Poet’s Night!, January 17

There’s a new venue for poetry in town at Professor Javas Coffee Sanctuary on Wolf Road in Colonie. I missed the first couple of readings, but made it up there this night, at least for the 1st round, & the featured poet, Brian Dorn. The event was hosted (somewhat indifferently) by Zachary, apparently an employee of Professor Javas.

Brian Dorn gave his usual laid-back but thoughtful reading, mixing love poems, political & spiritual pieces, even the dreaded audience-participation poem. Among the favorites he read were “Back in the Day,” “Out of Whack, “Plain to See,” “No Comment,” & his “flag-ship” poem, as he called it, “From My Poems to Yours.” He even included a poem he hasn’t read out before, “Lessons,” on violence in the schools. He ended with a call-&-response with selected audience members for “We All.”

It was an open mic from then on, but I was unclear how many poems one could do so I just did my old piece on the QE2 readings, “Where Were the Professors?” Barbara Garro was in Brian’s entourage from the North Country (along with Brian’s wife & son), & began with a long story about a plumbing emergency which I thought was an explication of her poem “White Mare” but it wasn’t, then she went on to read 2 poems from her series of “Jesus books” “Holy Heritage” & “This Too is God.” Joe Krausman’s poem “Good News” was about public speaking, then read “Just the Monkey Shines” & a poem about a tattoo “Alice.”

Cathy Abbott shared one of her own poems from 1971, then one by Robert Frost. Scott read parts from his series of “Uncomfortable Poetry” in roughly chronological order about experiences in school in mostly silly, often wildly forced rhymes, ending with a piece in “free verse” titled “Window Shopping.” Tom followed with more rhymes & sometimes awkward meters, 2 poems one on sleep the other on love. Long-time denizen of Colonie William Robert Foltin read poems written in various Januaries throughout the years, many also in rhyme, “Reflections,” “Early Morning Memories,” “Some Lines this Winter,” & “A Little Fire.”

At this point Zach, who had been busy perusing the internet, proposed going around a 2nd time, “since we have the room until 9:00,” as he said.  But I had to leave & only caught one more poem by Brian, as the host disappeared & it wasn’t clear who was in charge anymore.

As far as I can tell this series, “Poet’s Night!” is held on the 3rd Saturday of the month, 6-9PM at Professor Javas Coffee Sanctuary, 217 Wolf Rd., Colonie. However, as of when I’m posting this, I don’t see it listed on Professor Javas’ website. It’s free.