Caffè Lena Open Mic, March 6

I try to get up to Saratoga Springs for as many of these Caffè Lena readings as I can, but this was a definite "must see" with Albany poet Bob Sharkey as one of the featured poets (along with Tim Sneider).

The reading began as it always does with our host Carol Graser reading a poem by someone else, tonight "Under a Certain Little Star" by Wislawa Szymborska. I followed with "Reading Kant in China" (that my daughter Madeleine Wilcox had helped with the Chinese), & this year's "Birthday Poem 2013. Carole Kenyon followed with a humorous poem, of sorts, "Habitat for Humanity," documenting the cigarette haze, sounds & beer-farts in a bar. Alan Casline read "Retreat that Distance Darkness," then "John Murray Spears" building a "God machine." Brian Dorn read "a couple of Christian poems" in rhyme, "Guilty as Sin" & "Three Days" a simple, straight-forward re-telling of the Life of Jesus, without sentiment, preaching or acrimony.

The night's first featured poet was Tim Sneider, who demonstrated the frailty of poetry by tossing away "poems" on squares of toilet paper. Those of us who have heard him here at the open mic previously are familiar with his rhymed, narrative ballads, often laced with gritty humor & biker details -- he characterizes himself as a "biker poet."  But tonight his range was broader with poems from his life, such as "Old Age" dedicated to his grandson, & a seasonal poem about dandelions, "In Like a Lion." He also read 2 longer poems filled with nostalgic, personal emotion, "Life's Country Garden" & "Changing Roads." & tonight I was able to take a little of Tim Sneider home with me in the form of his slender self-published chapbook, Road Riding: Poems & Photos by TF Sneider.

Tonight's other featured poet was the peripatetic Albany poet Bob Sharkey, who also has a recent chapbook out, Surface at Sunrise (Benevolent Bird Press, 2012). A few of his favorite characters, such as Earl & Mary Bean, popped up in his poems, in "Cycles," "Another Deposition" & "Bear." Other poems were based on dreams, notably "Curtains" & its flowing chocolate, & the Mike Tyson poem, "An American Dream." Often his poems spring from simple observations of life ("North Pearl 4PM," "The Dutch Girls") or conversations with other poets ("Bonnet Doggonet"), or simply reading the obituaries (what have been called "the Irish funnies") "Winter." Other poems he read were "The Kids on Miller Road," the haiku "Blackout," "In Bed with a couple of Eggs," & "The Tabitha Maine" (a lobster boat). It was nice to hear a spread of Bob's poems beyond the 1 or 2 he can do at open mics.

Right after the break, Carol brought up a young high school student (who had been brought here by his English teacher), Aaron Stanley, who recited from memory a rhymed poem of lost love. Then Carol Graser herself read "The Appendix" a funny narrative with the afore-named body part playing a key, if disasterous role. Rodney Parrot read an excerpt from his novel "The Wanderer" about being among the redwoods. Ann Morse described her 2 poems as both "end with someone leaving," the first a narrative of a "rainbow man," the second about a wedding gone all wrong.

Melissa Anderson recited in Slam cadences a poem about remembering a boy from long ago, "Maps." Julie Lomoe read an excerpt from her novel-in-progress about the novel's prortagonist. Barbara Garro read 2 new poems, "Emotional Weather Report," & a poem of childhood memories, "Green." The night's last poet, Dale, said she had just moved back here from years in San Francisco, & read 2 poems from her phone, "How I Write" & "How I Love," fitting introductions.

The poetry open mic at Caffé Lena takes place on the 1st Wednesday of each month, 7:30 PM, $5.00 -- bring poems to read.

Nitty Gritty Slam - Dead Poets, March 4

It was with fear & trepidation that I went to this Slam, nervous that someone would read one of my poems, that I had missed the obituary, but then, even dead, no one would probably read my poems, & no one did, not even me. Kevin Peterson, getting used to being the MC at poetry events, served as substitute open mic host.

