their agonizing speed, poems by Jil Hanifan

Jil Hanifan has been a long-time poet in the city of Albany, NY, her career going back to the readings at the QE2 when she was student; now she teaches writing & she was surrounded by her students & her many friends at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza this evening to sign copies of her book of poems, their agonizing speed (The Troy Book Makers). She also talked about the sources of the poems & read a tidy selection of the poems.

Arising from a week-long workshop at Pyramid Lake, the poems were inspired in part by the nature poems of Mary Oliver. Jil said she tried to use those poems as a framework to do nature poems in the city. Other influences were Louise Gluck's Wild Iris & Diane DiPrima's ongoing serial work Loba.

The Mary Oliver influence shows up in the title poem, while Gluck's practice of giving voice to the flowers is in "coneflower." I've admired, as well, "old pears" which I've heard Jil read at open mics (& wrote down as "old pairs" for good reason). DiPrima's Loba is a wide-ranging exploration of the figure of the wolf-goddess (among myriad other topics); Hanifan's version uses the crow as totem, in "lies about the crow" & the longer piece "we crow."

Many of us have been waiting a long time (since the 1999 chapbook whethergirl: wind rose (TA 'WIL Books and Documents)) for another collection of Jil Hanifan's poetry & now here it is. Get thee to the Book House for your copy.

Live from the Living Room, November 9

We were live & so was the chatter from the cafe, but I guess that is not to be helped; we just talked louder.

A good group of poets squeezed in to hear the featured poet, Obeeduid (Mark O'Brien). His poems frequently invoke the natural world, even when not specifically "nature poems," as in his opening poems on Winter, the first from a cycle of poems about the Onesquethaw River, the other, "Landscapes of This & That" dedicated to poem Tom Corrado. He could also be pensively philosophical as in the strangely titled "Yet Once they Seemed to Shudder in the Air with Intensity" (about words & poems), or "After Creeley" or "Grateful for Small Acts of Morning" (or Mourning), even in some very short, fly-by poems. Leaving, as a theme, was addressed in a series of poems, "The House All Cluttered with Ponderous Furniture," "Stint," the pairs, "The Convexity of Dishes" & "The Concavity of Dishes," &, obviously, "You Left When You Had the World at Your Feet." He passed around old black & white snapshots of his mother to accompany the poems "Dad Was Right about Your Gams" then a snapshot of for a companion poem about his father. He ended with a poem written today about his poems as children, "When the Noise of Distant Traffic Becomes Part of the Insect Hum." There is a special magic to hearing a poem, still warm & glistening, read for the first time on the day it is written.

Then on to the open mic, with Sylvia Barnard apologizing for reading poems some of us had heard before (until I can go to the library & take out her Complete Poems, I don't mind hearing good poems many times), her 2 poems about Hurricane Irene, "Hurricane" & "Hurricane Aftermath" (in England). She also acknowledged the cross-inspiration for these with Obeeduid's hurricane tales.

Edie Abrams read the triumphant political piece, "Joy to New Scotland," about "throwing the bums out," & a poem pondering her Jewish heritage, "Before I Eat Shrimp Again." Dennis Sullivan read 2 characteristically philosophical, meditative pieces, "Even if the Shadow of Himself," about his grandfather, but invoking Yeats, & the religious/philosophical poem, "Celebrating the Anniversary of Death." AC Everson read from her little red pocket notebook an as-yet untitled piece about a walk in the park, & the wonderful naming poem she read at the recent dedication of a sign for the "Poet Tree" in the Delaware Community "Friendship Garden," the audience-participation poem, "Under the Sun."

Bob Sharkey read 2 poems written in 64 words, a form he has been working in recently, "Waiting for the Table to Turn" (about the revolving stage at the old Starlight Theater), & "Surveillance." I read my finally-completed (almost, since poems are always in progress) "Midnight Fog" based on a May Blog by Carolee Sherwood), & another new one, "Cape Storm".  Jill Crammond's first poem from childhood memories, "An Old Letter with Chesterfield, Davenport…" prompted an internet search on the word "davenport" for a sofa, followed by the poem "How to Be a Super Hero, Part 1" (apparently with "perfect" hair while taking out the garbage). Carolee Sherwood has been one of those ambitious (or silly) poets who have taken on the daily prompts in November from the Poetic Asides website ("particularly crappy" this year, she says) & shared 2 sections in which she worried about the dead, then mosquitos in September.

