2nd Tuesday All Genre Open Mic Out Of Bennington, October 8

With our Zoom host, Charlie Rossiter — this open mic is run in 2 rounds, 1 piece each round.

I was first up, & in both of the rounds I read “seasonal pieces,” in the 1st round a mashup of Halloween & Election day, “This is Not Trick or Treat;” in the 2nd round a baseball-themed poem, “Dusty Baker.” 

Bridget Elder read a cluster of Haiku, with a crow, rain; then in the 2nd round after hearing Bill Thwing read she read a poem that mentions Li Po.

Mark O’Brien read from from his project based on old newspaper articles, “Ancillary Brevities,” snippets of pieces about death & dying; in round 2 a funny piece from a strange article he has tried to about.

Ginny Folger’s poem “Eternal City” about Rome, of course, about watching the clouds & a woman doing laundry; then in the next round a descriptive piece about being on a train to New York City — both pieces have been published. 

Our host, Charlies Rossiter read a descriptive piece from the past, “The Worst Bar Ever” (in Wisconsin); his 2nd round piece was about the greed of the haves & that of the gun industry, titled “Amateur.” 

Julie Lomoe read yet again from her new self-published chapbook in both rounds, a couple poems she has been reading out at local open mics, in the 1st round, “Donald the Bantam Rooster Speaks His Mind,” in the 2nd round, a poem about voting back in 2016 & being interviewed by a reporter from The New York Times. 

Sharon Smith read a poem written yesterday “134 Miles” about how a family visit engenders memories of the past; then in round 2 a poem about her uncle, “Hobos, Mystics & Poets.”

I think Kate McNairy joined this Zoom for the first time tonight & she read her characteristically very short poems, each poem read twice, in the 1st round the memoir “Neil Armstrong, July 21, 1969,” & a piece about aging “Sweet & Sour.”  

Bill Thwing read “At Golden Ridge” about doing renga with Li Bai, Bill’s response & his 2 Haiku; in his 2nd round he performed a song written by him & his wife, “I Went Out to Alberta,” then running back to Montana, & elsewhere.  

Tom Nicotera had shown up early but in his 1st round as he tried to read his poem his phone rang, then his screen froze & he lost his Internet connection; he returned to the Zoom at the end to read his 2 pieces, back to back; in the 1st round, with his harmonica, he performed  “Blues for America,” set at a Motel 6 & a Taco Bell; then a new poem, a nostalgic description of the Mohawk Trail along  Route 2 in Massachusetts. 

& then that was it for this month. If you want to join this Zoom open mic held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, email Charlie at charlierossiter@gmail.com & ask for the link, then join us.