Veterans For Peace Book Reading, March 21.

Since putting out Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans, editor & publisher Dayl Wise has been taking the show on the road. Readings from the collection have been done throughout New York State & New Jersey. This reading was held in Washington, DC at the fabulous Busboys & Poets (14th & V Streets NW) on the evening after the march on the Pentagon. I've read at many of Dayl's roadshows & was particularly pleased to be part of this event. 

Melisssa Tuckey was our charming, beautiful host & started us off with a Wilfred Owen poem.  The reading was sponsored by Split This Rock Poetry Festival, DC Poets Against the War & Busboys & Poets.

Dayl paid tribute to a fallen brother "Tack" Trostle, by reading his poem "For Marie."

Camillo "Mac" Bica began with poems about his experience serving as an officer in Viet Nam, "First Experiences" and one that is in the book about coming back from a patrol, "A Sign of the Times." He also read from the book "The Centurion" & "War Crazy." Other poems were "The War is Dance" (doing Tai Chi), the heart-breaking "Letter to Tommy's Mother," "Vacation Land," & "The Rose."

Since serving in Viet Nam, Thomas Brinson has served as a Peacemaker in the Nonviolent Peace Force in Sri Lanka. He started off with a poem combining the story of a new grunt in Viet Nam in 1968 with the war in 2003 in the desert. A recent poem seeks to "Ban Torture" while "The Bone" is a loud performance piece about an air show at Jones Beach in New York. He also read the ironically titled "Fallen Angels" & "Parade" about the faux patriotism of the New York Giants Superbowl parade in NYC.

I went back to "Oil War I" with "Peace Marchers at the Viet Nam Memorial," then my salacious take on "Patriotism." I challenged the DC folks (& others from wherever they are from) to write their own versions (steal this poem!) of "Baghdad/Albany," & ended with the seasonal "What Passover Has Taught Me."

Dayl Wise, who had been introducing each of us, read "Southern Cross" with its spooky image of the white rabbit, then a chilling piece about invading a house in Viet Nam filled with women & children; also a dream view of his sister & men as flower petals. He ended with a series of his Odes to his military gear that he is putting together in a book: to the P-38 (a pocket can-opener), to his Zippo lighter, to the New Guy (FNG) & finally to his boots.

I didn't bring my camera so there are no photos to go with this entery, but David Phillips & Melissa Tuckey did take some shots & posted pictures of the reading on their website, so please check them out.

I was pleased & humbled to be included in the anthology & every time I read with these guys I'm even more humbled -- & thrilled -- to be with such talent, such spirit -- Wage Peace!

Following us there was a short open mic, but I'm not sure I got everyone's name correct -- as always, I'm open to corrections/emendations, etc. The first open mic poet was Steve with a piece comparing the Abu Gharib prisoners & those in Viet Nam, all "nobodies." Bob Grunko did an audience-participation song by his wife, "People Have a Right." Alison Koffler's poem "False Bamboo" set up the experience of veterans with PTSD with images of the plants around her house.

Brian O'Hare also invoked the audience's help to provide hip-hop sound effects to his rap, "Thanks to the Banks." Michael Verner brought us back to Wilfred Owen's poetry. Laura Costos has a brother in Iraq & is a member of Military Families Speak Out, read "War Hero." Melissa Tuckey closed out the night with an excerpt from her "Portrait of Mona Lisa in Palestine."

& be sure to check out the Split this Rock Poetry Festival in 2010.