Poetry + Prose Open Mic -- 2nd Sunday @ 2, January 13

Back at the Arts Center in Troy for the first of the year, minus my co-host Nancy Klepsch, with an eclectic mix of writers to read.

First up was George Guarino with hypnotic instructions to enjoy the reading -- good advice. Kate Laity read a funny list of advice, "How to Succeed in Academia," that has been accepted for an anthology.

Harvey Havel read an excerpt from a collection of short fiction, Two Tickets to Memphis (Publish America 2012), the excerpt about a down-&-our politician after a scandal. I followed, beginning with a poem from 2006 about school shootings, "Secrecy Guards Oldest Pine As Town Mourns School Killings Family Urges Kindness," then 2 recent, related poems, "Reading Kant in China" & "Sunday Morning." Howard Kogan's poem "Faces" played on the word, becoming a meditation in the mirror, then a poem on Death, "The Announcement," & then a poem about what people were saying "After Newtown."

David Wolcott read another section from his on-going memoir, "Gulf Stream Crossing," about a harrowing storm at sea in a sailboat. Ron Drummond began with a long, dense sentence from his proposed Constitutional Amendment on rights, then excerpts from his (revised) "First Woman on Mars," about to be published in Taiwan & translated into Chinese.

Tim Verhaegen had us in stitches with his mostly inappropriate encounter in a male strip club in Montreal, "The Dwarf & I." Elizabeth Gordon recited a piece "for the Newtown children that they may not have died in vain." Julie Lomoe read an excerpt from a novel-in-progress, this a scene at the filming of a TV soap-opera.

This open mic for both prose & poetry takes place on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 2PM at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy -- free!

Live from the Living Room, January 9

Celebrating the start of a new year of poetry here at the Pride Center, a small group of poets gathered to hear featured poet, Kevin Peterson, introduced by our always straight-friendly host, Don Levy.

Kevin is an enthusiastic member of the 2012 Nitty Gritty Slam Team, but tonight left his longer spoken word pieces at home to read from his pocket notebook, & random pieces of paper, both hand-written & typed, with "no rhyme or reason," he explained. He began with an untitled piece on vegetarianism & bacon, then on to a New Year's Day hangover poem, "Fuck Beer." He read Charles Bukowski's "My First Computer Poem" to introduce his own "My First Typewriter Poem." "No More Smokes" was about smoking in a truck, & he read from a small notebook, the poem written for a friend, "Longevity." An untitled piece with cheese fries & gravy was written today for the AlbanyPoets board. Another food poem was about being at Dinosaur Barbecue. He also included a descriptive poem about picking up a woman at the SPAC Jazz Festival. He ended with the predictive "I Got Drunk Tomorrow…" Then as quickly, he was gone, off to a bar to a dart match. At least he scored with us.

Avery, who had been hanging out in the cafe when I arrived, signed up first & read an excerpt from a longer piece with a long title beginning "One Fine Day…" a Dadaistic stew with lines borrowed from Lewis Carroll, late-night TV ads, children's books, & including references to Jean-Paul Sartre & Edmund Husserl -- phew! I followed with 2 new pieces, "Baseball in Palestine" & "ATM." Just back from Italy, Sylvia Barnard brought along her new book Trees (Troy Book Makers, 2012) & read 2 poems from it, "The Exorcism of Emily Dickinson" & "Drum" (set in England). Don Levy read from the Penguin Anthology of 20th Century Poets, edited by Rita Dove, poems by John Berryman & Anne Sexton.

This open mic, with a featured poet who reads first, is held every 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Pride Center of the Capital Region on Hudson Ave. in Albany, 7:30PM -- cozy & informal.

Caffè Lena Open Mic, January 2

The first open mic of the year was, appropriately enough, here at Caffé Lena, with 2 wonderful featured poets with Albany connections, Cheryl A. Rice & Tess Lecuyer. As a result the audience was packed with raucous poets from Albany. Our (self-described) "excited" host Carol Graser began with a reading of Adrienne Rich's poem "In Those Years." Then on to the open mic.