First up was L-Majesty with "Job Market Minstrel," a poem for our time. Brian Dorn was more personal with a really-bad-breakup poem, "Wishing Well." Alyssa continued that dark theme with thoughts about 2:45 as the darkest of the night. Miriam Axel-Lute was back with a Winter meditation, "Breaking Trail." Gerrit (not sure of his spelling) gave a strangely flat, mechanical performance of a hip-hop piece about white rappers (of which he is one). Leslie Michelle read a love poem she wrote today. Sampson Dikeman read what sounded like a rhymed sonnet, "I Ask God to Give You Health & Fire." Always good to hear Jackie K., tonight with a tough piece mixing memory & being abandoned after losing her cherry. Mojavi, who was the host for the Slam, read 2 pieces, the anaphoric "I Know that Broken Things Can Grow" & the love poem "My Heart is Strong Enough For You." Avery was the only open mic poet to use the Slam theme of "Dead Poets" & read Lewis Carroll's "The Jabberwocky" (Avery also served as the time/score keeper, without the computer & the spread sheet algorithm to calculate the scores; seems like math is his thing).

I had decided to enter the Slam because I actually have more poems committed to memory by dead poets than my own poems. I did reasonably well in the 1st round, reciting Allen Ginsberg's "A Supermarket in California" (26.4). But I performed first, which meant the deadly score creep clicked in & even uninspired, apparently un-rehearsed readings scored higher than me later in the round.

It was a crowded field for the first round, a 10-4-2 night. The Dead Poets read/recited ran the gamut from T.S. Eliot & Charles Bukowski (Kevin Peterson), Lord Buckley (Sampson Dikeman), Lucille Clifton (twice: Jackie K. gave an inspired recitation of "To My Hips" in the 1st round, with L-Majesty in the second round reading the same poem from his smart phone), Anne Sexton (Brenda Rusch), Walt Whitman (Emily Willworth), Big L (Gerrit), William Carlos Williams & e.e. cummings (Miriam Axel-Lute), Rumi & Billie Holiday (Alyssa -- actually, "Strange Fruit" was sung by Billie Holiday, the songwriters were Dwayne P. Wiggins, Maurice Pearl, & Lewis Allan), & Edgar Allen Poe (L-Majesty).

Miriam, Kevin, Mojavi, L-Majesty

All the really interesting poems were done by the time we hit the final round, which degenerated to competing mediocre pop lyrics by Big L (Kevin) & Amy Winehouse (L-Majesty). Miriam won 3rd place, Kevin 2nd & L-Majesty 1st place. To tell the truth I'm perplexed by L-Majesty winning the Slam, even to making it into the 2nd round, with a string of lack-luster readings; his performance of his open mic poem was much better than anything he did in the Slam rounds. In big Slam venues elsewhere the random picking of judges from among even novice members of the audience usually insures against the packing of the scores, but at Valentines the available pool of judges is small & frequently the same folks are holding up the mini-white boards week after week. There is also a penchant here among certain "professional judges" for "10s" being flung about like dollar bills at the bar, even for halting, sloppy performances, as long as it's the right person. But then, as is often said, "real poems don't get a 10," which was why there were few of them on a night of poems by Dead Poets.

Nitty Gritty Slam is on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at Valentines in Albany, NY, 7:30PM -- check albanypoets.com for details.

First Friday Open Mic, March 1

The staff at the Albany Public Library, notably Chad Lowther, organized an open mic for musicians & poets at the Library's Main Branch on Washington Ave. during the monthly First Friday art gallery stroll. This first event was well-attended & I was there briefly before joining the Homeless Action Committee's Sleep-a-thon up the street in Townsend Park. The MC for the night was Albany poet Kevin Peterson. There was a generous 10 minute limit, which even that was violated.

Among those who read were Michael Purcell with a long string of poems & quotes, Sheldon Carnes with prose ramblings on white consciousness verging on racism,

Chad Lowther included a sound poem ("Terra Morpha") with Audrey on saw (she also has visual art on display this month at the Main Branch), & the venerable Don Levy read a poem on ending poems & the poem "A Friend of Dorothy's."

In between Daniel McDonald played blues harmonica & sang, & Dan & Dave did covers of rock songs, notably The Who.

