection of poems is Whish (Press 53, 2024) - winner of the Press 53 Award for Poetry.

David Graham was up first with 2 new poems, “Wakeup Call after Martha Solano” like an autobiography through school, love & sex, remembering a day in class; his 2nd poem was a Valentine, “Bathtime,” with the tender/humorous line, “she’s going upstairs to bathe, well, I’ll alert the media…“

Alan Catlin began with a poem written just this Monday, “Once in a Blue Moon," an anxiety dream poem, the jumps & surprises of dreams, with kissing sybils; followed by one written today, another dream, “Kidnapping & the Poetry Reading, an Anxiety Dream Poem.” (I think our dreams write, sometimes, better poems than we do, since dreams are often filled with jumps & leaps, the kind of mixing of images that our best poems should have.)

Then I was next & began with my recent “Birthday Poem 2026,” part of an ongoing practice of writing a poem each year about my birthday, this one in Philadelphia with family during the snowstorm; my 2nd poem, “Vernada Delray,” was written in response to Alan Catlin’s fabulous 2011 collection of poems Alien Nation (March Street Press).

It was good to see Naomi Bindman here again; she read a birthing poem, “Patience of Potato,” a lesson from plants; then a brand new poem of loss, “Will You Come Back?” 

Scot Morehouse is characteristically humorous & outrageous, this night he was no different in 2 short stories; the 1st a (not) news-worthy story of 2 competing standup comics turning 100, Mimi & Mami, vying for all the cake; then “Forgotten,” an early 20th century tale of lady’s underwear, with a concluding limerick which are always funny.

Elizabeth Loctman, overcoming problems trying to unmute, read a political piece from inspired by event last month on the murders of Renee Good & Alex Pretti in Minnesota. 

Susan Carroll Jewell read a revised “Living in the City of the Dead” in the duplex form, mimicking the blues using repetitions (that work so well in poems). 

Jackie Craven read an experiment, from a short story into a poem, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” a surrealist mix of the night her mother died (or not?), a gerbil, a mermaid on the couch.

Theonel Mathebula Zoomed in from somewhere across the globe, with a piece about suicide, “If Suicide Wins,” from a series of how it won’t be dramatic, but he wins by persisting with the little things of his life.

With some time left on the Zoom window, Jackie opened it up to one more poem from anyone interested. I opted to read a quite old poem, “Valentine” (this being February). Theo read  “Between 2 Floods,“ dedicated to a friend in Mozambique who was born on top of the trees in a flood in 2000, last month passed away during another flood. Then Naomi, a lighter poem, new, “Lessons of a Broken Left Wrist: Ode to my Non-dominate Hand.”

One can find out how to join this monthly (2nd Wednesdays) Zoom open mic by visiting the Writer’s Mic Facebook page.  Hope to see you “there”.