Spoken Word, May 11

This is a seasonal series at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills, & tonight the featured poets were Alison Koffler, Day Wise, & Me (another D.W.). The founder & host of the series is Annie LaBarge who interlaces the limited open mic with the featured poets. There was a 3 minute limit on each reader in the open mic, many of whom complied, some notably did not.

First up was Craig, who was also handling the book sales for the poets; his poem “Porch Setting” was a memoir of world travels & of Guan Yin (aka Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara), one who hears the sounds of the world. Betty MacDonald’s poem “I Forgive My Father” didn’t stop there but extended forgiveness back & back & back in time. Susan Hoover squeezed in 3 short poems, “Take My Word,” “Pipe Dreams” & “Lune.”

The first of the featured poets was Alison Koffler who, with her husband Dayl Wise, are 2 of my favorite poets with whom it is so much fun to read. She began with a couple of poems from a trip to Ireland last year, “Hall of the Red Earl” & “An Offering” a description of the Irish countryside. “The Standpoint of Water” is based on a New York Times article about the dangers of coal ash in floods & the title comes from a quote by Donald Trump. Her final poems were a trio about animals, the first about an Ethiopian monkey at the Bronx Zoo “The Gelada,” then 2 about training dogs “Back Chaining” & “The Mirror Test.”

Back to the open mic, Guy Reed read 2 poems about poets, “Wearing Bright Red on Easter Sunday” about the death of Jim Harrison, & “Poetry Whisperer” about Franz Wright. Nina Jecker Byrne began with a poem about avoiding old age “Hiding,” then, on this eve of Mother’s day, read “My Mother’s Closet.” Our host, Annie LaBarge continued that theme with a series of questions “For Mom.”

The night’s 2nd featured reader was Dayl Wise began with poems for his mother, the marvelous memoir in 6-parts “Mother’s Pantry” filled with iconic details of the White Rock girl, Aunt Jemima, the Morton Salt girl, even his Mom’s birthday custard rhubarb pie, & the dreaded lima beans. Then on to poems inspired by his service in Viet Nam, “Ode to the P38” (a pocket-sized can opener), “Ode to Boots,” “Multiple Choice,” “From Photo Black & White,” “Road Kill,” & one from Sound Off: Warrior Writers NJ (Post Traumatic Press, 2017) “Nine Outside the Wire.”

We took a break to buy & exchange books, then on to the last segment. The venerable Bobbie Katz read a couple poems based on paintings “At the Shore” & a pantoum “The Rock Boat Exhibition.” Ann Braybrook's poem “Looks Like You’ve Reached the End” was based on the tagline at the end of an internet search. Davida stretched the limits of the open mic with not only 3 of her own poems, “I Don’t Know What I’m Baking…”, a “mini haiku” (whatever that is), & one based on the Iroquois peacemaker story, but also a poem by Gary Siegel who didn’t get a chance to read.

Photo by Dayl Wise

The final featured poet was — golly! — me. I began by invoking the Muse, 2 gone poets, Harry Staley & Paul Pines in my poem “Reading Dead Poets Listening to Live Jazz.” Then on to a poem from my latest chapbook Baseball Poems (A.P.D.) “Waiting for Jacqueline Robinson” for my daughter Anna Wilcox. From my series of True Stories of the Trump Era “What Makes America Great #14” & from my earlier chapbook Coyote (A.P.D.) poem #4. I ended with a poem using more of the late Mary Oliver’s lines than my own “Reading Mary Oliver While Masturbating.” I had such a good time being a co-feature with Alison & Dayl, what you might call 3 Poets from Somewhere.

This regular series at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills on Sawkill Road in Kingston, NY takes a break until the Fall. Check back in the Fall to see who is reading later this year.