Our genial host, Don Levy read 2 poems about life in his younger days, "Newsprint," a tender memoir about his Dad who was a writer for the local newspaper, & "Homewrecked," about the high school conflict between shop (only for boys) & home ec (only for girls).

Join us in the coziness of the living room of the Pride Center on Hudson Ave. in Albany, NY on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7:30, a modest donation. Always "straight friendly."

Paterson Literary Review Reading, November 5

Many months ago I was very pleased to hear that the Paterson Literary Review, an annual publication from the Poetry Center based at Passaic County Community College in Paterson, NJ had accepted for publication my poem "Chasing Tom." I was more pleased when, more recently, I had the copy of the huge (400 pages) Issue 39 in my hands. Ably edited by the Poetry Center Mama, Maria Mazziotti Gillan & her staff, the book contains poetry, prose, poems by the winners of the 2009 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards, & a special section on the work of poet Diane DiPrima.

So I drove down to Paterson, NJ this day to be part of a reading by poets in the Review. There were over 30 readers, but the nearly 2 & a half hour reading went by quickly as each poet, in alphabetical order, read 1 poem of theirs from the collection. Maria served as the MC for the reading, moving the poets right along. Stanley Barkan began with his poem, "In Between," then read the translation (by Emanuel di Pasquale) as Mario Moroni read his poem "Cinque Terre" in Italian.

Some of these poets I had met before, either out & about in the great world of poetry, or at other such readings here at the Poetry Center. Laura Boss, editor of Lips, is one I'd met while on a 3 Guys from Albany trip through Paterson & who has also read at Poets in the Park years back. I particularly liked her poem, "Getting to Sleep," where instead of sheep she is now at the point in her life where to get to sleep she can count boyfriends who have died -- funny & tender.

The poems were of particular higher quality overall than an open mic (the editorial process, duh) so if you are interested in what they are, get a copy of the review (information below). But I feel I must mention some, such as Anthony Buccino's "Famous," & Okey Chenoweth's memoir of coming to New York City, "New York, Then and Now The Policeman." James D. Gwyn (an Honorable Mention in the 2009 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award), read "Mallowmars," a rare political piece in the afternoon's reading. Elizabeth Nesius skirted the edge of the political with the personal in her poem "A Woman Without a Man." Vincent Salvati's poem "Begin Again" was a memoir morphing into a love letter. Leah Umansky's long lines twisted & turned on themselves in "The Love Song of the Chambers of the Heart."

Maria also presented separately to Vivian Shipley & Stanley Barkan the "Paterson Literary Review Award for Lifetime Service to Poetry," well deserved by both of them.

The other readers were Susan Lembo Balik, John Barrale, Svea Barrett, Norma Ketzis Bernstock, Charles Brice, Judith Brice, David Stanford Burr, Amanda Crane, Ann DeVenezia, Deborah Gerrish, Gail Fishman Gerwin, Gino Liotta, Bruce Lowry, Janice Maffei, Richard Marranca, Sheila Massoni, Maude Carolan Pych, Christine Redman-Waldeyer, Carole Rittenberg, Jose Antonio Rodriquez, Robert Rosenbloom, Susan Rothbard, Lee Schwartz, Donna Spector, Al Tacconelli, Seema Tepper, Mary Vallo & Sherida Yoder.

Copies of #39 of the Paterson Literary Review can be obtained by sending a check made out to "Passaic County Community College" -- $13.00 for each copy, plus $5.00 for shipping for the 1st copy & $1.00 for each additional copy. Send the check to:

Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Editor
The Poetry Center
Passaic County Community College
One College Boulevard
Paterson, NJ 07505-1179

Caffè Lena Open Mic, November 2

A house packed with many loyal fans of the featured poet, Carolee Sherwood, & loyal fans of the Caffe Lena open mic, under the stern direction of our host Carol Graser (well, not that stern, really).

