2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, March 12

Back at the Arts Center in Troy, but upstairs today & a full house, with co-host Nancy Klepsch.

Howard Kogan started us off with his poem “King Kong” a memory of the movie when he was young, & a poem “Talking at the End of Time” in an assisted-living place. I was next & read selections from Inauguration Raga (A.P.D., 2017).

Peggy LeGee was in her “cat-mode” to promote her new graphic arts chapbook, Moochie the Dumpster Kat (#1) (with art & lettering by Raymond Lowell), read “Death of a Very Fast Cat” & from the chapbook. Dave DeVries’ first poem, in rhyme, was titled “Crossing the Rubicon” then a series of random thoughts “My Peculiar Perceptions.” For this week’s St. Paddy’s Day Mike Conner read a poem by Seamus Heaney, then another by an Irish friend Brian Dodds “In Mullen’s Field.”

Harvey Havel read a short piece of prose fiction about an athlete facing racism on a school team. Cathy Abbott was quick, with a political haiku, then a selection from a book by a cousin. Bob Sharkey read a real-life story, “The Pipeline,” about refugees from South America trying to get into Canada & stranded in Plattsburgh.

Zan Strumfeld was the first of the new faces/voices here today & she read a moving prose piece about a boyfriend & finding a lump on his neck. Dan Curley’s poem “Cocooned” was for his daughter, then & now, while his 2nd poem encouraged us to “Make a Culture of Laughing.” Co-host Nancy Klepsch read a funny piece about Garrison Keilor, or rather about thinking about him, then a political piece for the time. Kate Laity’s flash fiction was titled “Spirits in the Night.”

Another new face, Michael Lopez, read a couple poems of “Faith,” the first descriptions of street people “What Ails Them,” then one about the “Shroud of Turin.” Karen Fabiane read 2 new poems in her familiar, oblique style, “Some Other People,” & “Even Without Grace.” Jil Hanifan’s long poem “St. Christopher’s School Bus” was full of glittering descriptions of the drivers & passengers. Joe Krausman’s poem “Limit” included a quote from the I Ching, & his 2nd poem was on being alone. R.M. Engelhardt arrived late once again to read a profoundly dark “America Sighs,” then a brighter poem for his wife, “Murmur.”

Easy to remember, 2nd Sunday @ 2, is at the Arts Center on River St. in Troy, NY & one can read poetry or prose — what else is there?