Pine Hollow Arboretum Poetry, September 19

Back among the trees, our host Mark O’Brien started us off with invoking the Muse with a poem, “The Phoenix,” by William Golding, better known as a novelist. 

The featured poet, Charlie Rossiter, was back in in town after years in Chicago, & now in Bennington, Vermont, announcing a forthcoming books from Foothills Publishing, & began, as he always does at his readings, with a performance of “Reading Black Snake Solos Listening to Haydn” from his chapbook Evening Stones (Ye Olde Font Shoppe, 1999); then on to a humorous piece about a mail-order catalog, “The Day I Discovered Church Merch.”  Knowing Charlie, as I do, there had to be a few road trip poems, “Modigliani, Me & the Good Vibes Waitress …,” “On the High Road to Taos,” & “Bison Turd in a Peanut Butter Jar at Teddy Roosevelt National Park;” & dead poets poems, “Listening to William Carlos Williams,” & “At the Poetry Party” reading their work. “Memorial Day” was from his years in Chicago; “Remembering Toodles” was about drawing lessons from the children’s books; & a love poem, “Rough Times.” He ended with a poem on death, a new piece, “Morning Thoughts.”

Paul Amidon was first up on the long sign-up list with a poem about a visit to the Emergency Room, “Compassion Optional,” followed by a piece about the difference way of acting between boys & girls, “Adolescence.” The co-founder & host emeritus of this series, Alan Casline, read from his astounding collection of poems based on the I Ching, 64 Changes (FootHills Publishing, 2015), 3 pieces, “When Flexibility Is In the Balance” (#37), “Deliverance On The Day For It” (#40) & “Devotion” (#13). 

Tom Nicotera, who had been a co-feature last month, returned to support his friend Charlie Rossiter, & read a poem for his daughter “June Poppies,” then one about sighting a broad-wing hawk, “Buteo Out the Window.” Our host, Mark O’Brien, read a piece from his series titled “Correspondences” a sonnet based on a newspaper article from 1892, “Maples.”

The linguist Dennis Sullivan read a piece of cunning spiritual advice, “Adios in Any Language Means Adios.” Frank Robinson read a love poem to his wife Therese as a supernova, then a cutting commentary on Donald Trump’s mispronouncing the name of the National Park, “Yo Semite.”

Scott Ogelsby read here for the first time last month, returned tonight with a short prose memoir of 5th grade & a fight with a friend. He was followed by his sister, Rhonda Coullet, who read from her book of poems (whose title I did not note), read “New Year’s Day,” “Animal Justice” (on the January 6 rioters), & “No Children in Church.” Ann Stoney was also here for the first time last month, tonight read a prose poem based on quotes from COVID patients, “We the People - Delirium.” 

Ingrid said that she was a wildlife “rehabilitator” & read a poems based on her experience, “Pelicans,” & “Great Blue Heron.” Frequent flyer here, Edie Abrams, read a piece that might have been titled “Wight” meaning ghost, follows its flight, asks about the next world, then a poem about 2 trees, “Secret Love.” 

The remaining readers were all also “frequent flyers” here. David Gonsalves’ poem “Heading for Home” conflated being on a plane with baseball. Tom Corrado, Master of the Screen Dump, read his first from September 27, 2013, then his most recent, #826(!). Sally Rhoades began with a poem from her book Taking Time (The Troy Book Makers, 2025) “Thistle,” then a new poem written this week, “Mercy Song.”

The poets gather among the trees each 3rd Friday of the month at the Pine Hollow Arboretum in Slingerlands, NY at 6:30PM (signup starts at 6:00PM) for a featured reader (or 2), & an open mic for the rest of us — at least until the snow flies.