I began the open mic with an old piece "Park Closes at Dusk" & the new, political "One Day Longer." Gordon Haymon began with 2 contrasting pieces, "Pseudo-Biography" & "Autobiography," then a memoir of his grandmother teaching him to knit. Barbara Garro admitted to a "villanelle binge" & read 2, "Staggering Information" & "This & That." This was Kevin Peterson's first time here & he recited (slam-style) "Sunday, Funday," a hangover tale set in a diner with last night's date. Kate McNairey read 2 short poems, "Love All Swept Up," & "Cameleon."

Tess Lecuyer hadn't been here in a long time, graced us with a poet's recipe, "The Minnestrone Blessing," & a ballade about singing in the woods, "Camp Little Notch Serenade". Alan Catlin said it was still close enough to Halloween to read "The Aliens" (double-parked outside the bar) & "Sex with Aliens" (a tale of co-eds "dressed" for Halloween).

Carolee Sherwood, tonight's featured poet, read a nice mix of mostly newer pieces written this year with a few older poems too. She began with a poem built on the images from the Wizard of Oz, "Surrender, Dorothy," then "Fly" (another movie reference). "Don't Try This At Home…" combined writing a poem & relationships, & she saw herself as Wonder Woman in "The Comic Book Version." A small cluster of poems circled around themes of moving, packing, unpacking, "Triage," "On Turning 39," & "Genesis." Some very recent poems were "How the Body Decomposes (a love poem)," an uncharacteristicaly untitled poem (about things unsaid in farewell), & the very recent "What's Right in Front of Me." She ended with a series of older poems, "Boudoir," "Dwindling" (images of leaving Portland, OR), a poem based on one by W.S. Merwin, "The Way to the Store," & the elegy "Ode to Tess' Lark Tavern," a poem of loss, tonight dedicated to poet Mary Panza. Another nicely put-together reading by a relaxed & confident poet who has been honing her skills at many poetry venues in the region. Many of these poems, which are worth reading again, can be found on her Blog.

Carol Graser brought us back after the break with her poem for her father-in-law titled with a Yiddish phrase meaning "Cats in your head." Austen Halpern-Graser stood up to do comedy, but I liked his first joke best (about reading on the toilet). Will Kerber did an angry piece (about his sister?) "The Electra Complex" whose strangeness was matched by his sweater. Judith Prest (who will be among the features here in December 2011) read about a leaf falling ("Time Management"), then the equally timely "November Belongs to the Crows." The North Country poet Charles Watts began with the tiny "A Depressing Little Love Poem," then harkened back to both Alan Catlin & me with a poem about the Occupy movement, "Alien Nation."  Josh McIntyre read 2 short poems, "Precipitant" (another with a reference to protestors), & "Convalescence" trying to write, a pen, a fire.

Tim Snyder described himself as a "biker poet" & his 2 recited poems, one on Halloweens passed, the other "Down at Sally's East" sounded a lot like what is called "Cowboy poetry." Why is that? Terry Bat-Sonja read "Bio" & an old favorite of hers, "Slightly Odd Spring Love Poem to Gaia." Andrew Sullivan began with the dream poem titled "Unnamed," then a love poem he described as from the secret back pages of a notebook. Nancy Denofio did one long piece addressed to a poltergeist. Meredith Short read the poem "Minneapolis" from an old notebook, then a poem about the associations with "Exit 18." Sally Rhoades read about an encounter in New York City's Union Square "The Homeless Woman," then a poem she dedicated to poet/scholar Donald Byrd, "Individual Action," a response from reading Walt Whitman.

A group of the "Voorheesville" poets came up together & signed up together too.  Father Dennis Sullivan wrote about following footsteps in the snow in a dream until they disappear in "This Apparition."  Tom Corrado drew on his years as a State Work for the images in "Pencil Pusher." Mark Obeeduid O'Brien read 2 untitled poems about the sky. Mike Burke began with "Sunday Morning Visit" for a friend who died, then the portrait, "Reflections in a Bar-room Mirror." Alan Casline read a long fragment from a long poem, taking off (in a boat) from Ezra Pound's Canto I.

Ellen Finn was back after being away for a while with a chilling poem about a drowning she witnessed this summer, "After a Sneeze a Heart Stops." Jeff Barnes ended the night with a couple very intense poems, the very short "Fade to Grey," & a lyric to a love gone.

Poets from far & near gathered this night at Caffe Lena, as they do every 1st Wednesday of the month, at the historic Phila St. location in Saratoga Springs, NY. Worth the trip.