There was a good audience & more poets & musicians on the sign-up list, but I had to leave. A good start for what is planned as an ongoing monthly series. Support your public Library!

Poets Speak Loud!, February 25

This is always a "don't miss" open mic for me, not just for the poetry, or Ms. Mary Panza's acerbic tongue, but also the fine bar-food & drink & enchanting wait-staff here at McGeary's. There was quite a crowd tonight of regulars, some from as far away as Kingston (NY, that is), even a 1st timer.

First up was Sylvia Barnard with a new poem about turbines in Sicily, "Wind," then a poem about the Temple at Delphi, Greece. I read yet again my new poem "The Leprechaun's Cottage" then a non-Valentine's Day poem "The Meaning of Roses." Carolee Sherwood's 2 poems were new, the 1st a pantoum based on a Frida Kahlo painting, "Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird" then "Mother Downtown with Bows & Arrows." Tess Lecuyer tried to jump-start Spring with "April Understanding" & a bouquet of Spring haiku. Cheryl Rice was up from Kingston & read one of her Albany poems, "Community," from Moses Parts the Tulips (A.P.D., 2013), then a poem based on an old photo, "On Horseback." Mike Jurkovic was Cheryl's driver & read a poem about being on a train with a car full of coughing & hacking passengers, "Bio-hazard," then a Jain-like meditation about killing a bug that might change the universe.

Tonight's featured poet, Bryan Roessel, drove a long way to get here up from southern New York. He read a variety of poems, many if not Slam poems, at least leaning that way, sprinkled with a few "fake haiku" (as he termed them).   Many of his pieces were tinged with cynical humor, such as the love poem, "This is For My Girl" & "Breakup," using images from geology, the "nerdiest poem" he has written, he said. "Microsoft Word is a Prison" was in praise of writing with a pen in a notebook. While many of his poems used Slam cadences (& tended not to end at the end), he often broke with the tradition & read. One of the pieces he did recite was "Paradise Lost," good images & clever phrases, marred by Slam preachy-ness, as was his last piece, what he described as "a morality poem" about a resolve to make more time poetry -- good advice for all of us.

Boys hanging out: Avery & Kevin

Back to the open mic, Julie Lomoe read some of dog-walking haiku. This was Brian Dorn's 1st time here as he makes the rounds, trying out the local open mic venues; his first poem was on economics, "Humans United," then a poem on evolution, "Monkey Bars." Michael Purcell likes to begin each of his poems with a quote; he introduced his political manifesto "I Am a Patriot" with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, then a quote from Socrates for "The Thinker." A.C. Everson read her new poem "Skaters Observed from a Distance." Avery read a couple poems from his big, fat notebook, one on fire & growth, the 2nd a bit of preachy life advice. Kevin Peterson read a new piece, "Civil Integrated Management Workshop Open Remarks" which was exactly what it sounded like, only short; as he left the mic, Mary P. ordered him back ("That's it? That's all you got?") so Kevin came back & free-styled a piece about a bartender. R.M. Engelhardt ended the night with some Lark St. haikus & a revised "The Song Which Never Ends" erupting into a sing-a-long of sorts.

This happens, in one form or another, each last Monday of the month at McGeary's on Clinton Square in Albany, NY, near where Herman Melville lived as a young boy, check albanypoets.com for details.

Sunday Four Poetry, February 24

Quite a full house of audience & open mic poets to hear the featured poet, Sylvia Barnard. But always, here, the open mic first.

I was first on the list (surprise!) & did 2 recent poems I've been reading at open mics lately (don't worry, there are few venues left to read them at so on to something new, perhaps), "The Leprechaun's Cottage" & "Birthday Poem 2013." Brian Dorn also repeated himself (but worth hearing again) with 2 love poems, "Can't Escape" & "Chemical Smile" (I missed the title when he read it at Valentine's last week). Dennis (O')Sullivan introduced the first mini-theme of the day, namely "death," with "When the Weather of the Day is the Weather of Eternity" & "Fatal Wonderment" (for Annie Willis), then on to memory, "Thinking of Kenny."

