Poetry in Science,, January 22

This is (I think) the 3rd in a series of readings by local poets on the theme of science, any science, organized by Dr. Kate Gillespie, a research scientist & self-described “demented doctoral student” who started us off with one of her own poems, “Panspermia” which can be found online here.  The featured readers were all well-known poets in the local open mic scene.

Sally Rhoades took a broad approach to the idea of “poetry in science,” as did all the readers to one degree or another, demonstrating that everything is poetry/everything is science. She began with a poem titled “Finding My Twin” (at which point a twin of a member in the audience walked in!), then an urban portrait “The Solitary Man,” another beginning “I have lived my life a loaded gun…,” one titled “My Mother Janet,” & one about being picked up at the airport in Oklahoma by her friend Katie.

Tom Corrado has been writing for years now what he terms “screen dumps,” self-publishing them in home-made chapbooks. They are typically a page or 2 in length, numbered sequentially. Tonight he read from the latest chapbook, then, memes II, which is one long continuous poem, though in the style of his past work composed of short phrases, sentences separated by gnomic ellipses. He connected the work to “science” by saying that the screen dumps are “the experience of experience.” Think of John Asbery without the stuffiness, writing about the everyday, & nowhere near as boring.

Tess Lecuyer’s poems were more closely allied to the topic of science, in all its varieties, beginning with a cluster of Haiku composed of stolen scientific words from applications she had reviewed, then a couple of older poems, “Hard Science” & “Bob Dylan on Mars.” She likes to spend time in the woods as reflected in the poems “Eclipse,” “Mis-remembering” (with trees & dinosaurs), & “Post Winter Solstice.” But her last piece was an urban take on the “Summer Solstice.”

There is an old saying among performance poets, “When in doubt, pull out the dick-poem.” Mark O’Brien began with a favorite, “Peedy My Best Friend,” a tale of childhood mis-information. The poem “Taxonomy of Me” was his ars poetica, on the necessity of listening to the Muse, then read a DNA poem “Old School” & ended with one titled “On the Anniversary of the Moon Landing” combining his personal memory of that event 50 years ago, with the memories of others gathered by his daughter.

The audience this night, jammed into a small back room of Nine Pine Cider on Broadway in Albany, NY was composed of, it seemed, more scientists than poets, which is actually a poet’s dream, to be reading to folks who have never experienced their work previously.

You find out about the Cap-Sci programs, which include lectures & presentations on scientific topics, as well as the occasional poetry reading through their Facebook page which will also lead you to their website.

Brass Tacks, January 21

Nick Bisanz was the host tonight at The Low Beat, with his guitar, so he started us off with a couple of songs, “En Avant” & “The Fox Holes of Hollywood,” to set the mood, so to speak.

I led off the open mic sign-up with a recently re-discovered piece “Big Tent Haibun,” then one of my modernized imitations of Han Shan “Open Mic,” & a poem imitating Lyn Lifshin’s poetry “Vegetarian Sex.”

Amanda Pelletier was back again with a couple of long pieces, like put-down letters, the first referencing the TV show Family Guy, the second titled “How Are the Giants Doing?” addressed to someone who is a Giants fan.

The poet who goes by the handle Slay The Dragon also read a piece in the form of a long letter, “It Came Back,” about his own darkness, what he described as a “mental health awareness poem,” then another piece addressed to a woman with blue eyes “Killer Frost.”

Ross was the last of the open mic readers. He had 3 pieces, “One Man’s Zenith,” “Manic” like an argument with a woman, & a long series of musings about himself & advice “Random But Honest.”

Then Nick ended the night with more songs, including channeling Buddy Holly with “Heartbeat.” Brass Tacks is an open mic for poets that takes place on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month at The Low Beat, 335 Central Ave., Albany, NY, 7:30PM.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, January 16

First third Thursday of 2020 & we start off the New Year at the Social Justice Center. The featured poet was Susan E. Oringel, & I had invited folks attending to pay tribute to the recently-gone poet & Literary Legend Lyn Lifshin by reading one of her poems, in addition to their own. I started it with invoking Lyn as the night’s Muse. I read her poem “Going Back to Where” from a mimeographed locally produced zine in which I also had poems, The Old Woman (no date, but probably the late 1960s, edited by Sue Shafarzek).

The first reader was not only new here at the SJC, but new to Albany, found us on AlbanyPoets.com, Naeema, who read a “justice poem” for the elephants. D. Alexander Holiday again read from the anthology Poems from Black Africa, edited by Langston Hughes, 2 poems. Mark W. O’Brien once again signed up in green ink, read a true story about mixing up “Nielson” with “Sullivan.” Alan Casline talked about being a small press publisher in the 1970s, publishing Lyn Lifshin, even dating her for a while, then read a poem he wrote about her.

