2nd Sunday @2: Poetry + Prose, May 9

Nancy Klepsch & I have been the co-hosts of this open mic, formerly at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, since it started “many” years ago. It was easier to trade back & forth hosting when we were meeting in person.  This Mothers’ Day I filled in for Nancy, who was there, but needed some down time.

I put myself first on the list to save everyone the embarrassment of turning it down & read a new piece, “on the Reading Terrace,” then an older, sad piece for Mothers’ Day, “Whose Mom is That?”

Sally Rhoades read a couple of memoir pieces on the Mothers’ Day theme, a poem from using prompts “Setting the Table” family memories, & “Mother’s Inspiration,” another memory, & passing it on to her daughters.

Nancy Klepsch made her way through a complex piece titled “If Everything was Made into Kombucha” that includes a reference to a Philip Glass piece “Gee-Whiz, a song for Ellen” that Glass performed with Laurie Anderson. 

Continuing the theme of tea, Kendall Hoeft read a poem about sipping tea & sherry titled “Tasseography” (fortune-telling by interpreting patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments), then on to an ekphrastic piece “Around We Go” based on William Blake’s detailed reproduction of the ancient Greek sculpture group “Laocoön” reinterpreted as Jehovah & his sons Satan & Adam.

Cheryl A.Rice, whom I had just seen on Calling All Poets on Friday night (see my Blog), joined us here with an untitled love poem, sleeping & dreaming in bed. Ahh!

Bob Sharkey shared a character portrait of a train rider (or worker?), a piece he called “The Man Besides the Tracks.” 

Julie Lomoe ended the afternoon by bringing us back to the theme of the day, with a memoir piece I’ve heard & enjoyed before, titled “My Mother’s Head,” about her passing out due to a sub-dural hematoma (Julie’s favorite theme) at a club appearance by the Modern Jazz Quartet & waking to seeing the musicians, in their dark suits, ties, & white shirts, thinking they were the undertakers — I love this image, especially as a fan of the MJQ.

Check out the 2nd Sunday @ 2 Facebook page to stay in touch. For now it remains on Zoom, but perhaps we’ll be back in person before too long.