Arthur’s Market Open Mic, September 12

There was long sign-up sheet (19) & lots of fans to see Marilyn & Kristen Day which made for a stupendous night of poetry. Our host, Catherine Norr, started us off with an a cappella rendition of the Shaker Hymn “Simple Gifts” then on to the open mic.

David Walsh was first on the sign-up sheet & read from his book Touchstones (Troy Book Makers) the timely “New York Noon September 11” & “Doctors.” I read a couple of older pieces “The L-Word” & “Hidden Cafe Table Poem.” Susan Jewell read her most recent ekphrastic poems, on architectural subjects, “Burnham” on the NYC Flatiron Building (the architect Daniel Hudson Burnham), the second, “Root,” on Burnham’s partner in Chicago, John Wellborn Root.

Making a rare, but indeed most welcome, appearance at an open mic was Kim Henry, whose poems are untitled, the first an homage to her mother & the second a dream vision of her ex. Don Levy read a new poem ripped from the pages of the news “Slossberg Nightmare” then “I Want Fall!” (I guess he doesn’t like Summer). Philip Williamston read 2 political pieces (same as he read at the Arts Center) “Jack Johnson’s Face” (& the faces of other ancestors), & “Build a Blue Wave,” both worth hearing again.

Both tonight’s featured poets, mother & daughter, have not read out much of late so it was a great pleasure to hear both these fine poets. Marilyn Zembo Day read first with a personal manifesto “Uncomfortable” holding her quote-encrusted goddess bowl, then a poem from a writing/spiritual workshop & the matchbox “Gift.” Her next poem was response Amit Majmuder’s poem “Kill List” (see The Best American Poetry 2017), 70 parts in short phrases, food, recipes, flashbacks. Her next poem was a response to the Obama election “Pseudo Sestina, then a memoir/celebration poem “At St. Casmer’s Polish Fest,” & a piece on balance “God(dress). She ended more personally with “Think of Me” & “Remnants.”

In contrast, Kristen Day combines humor, profanity & (like her mother) a firm undercurrent of real feeling & emotion that make us laugh & nod our heads in solidarity & agreement. She began with a favorite of many “Four Fucking Dollars” about a conversation with her grandmother, then on to a new poem taking on Trump “Gettysburg Tweet.” Her poem “This” was about the challenges, & life lessons, of being with a toddler, then she took apart all the thing she (& we) say everyday in, of course, “Everyday.” One of my favorite poems by anyone is her take on the destruction of the World Trade Centers “The 6:20 & the 2:45” & a piece on coming to peace (or not) with tinnitus “My BFT.” She ended with another favorite of mine, a humorous - & pointed - take on the open mic scene “Pick a Poem.”

After a break, much needed after such a 1 - 2 punch of poems, Catherine Norr was back with a poem about the loneliness of house-sitting. Alan Catlin read an Autumn poem which was a take on sports “Mascots,” then “Banks” a sci-fi poem imagining a clone store. Jackie Craven read a memoir piece “Cocktail Party on the Patio 1974,” then a poem about an imagined opening a pink box of famous painters. Betty Zerbst’s poems have the feel of “feel-good” greeting cards, with their rhyme & home-spun wisdom, as in tonight’s “Autumn Wind” & “A Little Too Late.” Carol Graser’s poem “The Ironing Board” was about a woman escaping.

Judith Prest read a new poem “The Secret Names” (that protect us), then “Unsafe” from her new Finishing Line chapbook After. Malcolm Willison’s poem “I Win” was an impressionistic take on Shakespeare’s Richard III, then recited (thankfully not sung) one of his song lyrics “Oldies.” Kendall Hoeft read a couple of children’s poems she had written in high school, one about Mini Bubbles & Mrs. Air, another about on old fish frier. Helen Farnham read a 3rd person portrait of a rebellious art teacher “Pinned to the Wall.” Pat Ward’s long piece “My Brother John” tracked the things he lost as his mind deteriorated.

Another fine local poet making a rare appearance tonight was Mary McCarthy with a piece on the march of technology with the opening line “We were the paper age…” Ginny Folger’s first poem “At the Nature Preserve” has just been accepted for publication, while her next poem she described as a work-in-progress was a discussion about “That Incident Long Ago.” In all the years she has been going out to poetry open mics, this was Sally Rhoades’ first time here at Arthur’s Market, & she read 2 poems about her family, “My Grandfather’s Fiddle” & for her 95 year old Aunt Polly “Disassembling” about a yard sale of a life-time of stuff.  & that was that, a full night of local poets.

This open mic on the 2nd Wednesday of each month takes place at Arthur’s Market in the historic stockade section of Schenectady at 7:30PM, & usually includes a featured poet.