First poet up for 2013 was, appropriately enough (again), a "virgin," Brian Dorn with a couple rhyming poems, "Darken Me," & the love poem "Can't Escape" (i.e., he won't even try). Jesse Muse was back with what he described as "something else," a depressing picture of a man in a darkening room, then with a poem he has done here before, a drugged woman reading the Iliad. Gordon Haymon is another of the North Country's rhyming balladeers, tonight read a poem about the afterlife, "Kilmer's Sawmill," then a piece about a trip out West, "The Strip." Kate McNairy's poems are short punches: "Numbers" (blind woman counts steps) & "Weather." Eliza ! Oborne (that's how she signed up) was a hit with "Toast," a high-energy piece of enthusiasm that used short line rhymes (a la Dr. Seuss) to great effect.

Cheryl A. Rice, the Diva of the Kingston poetry scene, was a battling a cold, but managed to get through her reading just fine. Her newest poetry book, Moses Parts the Tulips: Albany Poems was available for the first time tonight from A.P.D. (Albany Poems Delight) [full disclosure: I am the publisher of A.P.D. (Alternating Poetic Device)] but most of the poems she read were not from the new chapbook. She began with a poem about a Xmas discussion with her sister, "Blessed," then to "Frida," an homage/prayer to the Mexican painter. Cheryl's strong-suit in poetry is the narrative bent she gives to most of her poems, such as "Gingerbread Man," about her stint as a substitute grade-school librarian. "Making Her Life A Poem" was her like her ars poetica/vita. She then turned to 3 poems from her 2012 chapbook from Post Traumatic Press, My Minnesota Boyhood: "Life Preservers," "Scaling Bluefish" & "Leaving Minnesota." She ended her set with a cluster of poems from Moses Parts the Tulips, the title poem, "Cranes" (dedicated to Tom Nattell) & "Mr. Freileigh." By the way, the cover of Moses Parts the Tulips is a stunning painting/drawing by Albany artist & poet Kristen Day.

The second featured poet was another Albany favorite, Tess Lecuyer, who began, appropriately enough for this venue, with an old poem, "Bob Dylan on Mars," followed by another "Martian" poem, "Ares." Then on to a series of her Nature poems taking us through the seasons, "Dark Walking," "Summer Sunrise," "Autumn Equinox 2010" (like a love letter to Winter), "Anywhere" (a mall poem actually from the Winter solstice in 1993), finishing with "Sacandaga Pantoum" (celebrating a family gathering). Like Paul Krassner once said, "she gives good reading."

The pairing of Cheryl & Tess as the features was wonderful, especially for those of us who are fans of both poets. I usually make it up to this open mic at least 6 or 8 times a year & would've made separate trips for both of these fine poets. If Caffé Lena is trying to pack the house by having 2 featured poets, they would do better not to pair up poets who draw the same crowd. It would be better to have a well-known local poet share the feature with some lesser-known out-of-town poet to insure that the stranger has an audience. At least that's my 2 cents.

What was in the pinata is now on the stage.

Carol Graser returned us to the open mic (after a short break) with one of her own poems, about a collision. A.C. ("Breaking My Art") Everson had a snowball piñata to accompany her poem "Snowball Gone Bad." Joe DeBari followed with 2 rhyming pieces, "A Mule" & "Heaven's Haven" (Bob Dylan?). Anthony Bernini uses rhyme in other, more complicated ways, in "Bereft" & the NYC-based "Sensible Pumps." Sally Rhoades began with a tribute to a recently deceased cousin, "Top 10 Tips on Driving" & the childhood memory of "My Father's Slippers." Don Levy dedicated his poem about The Wizard of Oz, "A Friend of Dorothy's," to Cheryl Rice, then recounted "A Conversation in an Elevator" about Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Melissa Anderson wowed us with a stunning recitation of her advice poem "Small" that we were still talking about in the car going home. Carolee Sherwood read an older poem, "The Feeling that Winter is Near" (which was -- no surprise -- also a relationship poem). I followed with 2 short poems based on poems by other poets, "After Cavafy" & "After Wang Wei."  Tim Snyder recited his amusing biker ballad, "Down at Sully's East."  Jill Crammond read her versions of relationship poems,  "After Attending Her First Wedding My Daughter Learns the Meaning of Fish Tale" & "Keeping House" (befriending skunks).

