2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, April 10

I was flying solo as the host this Sunday at Collar City Mushrooms in Troy, NY, my co-host recovering from that teacher-malady, grading fatigue. No problem.

But no one had signed up in the #1 slot so to be gracious I took it, read my poem “Baghdad/Albany” bringing it up-to-date with references to the invasion of Ukraine.

Tom Bonville read a site-specific piece titled “Mushrooms” a memoir poem about hunting them in the woods. 

The Queen of Pantoums, Carol Jewell, actually inspired me to write my one pantoum once upon a time; today she read her poem, part pantoum, part cento, & part her own words, “Survival” published in The Pine Cone Review. 

Bob Sharkey read a couple of poems, “The Slap” by a Jesuit high school teacher (back when they could get away with it), & “The Scam” on the phone & poetry too; he also summarized the results of the 2022 Stephan A. DiBiase Poetry Prize, a complete list can be found the website. 

Tom Corrado has been cranking out his stream-of-consciousness “screen-dumps” for years now & today read 2, #619(!) contemplating gaps in the clouds, & #617 mixing time, song-birds & green tea.

Avery Stempel, the head mushroom here at Collar City Mushrooms, read a narrative piece that mixed in some exuberant lyricism, a tale of a group of friends being on a golf course when the sprinkler system came on that began “We were walking…” repeating that phrase as a refrain.

Elaina’s descriptive poem, “No River Road,” was inspired by a road sign, & as the poem said, “you can’t follow no River Road.”

Julie Lomoe’s first piece was made up of 5 Haiku which she was submitting to the Moonstone Press call for Haiku, then a topical piece for Ukraine “Invading My Home Terrain.”

Laura Ellzey’s piece was an humorous essay “Thoughts on Measuring,” explaining the markings on automobile tires, that mix metric & imperial systems — more than I ever need to know, & quite entertaining in the process.

Tim Verhaegen read a poem about the fisherman in his family, “Men of the Sea,” that begins with a line his father would say about his wife, “there is a rage coming after the calm.”

You can join us in person each 2nd Sunday @ 2 for an open mic for poetry & prose at Collar City Mushrooms, 333 Second Ave., Troy, NY -- find us on Facebook. The venue also hosts other poetry & arts events, including yoga & meditation, check their website for details.