All Genre Open Mic out of Bennington, January 9

Charlie Rossiter welcomed each of us “in” (not sure where “in” was since this was a Zoom event), as he built the open mic list, then forgot to do his traditional rap intro, until Naomi pointed it out to him. We went around in 2 rounds of 1 poem each round.

Bridget Elder ended up 1st on the list, & read in the 1st round a piece about her Mother-in-law’s celebration of life, short shades of blue in rhyme; then in her 2nd round a repeat of a piece she has read “here” previously, a word-play about her words as scarce as hen’s teeth. 

In both rounds I read the poems recently published in Dissent: an anthology to end war and capitalism (Vagabond Books), in the 1st round “A Shill at the Fair,” then in the 2nd round a poem about the 1886 Haymarket riot “Crane Alley,” pleased that Naomi commented that she had taught about the Haymarket riot as a young teacher.

Tim Verhaegen read a piece about a brother who died at 23, “Possessing,” & their conflict with their mother, with the poignant line, “I thought we had more time.” In the 2nd round he read a recently written memoir of college in Cobleskill in 1979, walking with friends, a love poem for Jeanine & a tale of friendship.

Naomi Bindman said that the pieces she was reading in each round were competing poems to submit with a writing sample & wanted our advice; in the 1st round a portrait titled “Crazy;” in the 2nd round “Past Lives,” wondering which was it, a flower, a cloud, a star.  It seemed that most thought either was a good candidates, or maybe submit both?

Our host, Charlie Rossiter dusted off some old poems from his archives. In the 1st round, one he read about meeting a friend “8 Miles off the Interstate … In Panic Lake Wisconsin;” for his 2nd round a memory of a road trip north “At the Second Hand shop in Flim Flam Manitoba.”

Cheryl Rice, dialing in from Kingston, NY read in her 1st round “Sky Dive the Ranch,” then on the 2nd time around a poem inspired by a friend’s photo on Facebook of sand pipers at the beach, “Initiation.” 

Tom Nicotera announced that Charlie & Naomi would be the featured readers on February 15 in the Wintonbury Poetry Series, a monthly Zoom event from the Bloomfield, CT Public Library; one can sign up at bplct.org. The poem he read in the 1st round was a new piece about his brother & a gift he had made for their mother “This Cutting Board,” then in the 2nd round, a poem from his archives, from 1999, “Miracles of Turns.”

Bill Thwing brought out his guitar, reprised the Santa Claus song he did last month, to the tune of “16 Tones” or whatever the source of that was; for the 2nd round he did another song, “E Pluribus Unum,” full of the folkie cliches.

& that was that — if you want to join us each month on the 2nd Wednesday, & you are not on Charlie’s list, send him an email charliemrossiter@gmail.com & he will send you the Zoom link.