Julie Lomoe's poem "New Year Resolution 2013" was really an anti-resolution poem. Barbara Garro read a long prose piece about a bird flying through the window of a house, "Country Life," then a piece about "Cowboy Chapels" (even cowboys get religion). Andrew Sullivan ended the night with "Our Favorite Forgotten Constellations" & then a poem about getting drunk on New Year's (screams from the audience at the mention of the night's Secret Word).

This poetry open mic, with featured poets, is on the first Wednesday of each month at historic Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY, 7:30 PM. Bring poems.

Sunday Four Poetry, December 30

was actually Sunday Fifth Poetry, the reading moved this month to avoid the Xmas craziness. This afternoon's featured poet was Philip Good, but first the open mic & other business (you'll see).

First up was Alan Casline in his new cap, with a conversation of poets in the woods, "Anthology from Another Time," then a poem about the Newtown shootings, "Cup of Sorrow." I followed in a different vein with 2 cynical break-up poems, "Trailer Park" & "Adirondack Life." Dennis Sullivan's poems were discursive, philosophical, on mortality, the big topics, "I Am the Richest of Men," & "Only Moments Ago," a poem for his granddaughter in response to a poem she wrote.

Mimi Moriarty & her brother Frank Desiderio read together whenever Frank is in town, going through their poems & finding pairs or "companion pieces," as Mimi calls them. Today they were seasonal/holiday poems, beginning with Frank's "Christmas," then Mimi's "First Snowfall." Frank's poem "Boxing Day" was about putting things away, Mimi responded with a concrete poem in the shape of a Xmas tree, "Bare Tree." Frank's poem "God's Name" was theological pondering on how we human's try to define the divine, while Mimi read her marvelous poem about putting up her creche, "Two Wisemen & a Buddha."

Edie Abrams, who had been introducing each of our poets, was next with the poem she had promised last month, responding to a poem by Dennis Sullivan, her poem titled "Eternity (to DS, in memory of ADW)," then a redux of a poem from last year, "The White Bear 2", on memory, again. Either Obeeduid's poems were untitled or I missed them in a mumble in some arcane language, like his first poem on writing & poetry & sound, with a subtitle like a software release (appropriate enough since he was reading his poems from an iPad); the other 2 poems the result of his delving into his family history, even creating some of his own history.

I was pleased to see Ron Pavoldi at an open mic again & when he got up to read he underscored how long it must have been by remarking that he had never seen someone read from an iPad (!); his first poem "Puncture Wound" was to his father, then a poem, "Then the Stars," about a wonderful concept of rearranging the stars -- I want to do that! Sue Petrie followed with a just-written poem (untitled?) reacting to the shooting in Newtown, CT, filled with bullets & history. Humor in poetry is Joe Krausman's stock-in-trade so it was no surprise he read a poem titled "Can God Take a Joke?" then an anti-New Year's resolution resolution poem. Philomena Moriarty also used her iPad to read her poems, 3 meditative, discursive Buddhist poems, 2 on the theme of walking & meditating.

Before the featured poet read, Dennis Sullivan presented the 2012 Arthur Dare Willis Award to Alan Casline "for his outstanding contribution to poets & poetry." Alan is the director of the Rootdrinker Institute & published of Benevolent Bird Press & in both roles makes the work of local poets available to the wider poetry community through chapbooks, broadsides & readings, a true poetry-activist. The annual Award is named in honor of Arthur Dare Willis (1936 - 2010), a teacher at Voorheesville High School, a poet, philosopher & mentor.

The featured poet was Philip Good, who read "a few older poems, a few newer ones" before reading a selection from his book, Untitled Writings from a Member of the Blank Generation (Trembling Pillow Press, 2011). The reference to the "Blank Generation" is to the 1970's punk anthem, "Blank Generation" by Richard Hell. The older poems were "In the Park," "Location" (at an art gallery/museum) & a piece on Dada from the on-going Tsatsawassa Papers. His newer poems took on a decidedly newsy, if not political, complexion: "After Super Storm Sandy," "Parents with Guns…," & "Shortest Day of the Year." Then on to a selection from Untitled Writings from a Member of the Blank Generation. Philip's poems run the gamut from perplexing randomness, to the startling clear (as in the new poems mentioned above). The numbered (hence, "untitled") pieces from the book often sounded like cut-up or shuffled lines, many quite stunning juxtapositions & frequently ending with a humorous, aphoristic punchline (e.g., "Let us please learn something useless everyday." #41). He even took requests from the audience (I resisted the temptation to shout out a random number).

