Writers Mic, May 11

You can get a feel for the health of an open mic, even when it is on Zoom, not necessarily by the “regulars” but by the new voices/faces that show up, such as tonight.

I read 3 poems, “Whistler 2001” about not skiing & wearing a skiers vest; a poem, “Cambridge Bicyclists,” from my 1995 chapbook Ireland: Poems, & a recent haiku written at the ocean  “Rockport Haiku.”

Spades was the first of the brand new voices here & shared a couple of rhyming poems, “Footprints in the Snow” written as a teenager about a stranger with words of wisdom, & “Our Father” a hip hop piece.

David Graham has been here many times before, tonight reading a new poem “Fury & Surprise,” musicians on stage, & a cat with a marble; then a poem about looking at his baby pictures & thinking of other “David Grahams” titled “More & More Daves.”

Alan Catlin read from his "real stories series" about a woman taking a job at an old guys bar, then a poem about a Stewarts store “Grand Re-Opening,” & a real short one about his neighbor feeding the ducks.

Victoria Twomey was “here” for the first time, a regular at the Caffè Lena monthly poetry open mic, read about taking someone to a doctor “Still Here,” then a piece titled “Glimpse” pondering a dead animal on the side of the road.

Susan Jewell shared an image from the March Rattle magazine ekphrastic project titled “In the Waiting Room” & read her poetic response examining “War,” talking about medical examinations, her own existence, “war is a woman…” 

Naomi Bindman read 3 pieces, a philosophical piece “Imaginal Being, “No Small Thing” about a surprise gift of tulips from a friend, & one about being at peace vigil “No More War” (Amen to that!)  

Scott Morehouse had some issues with his microphone, but thankfully got it resolved & read a humorous story, “Improbable Participants,” about 2 couples wandering in their sleep & having sex at a yard sale. 

Our host, Jackie Craven, read abut a river falling for the Moon, & the changes, as it ever does, of the Moon.

This always entertaining, relaxed, open mic takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30PM, Eastern time, & you can dial in on Zoom from anywhere, the link can be found on the Writers Mic Facebook page.