Live at the Living Room, July 9

[Jim Masters reading at the Center, May 2007]


Another cozy night in the living room of the Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Center, with Don Levy out host.

The featured poet was Jim Masters, who has been attending these open mics for a year or so now. He began with "Perils of Modern Living," a funny take on anti-matter by Harold P. Furth (you can find it at http://www.nap.edu/html/biomems/hfurth.html). Jim began his own poems by reading/displaying a concrete poem about an old clock. He read "Let Go," & "The Group," about joining the men's group at the Center, then his poem about La Marseillaise (which he did not try to sing). He put on a Boston Red Sox cap for "A Short & Surprising History of Baseball," then ended with Langston Hughes' "I Too Sing America." It was good to hear more of his work than is possible in open mic slots.

I followed with my poem about the CT Beat Poetry Festival, then my older poem, "Kissing Dina." Bob Sharkey's poem "Hilton Garden Inn" was about a clueless young Marine speaking at a conference saying she had no PTSD, then a first draft of a poem about hearing the great jazz singer Abbey Lincoln at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

After way, way too long away, Kim Henry read the brand new poem "Mis-matched" about her freedom to dress anyway she wants when her fashion critic daughter is at camp. NicoleK, who will be next month's featured poet here, read a couple by her personal fav, e.e. cummings. (She also likes (very much) his quote, "be of love(a little)/More careful/Than of everything.")

Don Levy finished out the night with an only-in-New-York narrative, "What Happens in Port Authority Stays in Port Authority," & his take on the tempest-in-a-teapot over Rachael Ray's scarf with "Little Miss Rachael Ray of Fucking Sunshine." Oh yeah.

Every 2nd Wednesday, GLCC, Hudson Ave., Albany -- straight-friendly!