This wonderful group gathers on the 4th Sunday (usually) of the month at the Old Songs Community Center in Voorheesville, NY at 3PM, with a featured poet & an open mic. Worth the trip from almost anywhere.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, December 20

While the fantasy tour bus filled with dancing girls circled the block looking for a parking space, the rest of the poets gathered to hear the featured poet, Marilyn McCabe, to read in the open mic, & eagerly look forward to sitting on the lap of Sanity Clause. I began by invoking the muse, Enid Dame, with her "Holiday Poem" on the eve of the Solstice.

Photo of Sanity Clause & Alan Catlin
by A.C. Everson

Eagerly first up was A.C. Everson with a rhyme about a reluctant Santa (& that was no candy cane in Sanity Clause's pocket).   Alan Catlin's poem was written in England, "End Time in the Lake District" (for tonight being on the eve of the end of the world). Avery recited his "smile poem," "From Me to You." Sylvia Barnard followed the smiles with a somber poem, "Autumn 2012, East Coast America" on Hurricane Sandy & the shooting in Newtown.

The featured poet was Marilyn McCabe, in the middle of a cold, started with the poem "Perseveration" from her book Perpetual Motion (The Word Works, 2012), followed by "Psalm: It is Dark." In fact most of the poems she read, with the exception of the last 2, came from her book, & mostly from the section titled "Problems and Affinities." They generally dealt with what she called her "religio-curiosity" about he idea of "God," in "Hieroglyphs," "Within Without" (in which she speaks directly to that God), the theme often reflected in the titles: "Burning Bush," "Lac du Saint Sacrament" (an early name for Lake George), "A Matter of Spirit and Flesh" & "Refuting Buddha" (done by the natural world). "Morning, the Flying Place" & her last poem "The Details" (which she described as "the culmination of her belief system") were about finding prayer around her in the natural world. Despite a nagging cough at the end, she gave a wonderfully constructed, meditative reading.

After the break I read a poem about school shooting in 2006, based on a pair of newspaper articles, "Secrecy Guards Oldest Pine…" Joe Krausman read a poem for the Solstice, for light in the darkness, & partying with wine & beer. Anthony Bernini's poem was "a lose-end" observing a woman in "Sensible Pumps." Alan Casline read a poem written yesterday "Cup of Sorrows." W.D. Clarke read one of his ballads, this about his obsession with "Dollar Store Glasses." A new poet in the house, Indie, read a love poem, "I Want to Know You." Joanne (Jan) Farrell read a short excerpt from her historical novel, Liberty for the Lion Shield (Xulon Press, 2009). Another writer of fiction, Julie Lomoe read some haiku from walking her dog, Sirius.  Bob Elmendorf hasn't read here in quite a while, tonight read his poem "The Photographer" looking for light in the Winter.

Photo of Sanity Clause with Sally Rhoades
by A.C. Everson

Sally Rhoades' poem, "High Water Mark," was a recent one about visiting her daughter in Washington, DC.


I won't say that this is the "longest-running" poetry series in Albany, but it has been continuous on the third Thursday of each month since December 1997, in various venues, & now at the Social Justice Center since 2006. Open mic, with a featured poet, & a $3.00 donation supports poetry programs here in Albany & supports the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany.

Nitty Gritty Slam, #33, December 18

Thom Francis (left) adjusts the mic stand for
host "Christopher the Poet."

It was the second of the women-only Slams at Valentine's, but first the open mic, hosted tonight by "Christopher the Poet." Apparently the Southern crowds at such events are louder than us in the Northeast as our host kept trying to pump up our volume until by the end of the night I was a bit hoarse.

