Writers Mic, January 14

It’s been awhile since I joined this Zoom open mic, & I was glad to be back again. The host is poet Jackie Craven.

First up was David Graham with his 1st poem for 2026, “Blind Sided,” inspired by reading the poetry of Jim Harrison who was blind in his left left eye, as is David as a result of a stroke.  

Elizabeth Lockman was a new voice to me but seems to have been at this open mic previously; she read a piece written for the Rattle magazine ekphrastic challenge, “The Day Trip to Tumulo Park, Korea,” then a piece like chatting over coffee, “My Friend Met Someone from the Secret Service at Mass.”

I was up next with “The Blue Wind” inspired by reading the new translation (by Mark Polizzotti) of Andre Breton’s surrealist novel Nadja; then a little free-form automatic writing of my own, “The Moon is a Damp Alley.”

Susan Carol Jewell also read a poem for the Rattle ekphrastic challenge, written last November, “The Red Planet & the Blue Sun.” 

Alan Catlin read what he said was the closet things to a love poem, “Epithilmiums for Marcus & Karen,” for his son & daughter-in-law, then a political poem “Dis-respective for Renee Good.” Later, in an ersatz 2rd round, another political piece, absurdist instructions to employees in a bar in case of an emergency.  

Liz Grisaru also read a recent political piece titled simply “Minneapolis,” then another recent piece with a humorous twist, “Encounter at the Supermarket;” later in the 2nd round, “Travel” like a dream of a train in Europe.

Jackie Craven read a funny period piece about her father’s bomb shelter, “In Event of Nuclear Emergency.”

Julie Lomoe read a piece from 2016 titled “Donald the Bantam Rooster Speaks His Mind” from her collection Proof of Process.

If you want to join this monthly Zoom open mic (2nd Wednesday at 7:30PM EST) one can find the link on the Writers Mic Facebook page.