Open Mic at Justin’s, March 10

This is a new series started about a month ago by Sarah Sherman & Samson Dikeman at Justin’s on Lark St., but it was only the first one I’ve been able to get to. It is billed as an open mic for anything — music, comedy as well as poetry — but tonight there were only poets in the house (& some rowdy, obnoxious guys at the bar). The poets who read were a combination of folks who read regularly at the Nitty Gritty Slam & some others who have read at my Third Thursday series at the Social Justice Center.

Samson Dikeman served as host & brought up first Steven Roberts, one of the regulars at the Nitty Gritty Slam, with a couple of his signature rhyming pieces, these on the theme of St. Patrick’s Day, “Irish Gold” & “Fighting Irish.” Lori Snay read with the support of Jimmy a tribute piece to Elvis’s movies & the Beatles. Then Jimmy Snay followed on his own with a new piece that bordered on the porn (not that I care) a graphic description of a “Perfect Date,” then a piece for St. Patrick’s Day.

Our kindly host, Samson, was next with a poem by Charles Bukowski, then one of his own, “In Austin,” about a rule in an Austin bar (“no cocks on the bar”) & dueling pianos. Avery followed with one of his “commercials” about “Heaven in a Sandwich.” Adam Tedesco read 3 poems, his own “Sister” (cool as ice) & “Amen” (that he described as “a poem brought to a boil…”) & in between read “The Lilac Field” by poet Dorothea Lasky.

Jacky K. started with a poem written on a plane from San Francisco “Flight #77” then an untitled piece with her daughter in the backseat of her car — but she was really incensed by the obnoxious assholes at the end of bar who were totally clueless that anything else was going on outside their own small world, so she said. I followed (& got right on the mic to be LOUD) with “What I Found At the Bus Stop When the Snowbanks Melted” then, to hype my new chapbook, “Coyote 2.” Danielle, who had been at the last Third Thursday Poetry Night, ended this round with a descriptive note-book piece about someone she knows (Lawrence) & his accident at work.

Samson proposed a break to replenish our beers & keep Sarah busy, then another round of poems for anyone who wanted to stick around. But it was getting late for this old guy so I cut out. What I saw & heard was fun, particularly sitting next to Jacky. Check it out on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month at Justin’s on Lark St. — bring poems, a kazoo, harmonica, guitar, & if you bring jokes make sure they are funny.