Puffin Poetry Jam for Peace (V), October 21

An evening of spoken word & music way down in Teaneck, NJ. I've been invited before but this year I was finally able to make it . An annual event organized by Veterans For Peace member Walt Nygard it is held at the Puffin Cultural Forum complete with a program/poetry chapbook produced by Post Traumatic Press of Woodstock, NY. The dedication to this year's program reads "This event is dedicated to the people who work tirelessly for peace & justice throughout the world. … to those who occupy Wall Street & sparked a movement." Oh yeah.

Walt Nygard began the reading before a packed house with his poem "Going Downtown" to the folks occupying Zuccotti Park in New York City, then poems by Martin Espada & John Fenton. Walt served as our MC/host throughout the night.  Gil Fagiani read poems from his published books, including A Blanquito in El Barrio (Rain Mountain Press, 2009) & Chianti in Connecticut (Bordighera Press, 2010), as well as about his experience as a student at the Pennsylvania Military College.

John & Wendy Fisher read from their father, Harry Fisher's memoir, Legacy (Left Legacy Press) about being a labor organizer in New York City. Tamara Hayden was the first of the musical interludes with a couple songs, including "Dewey Canyon Legacy" by Ceili Murphy, inspired by Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

In addition to reading a couple of his own poems, Jan Barry also talked about the Warrior Writers Project & read a poem by Nathan Lewis. He was followed by Iraq War veteran Eli Write from the Combat Paper Project, who read the stunning "What Color Would You Paint Your Soul?". Sam Nygard's poems are in the more contemporary hip-hop style, including "One Nation Under Dollar Signs." Frank Wagner read a series of mostly short poems from his experience in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam in 1964 -1965. Joseph Giannini read a prose memoir about his work as a defense lawyer that dredged up his experience in Viet Nam. I read a couple poems from Poeming the Prompt (A.P.D., 2011), then my newest political piece, "One Day Longer" for the Occupy … movement.

Dayl Wise, publisher of Post Traumatic Press, read some of his poems solo, then performed the tender "Sun light stirs us" with his wife Alison Koffler, who then read a couple of her poems, including one of my favorites "Coyote is Coming."

The music father-&-daughter duo of Roxanne Sharone & Joe Sharone performed songs, the original "In Poet's Dreams" & the favorite from the 1960's, "War, What is it Good For?" as a rousing sing-along.

Great to be among all these peaceworkers & veterans, all these poets -- an honor, a privilege & an inspiration. There are more pictures from this event on my Flickr! site.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, October 20

At the Social Justice Center in Albany, NY. A nice turnout of poets & audience for featured poet Mike Jurkovic, who was last featured in this series in the early years at Cafe Web. Tonight's Muse, because it was his birthday month, was Tom Nattell in a performance via the 3 Guys from Albany CD. Tom was probably in the audience when Mike was last the feature.

But first, some of the open mic, beginning with the Kingston poetry diva, Cheryl A. Rice, who drove up with our feature; her poem was "Ranch at 70" inspired by her father's notion. Guy Reed was in that car too, & read his Ars Poetica written at 49 years old, a contemplative Nature poem. Alan Catlin can be just as contemplative, but darker, with "If Death is the Answer What is the Question?", another urban moment. Don Levy is no less urban with his hilarious tale of being "just" 10 minutes late for his doctor's appointment (while fasting). W.D. Clarke was back with another ballad, this one about his friend "Jim's Fur Hat."

With all his fine, provocative poetry D. Alexander Holiday chose to perform a gentle poem by Naton Leslie (from his book Emma Saves Her Life (Turning Point Books),  "Emma Mails Off her Pickle Recipe Letter on Back" with Joe Krausman as the second voice.

The featured poet was Mike Jurkovic, director of the Calling All Poets series at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY, & a fine performer who I've had in this series all too many years ago. He read from his book Purgatory Road (Pudding House Chapbook Series, 2010) as well as other stuff for a free-wheeling, complex set of poems, wandering among the audience, his posture angled like a razor to scrape away the assumptions of daily life. Poems from memory like "Hand Job," to meditation practice ("The Great Movie Begins"), to being at a party with musicians & poets, to doctors, to the Blues, to bad days & half-shitty days, even his "inner-Mexican" & the remake of "The Hairy Ape". Always a good show -- thanks Mike.

