Brass Tacks, November 19

Earlier in the day I got a message from Nick B. wondering if I was coming to this event at The Low Beat this night, that he was to be the guest host for Thom Francis but couldn’t make it himself, & asked me to be the substitute substitute host. Of course I said “yes” (otherwise there might not have been this Blog). I arrived earlier than I would have if I was just going to be another open mic reader but there were already most of what would be my sign-up list there. We hung out for a while but when I realized that the mythical tour bus had gotten lost I started the open mic.

Since the person in the #1 slot was here for the first time I decided I would be merciful & opened up by reading a couple of older poems “Veranda DelRay” & “Well-Laid Stones.”

Brandon Garcia was here for the first time & read an untitled love poem in hip-hop rhyme. Speaking of which Rakeem L. Carter reprised his reading from the last Brass Tacks 2 weeks ago with from “the Streets of Soul Train” a mash-up of Poe, Jimi Hendrix & other song titles.

While all this was going on 2 young women came in & when I got a chance asked if they wanted to read. Although reluctant at first, Sue said she would (her friend Linda declined). Sue did fine, read 2 poems, the first on depression titled “15 Minutes,” the other titled “Caretaker.”

& that, as they say, was that.

Getting down to Brass Tacks is an open mic run by AlbanyPoets.com at The Low Beat, 335 Central Ave., Albany, NY, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 7:30PM — not only do you not know who might show up to read to read, but you don’t know who might show up to be the host. Be there & find out.