Writers Mic, November 8

Jackie Craven is the host of this monthly Zoom gathering, tonight there were 10 poets/writers gathered to read.

First up was David Graham who said that he can’t seem to get the dogs out of his poems, & started off with a new one “My Dog Waiting” about how his dog is 70 years old in dog’s years, as is David in his years; his next poem, titled “My Apple Tree,” was written when he first got his dog 10 years ago.  Tonight David reminded me of Billy Collins who always seems to end up with a dog in his poem, I like David’s poems better. 

Rachel Baum also started off with a new poem an interesting tale titled “I Got Lost so I Stopped for a Drink in Del Ray Beach;” then on to an older poem that is the title poem from her forthcoming chapbook from Cowboy Jamboree Press, How to Rob a Convenience Store. 

Alan Catlin is recently back from a sojourn on Block Island & read 2 poems written there, a descriptive piece that began “the moon is down…;” then from his ongoing series of work-anxiety poems a transcription of a dream “Dormitory Fire.”

Scott Morehouse always has a bit of outrageous story-telling, tonight he read a satiric story set in a library book mobile where a couple of religious fanatics steal books to “de-sin,” i.e. burn them.

My poems were a mix of the old, “Planting Tulips,” inspired by the park workers in Albany’s Washington Park a few years ago, & the new, “Cafe Society,” contrasting the Albany Dunkin’ Donuts with Paris cafes.

Ellen Rook felt compelled to issue a “trigger warning” (hey, it’s a poem) for “Chain,” about a necklace gift from a friend, images of boys killing a swan, for grandma cook; then her own fears of “Kyphosis,” like her mother’s fear. 

Naomi Bindman read 3 shape poems, for which she shared screen images, “interstices” looking like a wing; “heart space” like 3 half-hearts (picked up by the online Synchronicity); & “Scar Tissue” a poem of her mother, & of her daughter Ellen, inspired by a poem by Richard Blanco.

Mimi Moriarty read “Learning Vietnamese,” written for her niece when she was just born, in 7 parts, hearing a woman speak in Vietnamesee, music for the not yet born, parallel families at once immigrants, grandmothers, great-grandmothers. 

Susan Carroll Jewell read an old ekphrastic poem (something she excels at) titled “A Bucket in the Woods” an imagination of her mother’s ashes.

Our host, Jackie Craven, brought the evening to a close with a short sci-fi poem, “The Human Clock.” 

If you are interested in joining this monthly open mic on Zoom & sharing your work you can find the link on Facebook — it takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30PM.