January 7, 2009

Albany Poets Present!, January 6


2009 already! And this monthly event has gradually become "Albany Poets Present Beer & Poetry" -- hanging out at the bar, an open mic sans mic, a few friends reading a few poems, gossiping, showing scars, trading stories/lies, etc.  [The picture shows Don Levy reading & a cluster of poets, who didn't read, at the bar.]

el presidente (aka Thom Francis) managed the clipboard & I read first, under the lights by the pool table, the revised "Coffee House Rant," & the pornographic "Tritina," which was inspired by an "assignment" of 3 words from Rob Englehardt years ago right here; it is a half-sestina, which I had to invent to accommodate what I was given.

Don Levy read his old childhood-memory piece about playing Mystery Date with a neighborhood girl, with a characteristically long title, "It's Also John Waters, or ..." [& I missed the rest].

Adam Hoyt has been showing up lately at some of the downtown open mics. His poems are short, with short lines, & rhymes. He began with one about soon-to-be ex-President Bush, then "Strawberry Shortcake," "Shades of Negativity," "Unprescribed Drugs" (as we sat at the bar), & "A Walk in the Clouds."

Moses Kash III came in from the cold & read a just-written piece about Ernest Hemingway -- sort of a mixed commentary & sermon on his suicide (Moses gave me his mss. of the poem if anyone wants to consult the text).

Meanwhile the bar was getting loud down at the end, with a chemically-stressed holdover from the QE2 who was loud enough to be our PA system. We're beginning to like the small group & the drinks, oh, & the poetry.

First Tuesday of each month, Valentines, in Albany, near where New Scotland Ave. starts off. Check out albanypoets.com.

3 comments:

  1. Great time with Dan Wilcox, Don Levy and Therese Broderick at Don's open mic last night. Thanks for talking about all my poetry questions, that was great.

    - Tim V.

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  2. Could you get a worst shot of my back??? Love, Uncle Don

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