2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, July 9

My co-host has returned from a vacation in P-town, good to share the hosting duties with Nancy Klepsch. & there were 10 poets signed up on the list.

First up was another local poet who has recently returned from a trip, Rhonda Rosenheck recently returned from Iceland & read a piece titled “Another Problem with Being a Poet,” then a piece in 8 parts, 1 part for each of the students in the writing workshop she attended in Iceland. 

Joel Best read a piece from his bedside notes “After Here,” then an older piece he said he doesn’t remember writing, “Love Starved Ends Badly.”

Avery makes his space here at Collar City Mushrooms available to us each month to read poems, & likes to join in too; today he read snippets about places he has seen driving around, such as “6th Ave.” (a church), & the canvas of the sky seen at “The Delmar By-pass, Route 32.” Sally Rhoades read a new memoir poem, sparked by being on Amtrak, about her mother in the mental hospital, “Just Before Poughkeepsie.”

Alexander Perez read one piece, about 3 pages long, an intricate introspective pondering, titled “Gone,” about an empty space inside him that had given him meaning. My co-host, Nancy Klepsch began with a poem on the perennial debate between upstate & downstate, “Bad Bagel;” then a longer poem about wanting to be doing & being, to be safe, brave & free. Amber began with an Haiku from the news, then an elegy for a gone friend, poet, “To Carol.” 

Anna B. was new here, started with a love poem, “3 Women in the Woods,” then a short, but intricate, poem “Take Care.” Cat S. was also new here (is it the mushrooms?) read a long list poem, seasoned with humor, “Lessons in Fear.” I was the final poet with 2 poems submitted, but not prize-winners, in the Hudson Valley Writers Guild poetry contest, the Facebook-inspired fantasy, “Lily White,” & a true story told to me by a friend “Red Boots.” & that was that.

You can join us for a Sunday afternoon of poetry or prose, 2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, at Collar City Mushrooms, 333 2nd Ave., Troy, NY, — the name of the event tells all.