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.