The night’s featured poet, Susan E. Oringel, began with a poem by Lyn Lifshin “You Understand the Requirements” then started out with a poem from her own book My Coney Island (Finishing Line Press, 2019), “Poor Everybody” a prayer, she said, then the first poem in the book “Song of Coney Island,” based on a Garcia Lorca poem. Then on to others, “My Father’s War,” “My Father’s Workshop,” “The Fact of After,” “Romance Alfómbrico” also patterned on a Lorca poem, “Last Responder,” & the title poem, last one in the book.  She finished with a new poem “Red Anemone” about a medical procedure, bringing back memories of the past.

After a break I returned to read a poem I wrote in the style of one of Lyn Lifshin’s older poems “Vegetarian Sex.” Jessica Rae joined us on her break from school, read the Lyn Lifshin poem “Lust Blowing Under the Door” then her own “coffee poem” (still without a title, still in progress). Karen Fabiane read Lyn’s “My Mother, the Demerol Wearing Off” then from her 1st book, Dancing Bears (Bright Hill Press, 2011) “Slay Me.”

Harvey Havel read an excerpt from his recent novel The Wild Gypsy of Arbor Hill, a bedroom conversation. Tom Bonville followed, with Lyn’s poem "92 Rapple" on page 13 from 92 Rapple Drive, every poem in the book with the same title, then his own about his mother “Keeping Warm” passing on the wisdom of life, of keeping warm. Joe Krausman was the final reader for the night, read a short poem by Lyn about Picasso on his painting “Guernica” then his own poem on artists living through their work “Is he dead?”

Just like in the past, we will continue to meet on the third Thursday of the month at 7:30PM here at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany — a featured poet & an open mic for community poets.

Bennington Area Arts Council 2nd Tuesday Open Mic & Mary Oliver Celebration, January 14

Trying something new this monthly open mic started last month with a tribute to Emily Dickinson & based on that success this night the tribute was to Mary Oliver. Apparently it worked as a few folks showed up for that reason & not to read in the open mic. The host is Charlie Rossiter who also hosts the poetry podcast Poetry Spoken Here. He began with one of Mary Oliver’s poems “When Death Comes.”

I had driven over for the event & read a couple of new poems “The Phrasing Must Change” inspired by a Rumi poem with the same title, then “Red Boots,” & “Reading Mary Oliver While Masturbating” which samples lines from many of her poems.

One of the regulars here, Laura Ellzey read Mary Oliver’s “Watering the Stones,” then one of her own “Intimacies with You is Heart to Heart.” Another regular, Kenn Ashe read Mary Oliver’s “The Moths” & “The Angels,” then his own, “My Knowledge of Now…”

Bridgit Elder read from a series of little poems written on 3x5 cards about being out in the Winter woods. Our host Charlie Rossiter read “Don’t Make that Resolution” which had appeared recently in the Bennington Banner, then another titled “Concerning the Muse,” then Mary Oliver’s “The Poet with His Face in His Hands.”

Charlie offered us a 2nd go-around, so I read my poem “for Peter” to the late Gloucester writer, Peter Anastas. Laura read about painting, knitting, doodling, “The Beauty of Mindlessness.” Kenn read about an encounter with himself one night, then sang his song “Getting Too Old to be Young.” Charlie read “Sometimes There is a Glimpse” originally written for Mark O’Brien’s Haibun project.

One of the folks who had shown up because of their interest in Mary Oliver, Ellen, grew inspired to come come up & recite a short poem “Ah Ha!” which was our reaction to this surprise ending.

But not quite yet, at the very last minute Walt Klinger showed up & read a divorce poem, “So Glad (that you’re not my Valentine).” & that was it.

This open mic — for anything, not just poetry, but all acoustic, no amplification — takes place at the Tap House, 309 County Rd., Bennington, VT, on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7:15PM.

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

It was a nice mix of the regulars, the occasional & the brand-new among the 15 signed up on the list as we had our 1st gathering in the new year at the Arts Center of the Capital Region. The hosts are Nancy Klepsch & yours-truly, Me.  Inna Erlikh, who did not read today but has in the past translated some of us local poets for publication in Russian journals, provided luscious holiday cookies.

I had waited as folks started to sign-up but soon it became clear that no one wanted the #1 slot, so took it for myself, & read a section titled “The Pre-History” from my work-in-progress “Opening the Mic: a Personal History of the Early Days of the Albany Poetry Scene.” Mary Panza read an intense, moving piece titled “Rain” about a rape counselor’s conversation with a client that opened up memories for the counselor. Jill Hanifan’s poem “Last Minute Christmas” was filled with memories & forgiveness, while “Shape Shifter’s Lover” was a lush sexual fantasy. Bob Sharkey read a poem titled “Rome” about not getting there, with references to the film The Great Beauty & to the Roman poems of Dan Curley, who has gotten there.