Obeeduid's poem "Query" was a dream of his wandering, lonely poetry manuscript, then a poem "About Love" (or as he called it "documentary mythology") inspired by a great-aunt's postcard collection, & he concluded with a crow poem. Bird, aka Alan Casline, began with an old poem from his college days, "Mount Morris," then "Scales of Wizards" for a sign-painter/draftsman, & the short descriptive piece "With a New Crescent Moon." Joe Krausman said he has been going through his old poems, some of which he doesn't remember writing, so he read a few: "The Endless Toothache," "Re-Tired in Time," & "Body & Of-fender" (about a car).

Therese Broderick read off her iPad, the first time she has done that she said, from a new manuscript of poems based in Watervliet, & continued the theme of death with a list of names of children from tombstones, "The Cemetery Runs Downhill," then her father's memory of a sweet treat, "Charlotte Rouse." Frank Robinson began with a hilarious satire of open mic announcements, then a political piece about Col. Khadafi, "Death Near Certain." Howard Kogan has also been going through old poems, re-writing them, such as "My Wife & I 4 Months Pregnant Take a Walk" & spot a snake, then more on Death, "The Last Act" first his plea, then her answer & the reality of who will take care of her? Edie Abrams had a much more pleasant thought, a poem about putting on a bra, "Opportunity," then a poem dedicated to Larry Rapant & Alan Casline "Mona Lisa Smile."

Incredibly, A.C. Everson said that this was her 1st time here; she read her famous Valentine poem "Cupid is a Bastard" (often done with a piñata), then a more recent "Skaters Observed from a Distance." Sally Rhoades began with an old poem (which also seems to be mini-theme this afternoon), "Red Barn Innocence," then the self-affirming, "I Will Be Your Poet Tonight" & concluded with a poem for the late Tom Smith, "Maps." Ken Collins was here for the 1st time, & read 3 poems, in rhyme, of love & loss, trying to reach an understanding of what went wrong.

The afternoon's featured poet was Sylvia Barnard, who is on what might be described as a local book tour to promote her poetry collection, Trees. She likes to let the "book gods" choose her poems for her at her readings while she carefully monitors her time. The book gods did well today, with an excellent selection of poems, starting with "Home," then the anti-war "The New Athenians" & a poem from a trip to France, "The Paleolithic Horses." She touched on today's theme of death with "Hurricane." "The Western Wall" recalled a trip to Israel, while "Rings" reflected on her mother in the nursing home. She also had a "Crow" poem, this set in Seattle, while "My Grandmother's Bones" took us to Vermont. From her many trips to Britain we heard "Memory" & "The Goddess of Grimes Grave" & from Greece we heard the poem "The Frankish Cathedral, Andravida, Greece." In response to Dennis' request for a love poem she read "Helen" then finished with "The Museum," about a trip to the Natural History Museum with her daughter when she was 10 years old. Of course, the book gods have a lot of good poetry to work with when guiding Sylvia's reading.

This gathering of community poets occurs on the 4th Sunday of most months, at the Old Songs Community Center in Voorheesville, 3PM & a modest donation to support the featured poet & Old Songs.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, February 21

It was a slow-starting night, but by the time the crowd gathered we had 11 open mic poets, plus our featured reader, William Seaton. But first I invoked the Muse, tonight the sadly recently-gone Jayne Cortez with her wonderful, rhythmic, amusing poem, "You Know," you know.

Respectfully following the one poem rule, Alan Catlin read his piece "Wasted" (he wasn't wasted, that was the title of the piece), the lives trashed by urban violence. Brian Dorn was back again with a "social justice poem," focusing on our similarities, repeating, like Jayne Cortez's poem, "We All." Bob Sharkey's poem "To the One to Whom No One Lights a Candle" was Nancy Lanza & gun violence & women with guns. Alan Casline read a poem "The Poet Universe is Expanding" where we all become dust. Tess Lecuyer talked of Winter camping & read a poem about it "After Winter Day at LIttle Notch," perhaps one of the only poets who can make me (almost) want to do it.