After the break, I re-started the open mic with a new piece inspired by the Occupy Movement & my visit to DC & the "Stop the Machine/Occupy DC" events there & in Philadelphia (I haven't made it to Wall St. yet), "One Day Longer." Alan (Bird) Casline came up to read "Afternoon at Smitty's Tavern" a compilation of things said at the bar, especially about cheesecake. Another hill-country poet, Obeeduid (Mark O'Brien), read from his iPad "Holding On to Two Beliefs With Equal Strengths of Faith." Bob Sharkey's poem about Portland, OR, "Taming the Rogue" were thoughts on a plane. Sylvia Barnard read about the 2 local women who were caught up in the floods of Hurricane Irene. Joe Krausman's poem "All for Love" was a meditation on college boxer shorts. And Poetic Visionz, here for the 1st time, recited his motivational meditation "Dreams are Unrealistic."

We're here at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany NY every third Thursday of the month, at 7:30 PM, an open mic & a featured poet, all for a $3.00 donation which helps to pay the poet & the Social Justice Center. See you next time.

Poets Speak Loud, October 24

Another raucous evening at McGeary's with Mary Panza as host. The featured poet was Anthony Bernini, debuting his new book, Immediate Worlds, & he did his work by bringing friends & family to pack the audience.

But first some of the open mic. I was first up with an old poem & a new poem for the "Occupy Albany;" "Park Closes at Dusk" was written years ago, & "One Day Longer" was written in response to my experience at Occupy DC early in the month. Bob Sharkey read poems about 2 Portlands, "Taming the Rogue" (Oregon), & "Monument Sq." (Maine). Jan Tramontano is coming back out to open mics now that she has published her novel, & read an Autumn poem for a gone lover, "For Mark." Don Levy read a new political poem, "Choice Words for Herman Cain."  Dain Brammage began with a short piece from his phone, then a poem that plays on the word "strings" & the Blues. Dan Nester's piece was a list, "Hated Things." L.A. was a poetry "virgin" & began with "Bored in Study Hall," then attempted another piece from memory that but had to stop.  But shecame back later to recite a short poem to her friend.

Anthony Bernini's new book of poems, Immediate Worlds, is another beautifully produced volume from The Troy Book Makers. He read mostly from the book -- "Twister," "At an Unscheduled Appearance of the Moon," "Fretting for Gaia," "Small Craft Lost off Cape Cod," "A Stowaway's Prayer," "Remember the Alamo," & "Sound at Large." But in between he sandwiched in "The Providence Atheneaum" from his first book, Distant Kinships (A.P.D.), a long, ponderous poem by Tomas Transtromer, then a recent poem by Anthony responding to the TV news in the next room, "Held in Place." He finished with another poem not in the book, "The Dance of Dish & Glass."



L.A. with Mary Panza

 Back to the open mic & after the return of L.A., Shannon recited a Columbus Day poem. Songsten (formerly known as "Joe") Hollander free-formed a piece about guy in a nice suit at the bar. Sally Rhoades began with a lament, "Michael O'Donovan Why did You Change Your Name?" then searched her notebook before settling on "The Forgotten Child." Sylvia Barnard read "Hurricane," about the 2 folks killed here during Hurrican Irene. Ed Rinaldi did what he called a study of flash fiction & Tweets, then a short piece on "single searching." 

RM Engelhardt was the only one of the night who put his sunglasses on to read; his first poem was about "the old QE2 & the old days" ("Disintegration"), then "Saint Poem," then he took his sunglasses off. Kevin Peterson recited a doomed-date-from-last-night piece, "Sausage, Egg & Cheese Defined," then read about a catastrophe, "Deviant Behavior." Avery's seasonal reading of E.A. Poe's "The Raven" was a bit over-dramatic, but then so is the poem. Leslie's poem about the need for understanding & compassion for the homeless was a good thought to go home with (for those of us with homes).

While this night's reading was held on the 4th Monday of October, this open mic is held most-usually on the last Monday of most months at McGeary's on Clinton Square, in Albany, NY, under the auspices of AlbanyPoets.com.http://www.albanypoets.com/