Don Levy read a poem by one of his favorite poets, Frank O’Hara, “Why I Am Not a Painter” which is one of my favorite poems. The first of the new voices here today was Megeen Mulholland with 2 poems based on family photographs, “Hey Dad,” & “Top This” in which her father meets Albert Einstein. Kate Gillespie read a found/appropriated poem using the last line from poems from The Snail’s Pace Review, a biannual little magazine of contemporary poetry edited by Ken Denberg & Darby Penney from the 1990s, then another of the same ilk using the next-to-last lines titled “The Beads Are Hot My Daughter Says.”

Dan Curley, who was referenced in Bob Sharkey’s poem, read “New Year’s Resolutions” about things he won’t do, then the humorous & loving “My Wife Wearing New Glasses.” Another new voice was Kris Cottom & she read a piece of short fiction “Lost & Found” a portrait of a young girl, a foster child & her doll. My co-host Nancy Klepsch has been writing a series of poems based on impossible requests to Siri (or Alexis) & read us 2 examples “Send Me Sand” & “Send Me Magic.” Jessica Rae was back in town visiting on a semester break & read us a piece of short fiction about a young girl in a bar who is being hit on by an older guy, “Come Listen to My Records” (a brief excerpt can be found in her self-published zine Some Shit I Wrote).

Still another new voice was Tara Kistler who read us a sestina titled “Endurance” with images of sand dunes & colorful skies. Mary Anne Murray said she has been getting back into writing performance poetry & read us the eco-poem “Plastic.” Karen Fabiane graced us with 2 new poems, “More Today” a portrait of an urban gleaner, a woman going through Troy’s trash, & a dialogue about “Her Shoelaces.” The afternoon ended with still another new voice Maggie Brieden who read an excerpt from a longer mystery/thriller story of business intrigue.

2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose takes place at the Arts Center in Troy on River St. each month. In the past we had been in the 1st floor black box theater, but of late we have met in one of the studios on the 2nd floor which has the advantage of outside light & a view of the River, which we are growing to like. Ask a the desk & they’ll tell you where to go.

Brass Tacks, January 7

The first of what can only be many poetry events in 2020 was this casual & fun open mic at The Low Beat up Central Ave. The host was el presidente of AlbanyPoets Thom Francis. There was an impressive sign-up sheet of “old” & “new” poets, & the usual cast of characters.

Ian Macks was back with a couple pieces, both “new shit,” both personal reactions filled with intense energy, the 2nd & longer the auto-biographical “Weighted Blanket.” I followed with a transcription of the over-heard mutterings “The Window Cleaner Rides the Bus,” then the tale of “Red Boots.”

Marie Kathleen was a new voice here with 2 very different pieces, one on art & love beginning “I’m a work of art…” the other “Depression keeps me humble...” Jessica Rae was in town for a visit during her semester break & read 2 relationship poems, “The Next Morning” & “Anywhere Else” full of rich details amid wandering associations (I’ve liked a lot of her poems I’ve heard in the past, but her new work is more edgy, taking on a wider world). Kate Gillespie read one of her fascinating found poems culled from scientific abstracts, then another titled “The Ballad of Lovecraft County.”

Another surprising new voice was Amanda Pelletier who read first a poem cast as a dialogue with a therapist, about a bully, titled “Calamine,” then one about an abusive relationship “Statute of Statues, or To My Ex-Boyfriend’s Girlfriend.” Zakim is a regular here & at the stand-up comedy nights (also on Tuesdays) & at Brass Tacks likes to summarize films he has seen, such as tonight when his subject was the 2003 film Kangaroo Jack. Like his buddy Zakim, Reed also frequents the comedy nights & this poetry open mic & tonight talked about his anticipation for the appearance of Bruce Hornsby at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on February 28, & other upcoming music & comedy events. The poet who signs up as Slay the Dragon talked about his first chapbook but read 2 poems not in it, the first on Van Gogh’s ear & that artist’s self-portrait as a “selfie” (which of course it was) & “For E.D.” his ode to Emily Dickinson.

(Getting down to) Brass Tacks is an open mic on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at The Low Beat, 335 Central Ave., Albany, NY, 7:30PM, check out the calendar at AlbanyPoets.com for details.

I Thought I Saw Elvis

Ollie Atkins / Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

In honor of the birthday of The King, I thought I would post this poem, much performed with The 3 Guys from Albany.

I THOUGHT I SAW ELVIS...

I thought I saw Elvis the other night
at the supermarket comparing the price of steaks
but it was only an old woman with plastic bags for shoes stealing cans of dog food

I thought I saw Elvis on the street corner
with his 6 foot long white silk scarf
but it was only an old black man cleaning windshields with his shirt

I thought I saw Elvis on TV last night
shaking hands and smiling to the audience
but it was only a celebration for Christopher Columbus grabbing land and slaves for Spain

I thought I saw Elvis yesterday in the bank
standing in line to make a deposit
but it was only Corporate America gathering money with rakes

I thought I saw Elvis
I thought I saw Elvis
amphetamines like Christmas candies spilled on the floor
dead on his toilet
with a Bible in his hand

I thought I saw Elvis
but it was only
it was only

America



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