River Poems: a Reading by Poets from the 2nd Sunday @ 2 Open Mic & Special Guests, September 10

This gathering of poets & attentive audience was held on the lawn of the historic Herman Melville house as a benefit for the Lansingburgh Historical Society, & it was fine day for it. The readers were primarily writers who had read previously at 2nd Sunday @2: Open Mic for Poetry + Prose, originally held each month at the Arts Center of the Capital Region & now at Collar City Mushrooms. Nancy Klepsch & I served as tag-team hosts of this event, just as we do each month at the 2nd Sunday @ 2.

Joel Best introduced his poems with a brief description of his writing process; the poems he read included a love poem & a sci-fi narrative, among others.

Carrie introduced a touch of formalism with a Cento composed of lines from the writings of Kurt Vonnegut, then a villanelle.

Bridget Elder, who came over to Troy from Bennington, VT read untitled poems inspired by the natural beauty of her surroundings, including some by the beauty of Costa Rica.

Karen Fabiane read poems on water themes from her chapbook Dancing Bears (Bright Hill Press, 2011).

Co-host Nancy Klepsch read a variety of pieces, about her “cool” mother, about the River, on teaching, including the chilling “Targets” playing on the word in the context of teaching.

Julie Lomoe read a single poem about the River & it’s place in her life at various times.

Cheryl Rice read her poem that was selected for the Poetic License - Albany exhibit currently up at Art Associates Gallery, 21 Railroad Ave., Albany, NY & which inspired artist Tina Johnston to create a painting in response to the poem.

Rhonda Rosenheck performed one piece, with a hand-out for the audience to join in, “Sin No More! A Biblical Sea Shanty.”

Rebecca Schumejda read poems about the coast, Long Island (“Lobster”), Boston (“Whale Watching”), & Coney Island memories.

Bob Sharkey read one piece, a sequence poem titled “Trains to the Coast.”

Laura Ellzey, another Vermonter, read a piece about exploring & naming the rocks & trees along a river with a young companion.

I read a new poem, then a couple of Haiku written on Cape Ann, & ended with an old, cynical piece about the River titled “Troy.”

The Herman Melville House is the home of the Lansingburgh Historical Society & is located at 2 114th Street, Troy, NY. You can find out more at https://www.lansingburghhistoricalsociety.org