2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose Open Mic, March 12

At the crossroads of Troy & Vermont, or so it seems. The hosts were me & Nancy Klepsch, & we also read in the open mic.

First up, from Vermont, was Bridget Elder who began with a piece like a letter to a friend, then a Haiku about crows.

The proprietor here of Collar City Mushrooms, Avery Stempel, read an untitled piece written after last week’s reading at Lark Hall in Albany that began “where am I?” a metaphysical pondering — while looking for his car.

Damien, who came over from Vermont to check out the mushrooms, also did couple of metaphysical pieces from memory similar to Avery’s.

Alexander Perez read 2 pieces from a surrealistic work-in-progress titled “Drama Queen,” one a dream & associated images with an eel for dinner, the other in a bed like a boat replete with shells.

My first poem was from my collection of Poem Cards “Content Advisory,” then one from my 1995 A.P.D. chapbook Ireland “Coitus Interruptus at the Dublin Zoo.”

Rhonda Rosenheck’s poems were a trio of ekphrastic pieces, the first based on a piece titled “Bird Mandela Orange” by a Tibetan artist, the 2nd was like a letter addressed to an artist whose work she was looking at, the 3rd was titled “Offer Me Gods” & was a “golden shovel” based on a line from Rumi — the golden shovel is a form invented by Terrance Hayes in homage to Gwendolyn Brooks.

My co-host, Nancy Klepsch, read a poem by Philip Good, “You Are My Sunshine” from his recent chapbook Sub-Atomic Moss, then her own poem a list/litany titled “Everything You Hear is Good.”

The final performer was a old friend of Avery’s from his youth, Emilio, now back in the area; he did not look like the same person who had read last week at Lark Hall, & what he performed was totally different. He began with a rambling introduction that led eventually to a brief guided meditation, which ended with him drumming. 

You can always find mushrooms at Collar City Mushrooms, 333 2nd Ave., Troy, NY, but what you will hear at the 2nd Sunday @ 2 Open Mic for Poetry + Prose is less predictable. Join us with your written/spoken words.