Poets Speak Loud!, March 28

At McGeary's on Clinton Square, where we gathered in the backroom, huddled around a couple tables for dinner, drinks & poems, with mother Mary Panza keeping order.

I read first for the open mic portion, repeating "The Pussy Pantoum" from yesterday, then on to "Things You Won't Die From" & the very short "My Matisse."

Sally Rhoades read from the selection of her poems in High Watermark Salo[o]n (Volume 1, Number 3, 2007) beginning with a poem describing her father (& herself), then to "I Love to Dawdle" (lunch with a friend in NYC), & "The Solstice Moon" outside the window of a plane.

Shannon Shoemaker also had 3 poems, the love poem "This December" (with the moon, again), & 2 new poems, "Strange" (about her father re-marrying), & California-dreaming in "A Poem for March."

The featured poet, Joe Krausman, read a relaxed set of poems, linked under the theme of things that happened recently, but underneath it all the fragility of existence.

Harkening back to the beginning of the open mic he read 2 cat poems, then a poem quoting the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus, & a "Lament for the Rhinoceros," on the theme of extinction. He also read poems about the tsunami, a wedding on an island in Italy & a lament for Hedy Lamar busted for shoplifting. The "Bedside Monologue" was by a cheating husband, while "My Pension…" considered the things to do in his old age. Joe is also a playwright & included the lyrics from a couple songs from his plays, reading (not singing, thank god) "Allegro Con Local" (love on the IND in NYC) & "It's Just Around the Corner." In between he advised "Never Wash a Hedgehog" & ended with "Shipwreck."

While Joe was reading some late-arriving poets slipped in, but first, el presidente Thom Francis read a couple poems, "I Need to Keep Myself Relevant" & a poem about his co-workers, "Cackling." Avery said he "squeezed out" 2 poems today, a love-ditty "Platonic Shift" & the timely & ironic "Tomahawk Cruise Missiles for Peace."

Jill Crammond was the last reader for the night with a not-so happy wedding poem, "I Should Mention Love" & a list of "Things I Have Forgotten."

It's every last Monday down on Clinton Square, in Albany, NY, sign-up at 7PM, reading at 8PM, open mic & a featured poet.