Poetry on the Hudson, June 14

In Athens (no Acropolis in sight), NY. Don Yacullo played piano in the storefront space that is the Athens Cultural Center.

Our host, Bob Wright, started the open mic with 2 poems, both rarities: one about golf, the other using some simple rhymes, which is not usual for Bob. I followed with my CT Beat Poetry Festival poem, then, with Don Yacullo playing some Thelonious Monk, did my Monk tribute, "Acrostic Jazz."

Don Levy responded to some recent news items with 2 poems, including the playful, "It's the End of the Rumor Mill for you, Gossip Girl." As only he can, stepping away from the microphone, Dave Kime declaimed "Flag" with the appropriate prop used in many ways (afterall, it was Flag Day). Lesley Gerber said he had some "nice fresh stuff:" "Music" where water & music is a bad combination, like in New Orleans, & "Subversives," a satire on the Bush administration.

The barefoot feature was Carol Graser, who began with a chronological string of poems from The Wild Twist of Their Stems, then her "flag day poem," "These Colors," the funny N-plus-7 play on the Our Father, & the powerful "Pope Air Force Base" (which can be found in an early chapbook, against the mad water current). She ended by returning to her book, reading "Speech Development" & ended with "Tribe." The kind of poems that I can (& have) hear again & again & they still remain fresh.

The second Saturday of the even-numbered months -- check out the schedule on www.poetz.com/hudson.