The host of this third Wednesday reading & open mic, Shaun Baxter, said this was the most well-attended event he had since he began the series last Fall. That appears to be true, since I've been to most of them. He also claimed to be the shortest open mic host in the area. This was immediately challenged by Carol Graser, host of the first Wednesday open mic at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. Carol & Shaun faced off back-to-back (is that possible?) & Carol was proved to be the shorter, even wearing work boots. But is it proper/ appropriate/right to congratulate someone on being the shortest? If it is, I do -- in any event they are both fine hosts, short or tall, or not as short.
The featured poets were Mary Panza & Don Levy. I almost want to stop there, I mean, what else can I say? A killer combo anytime, anywhere. Mary neatly sliced & diced Bob Dylan, other stars & a variety of local poets, both male & female. But she also moved us & made us laugh. Then Don, Mary's alleged "gay husband" tickled & titillated us with his gay fantasies. But I like his revised "My Ideal Audience" which showed how well he can present a poetic response without cutting; a mature poem.
I was glad to see a contingent from the Voorheesville poets, in addition to Tim Verhaegen who has become a regular. Barb Vink, Tom Corrado & Dennis Sullivan need to be out to open mics more -- we miss their work.
Other poets reading included A.C. Everson, me (one poem I read, "Pens", a tribute to Don Levy, showed up right there coincidentally on an albanypoets.com flyer), Alan Catlin, Josh McIntyre, John Raymond (to be featured May 21 at the Social Justice Center), the aforementioned Tim V., the short-off winner Carol Graser, Marty Mulenex, John Paul, and Chris Brodham (whose feature at the Lark Tavern I missed while suning in Florida). Shaun read poems by others, his own work, & from the postcards he hands out for people to write him poems.
The NightSky Cafe (I'm not sure if there is officially a space there or not, but I like it without the space) is on Union St. at Liberty St. in Schenectady, NY (but then there is only one Schenectady in the whole USA, just ask Kurt Vonnegut Jr.). Nice food, a good assortment of beers & wines, & poetry every third Wednesday.
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3 comments:
yes, being declared the shortest is a bittersweet victory. Shaun is though, by far, the shortest, nonfreckled open mic poetry host in our area. Not that these points are important,just that the truth is always relevant and this is a great open mic to check out if you haven't already.--carol
my wednesday night class has forced me to be delinquent from the past few nightsky cafe open mics, and your blog is my little window into the event.
My feature is May 21st? Don't you mean May 17th?
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