Poetry Open Mic at Pine Hollow, August 16

This open mic, often with a featured poet, is usually held on the 2nd Friday of the month at the Pine Hollow Arboretum in Slingerlands, NY, but was rescheduled to this day from last week due to heavy rain. There was no featured poet, instead a marvelous coterie of local poets who read in a round-robin style, which I won’t try to replicate in this narrative.

The poems I read included 2 poems both titled “Joe Krausman;” a poem inspired by Uncle Walt, “Here I Sit in Solitude;” & one inspired by a recent encounter with “Lark St. Jesus.” 

Edie Abrams read about trying to think good thoughts after the death of her mother & after the Biden/Trump debate; another about her mother, “Comfort Cat & Peck Peck Peck;” a descriptive piece about an old teacher, that she began with a quote from the Talmud; a poem about walking with her father in a snow storm in New York City “Questions Unasked;” & one about the experience of “Zooming.”

David Gonsalves read a piece about being in Heaven, “Last Thursday;” one from his obsession with the history of World War I “No Man’s Land;” “Landscapes in 12 Colors;” & “Skyway.”

The aforementioned Joe Krausman read a poem about me (!) titled “Guess Who?” then “Weather Report,” a forecast of life-expectancy; another on mortality, “Weird Musings at Whole Foods;” & a funny tale of a 2-headed person, “Going to a Double-Header Ending in a Tie Game.”

Our host at this series is Alan Casline. Tonight he read “Contemplation of the Season;” a poem written some time ago describing an old man on the subway; one titled “Pile On” (written 10/26/2019); & another seasonal piece, “Song of the Red Tea Flowers.”

Tim Verhaegen read the nostalgic “Summer Sounds in Amagansett;” a poem about going through a box of “Letters;” & a recently written memoir about his youthful days at a 2-year college.

Paul Amidon’s piece “Half-Truth” was about trying to figure out what that means; a poem titled “No Poem;” & one titled “Icebergs.”

The turned out to be quite a varied & fascinating anthology of poems by local poets.

Check out the events listings on the website of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild for information about future open mics at the Pine Hollow Arboretum, as well as other literary events in the Capital District.