Fortunately I was signed-up as #1 on the open mic list & still had my voice then. I started off with the new poem "Trailer Park," then my 2006 poem on random shootings, "Secrecy Guards Oldest Pine…" Billy was next, noting the 50th anniversary this year of the publication of On the Road & read a long epistolatory page turner to "Mr. Kerouac." Alyssa's ironically titled "Thank you" was addressed to partners she didn't want. Rain Dan read the first of what we can expect to be many poems on the Newtown shooting, "When He Comes," addressed to his children, then 2 very short pieces.

Jackie works on her poem.

Jackie K(irkpatrick) read a list poem titled "Time Line of Dating a Poet Preferably Me" giving full warning to the guys lurking out there. el presidente Thom Francis read a poem by Rebecca Schumejda ("Stretching Felt Over the Edges") from her new book Cadillac Men (NYQ Books), then his own happy love poem celebrating the here & now, "At this Moment." Our host, Christopher the Poet, performed one of his signature pieces, a poem to his future son, or daughter. Poetyc Vysonz ended the open mic with one of his signature inspirational pieces.

There were only 3 contestants for the Slam tonight, guaranteeing that all would be in-the-money tonight. The Slam was done in 4 rounds, each with different time limits.

Tasha, Alyssa, Thom Francis, & Rita

Rita was a new-comer with decidedly un-Slam poems, most with attempts at rhyme, philosophical; in the 1-minute round she came in with a 15.8 seconds untitled piece. Tasha's poems were the opposite, done in Slam style & cadence, including themes of cutting & bullying. Alyssa, doing most of her poems from memory, included a poem on weight & body image, along with a couple love poems. When the dust cleared, the scores tallied, the money counted, it was Alyssa in the #1 spot, Tasha was 2nd & Rita 3rd. A good night for them -- & for the rest of us too.

The Nitty Gritty Slam is the 1st & 3rd (& the 5th) Tuesday of each month at Valentine's, check out the schedule at AlbanyPoets.com.

Live from the Living Room, December 12

Our customary intimate gathering for poetry in the living room of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, tonight not only poets to read in the open mic but some "ordinary citizens" to sit & listen. Our host, the ever straight-friendly Don Levy.

 Tonight's featured poet was Emily Gonzalez in her first featured reading since returning to the Capital Region earlier this year. In a sort of retrospective she began with a bunch of early poems, many of them about her mother, such as "Apron Strings" (in 10 stanzas), or about being a mother herself as in "Parenting 101" or a marvelous untitled piece celebrating being her kids, her mother, being Puerto Rican. She brought back her early days as a poet here with "Dreaming of Bukowski," or the sexy work & beach fantasy of "Office Space." I am particularly pleased that she included the every changing "Mami" with its images of cooking in Spanish, English, & Spanglish. Her new poems were about her grandson ("Grandson," "Seeds") & love ("Driving Me Back Home at 7AM"), death ("For Laura…") & being back in Albany ("Free Falling," dedicated to another fine Albany poet, Carolee). So glad to have Emily & her fine words back in this City.

I started off the open mic segment with 2 poems written in the last few days, the ghostly elegaic "Jim Morrison" & the break-up letter inspired "Trailer Park" (3rd in a series). Shannon Shoemaker read an untitled sex-in-the-summer piece, then discovered that the poems she wanted to read were in another notebook, not the one she brought.  The aforementioned  Carolee Sherwood also read recent poems, both available on her Blog, "December Puddles" & the wonderfully moon-struck "Learning to Love Again."

A shy, new voice, Edward read the philosophical journal musings of "Whatever," then a little later returned with "Life & Death." In between Avery effusively described baking a failed cake as a way to talk about marriage -- metaphor or recipe? Our genial host, Don Levy, began with an ancient Terence Winch poem about a draft physical, "The Psychiatrist's Office was Filled with Crazy People" then his own poem written today (!), "A Conversation in an Elevator," which you can find on Don's FaceBook page (& if you are not a FB friend of Don's, why not?).

Live from the Living Room happens on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Pride Center, 332 Hudson Ave., Albany, 7:30PM, for a donation that pays the featured poet -- & bring your own poems for the open mic.