2nd Tuesday All-Genre Open Mic Out of Bennington, July 13

Back (so to speak) in Bennington (Vermont, that is) for this Zoom open mic, which, according to Charlie Rossiter, will stay on Zoom, since he has been getting more attendees than his in-person, pre-pandemic event had. 

I had signed on early so headed up the list, doing 2 rounds, 1 piece each round. In the 1st round I read a poem about a cryptic entry on my bar tab that looked like I was being prescribed gin, “RX-Gin,” then in the 2nd round a poem about being in a strip club in Riverside California in 1969, “Summer in California,” which prompted Julie Lomoe to ask if I had missed Woodstock, generating a conversation on who was there. You can find photos of the paintings that Julie exhibited at the Woodstock festival on her website.

Speaking of paintings, Barbara Sarvis, read first her brief poem “In the Watchtower,” linked to her painting (reproduced here), then in the second round read her artists statement for her painting used as the cover art for the latest issue of Adanna Literary Journal on the theme of “Women & Politics.” 

Kenn Ash in his 1st round sang “A Drinking Song” from Sigmund Romberg’s operetta The Student Prince; for the 2nd round he played George Gershwin’s “Summertime” on the trumpet.

Speaking of drinking, Sally Rhoades’ 1st round piece was from her ongoing family memoir, this about her father & bar term for a cheap guy, “Small Beer;” her second round piece was titled “That was the End of the Happiness” about being abused & sexually assaulted.

Our host, Charlie Rossiter, was joined in his 1st round by his son, Jack Rossiter Munley, on guitar to sing a Chicago song inspired by a open mic character named Big Walter who talked about going out “alley cattin’;” in the 2nd round he read some “one-liners” & other short stuff he kept from his poetic notebooks, including quotes from others, even haiku.

Jim Madigan could only stay for the 1st round & read a poem titled “Vampire,” which could only be characterized as a descriptive movie-themed, eco-poem.

Naomi Bindman read from her memoir in both rounds, in the 1st, “Old Sammy,” a chapter about the family dog, then, picking up the theme of Woodstock in the 2nd round, another chapter from her memoir, this about when her daughter, Ellen, was an extra in the 2009 comedy-drama Taking Woodstock directed by Ang Lee.

Julie Lomoe read a 1st draft of a brand new piece about her dog Sirius “Black Dog at the Top of the Stair;” then in her 2nd round another happy dog poem, “Quartet of the Elders,” that she had also shared at the recent 2nd Sunday @ 2 Open Mic.

Speaking of poems I’ve heard read previously, Tom Nicotera read his marvelously witty “Why I Keep My Mullein” which is hung together with a rhyme scheme based on “mullein;” & he had another flower poem “Deconstruction Site Sunflower” in the 2nd round. 

Laura Ellzey was comfortably reclining to read a poem about poems, “Where Did This come From?”, then for the 2nd round also had a memoir piece, “The Helper,” about learning to ride a unicycle with her friend & with the help of a tree branch.

If you would like to join this open mic that happens on the 2nd Tuesday of each month & you are not already on Charlie’s list, email him at charliemrossiter@gmail.com & ask for the link. Tell him you read it here on DWx.