William Seaton channels Kurt Schwitters

Our featured poet William Seaton has a new book out from Nirala Publications, Dada Poetry: an Introduction, containing translations of German Dadaist poets Emmy Hennings, Richard Huelsenbeck, Hans Arp & Hugo Ball. I discovered Dada in high school & along with the Beat poets it blew open the poetry I'd been reading in anthologies of 18th & 19th century English poets, made me find "new" ways of using words, of looking at the world. I've continued into the 21st Century to study the interlocking lives of those German & French poets of the early 20th century, & this book certainly contributes greatly to that study. After an abbreviated recitation of a poem by Kurt Schwitters, Seaton gave a relaxed, wandering lecture on the beginnings of Dada & the role of the 4 poets in his short study. He read a poem by each, & ended with a few of his own Dada-influenced poems from his collection Spoor of Desire (FootHills Publishing, 2008).

Bob Gumson

After a short break for a chance to buy books, I re-started the open mic with a new poem, "The Leprechaun's Cottage." Amy Nelson Hahn handed out copies of the poem she read, "Transition Black and White" about the chance meeting of a skunk & a train. Jan Farrell returned tonight with a poem, "It Just Happened," memory bound up in a chance meeting. Arielle Gumson has also read here previously & tonight read the story-line for a children's book she is writing. She also brought along her father, Bob Gumson, our last reader for the night & the first poet I can recall to read his work from Braille; his poem was inspired by the 2011 Occupy movement.

We gather each third Thursday at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, 7:30PM for an open mic with a featured reader. Bring a poem & $3.00 donation (which helps to pay the featured poet, supports the SJC & supports poetry events in Albany).

Nitty Gritty Slam #38 - The Women of Albany Poetry Slam, February 19

Jessie & Alex get ready

How could I not be there? All women poets in the Slam! But first an open mic (the only way I could read my poems tonight) hosted by Mojavi.

Brian Dorn was here for the 1st time testing the waters, starting off with a love poem about a smile, then on to one I like, "From My Poems to Yours." I followed with the poem I had meant to do last night in Pittsfield when I had a chapbook malfunction, "Where Were the Professors?." Alyssa Niman packed the house with her family for her later appearance in the Slam, her open mic poem was "My Mother in Numbers."

Rachel Bolton read a list poem (based on personal experience?) "The Advantages of Being Short." The first of a string of virgins -- oh, yes! -- was Emily Willwerth with a pastiche "Howl to the Uneducated." Virgin #2, Jessie Seafillippi read "Shadow Girl." Virgin #3 Carrie Livingston used the hoody she was wearing as part of her performance of "The Awakening," a narrative of walking the dog & lost love/lust. Kevin Peterson (definitely not a poetry virgin) did a piece by Ani DiFranco. He was followed by Virgin #4, Rose Marie Andrew, who read her poem "I'm so Mad" (at herself for doubting herself) from her smart-phone. Mojavi performed his unsettling sociological study, "On my Block." The poet known as Hat Guy read what he described as "a structured rant at stupid bitches at school."

The rapt audience

For reasons that have never been explained to me there are different rules for the women-only slam (sort of like making them play softball rather than baseball):  there are 4 rounds with different time limits: 4 minutes, 1 minute, 2 minutes & 3 minutes. The poets were Alex, Alyssa, Kristen & Tasha. It was a mix of performances from memory, reading from notebooks, paper, & smart-phones. Even some real poems & a minimum of slam clichés.

Alex has been coming out to the Slams for a while, honing her skills, even working on her poems at the bar. I've heard her first poem "Opinions" performed before & like it, but tonight I think she was over-performing, trying to put too much emotion in her voice rather than letting the power of the words speak for themself. But most of her work contains the elements of effective poetry, images, good use of language without being in-your-face. Alyssa is an effective performer with Slam-influenced pieces focused on herself. She performed a fine piece about body image, "Cartography," during the 1-minute round but unfortunately went over time.

Thom Francis with Alyssa, Tasha, Kristen & Alex

Kristen's work was of the 4 poets the least slam-influenced, reading her poems from her notebook. She reads well & her poems have a strong emotional impact, especially one about making love to a lion, & another about the loss of a pregnancy. Tasha had the most Slam style to her work, even when read from her smart-phone, & as a result was afflicted with the common Slam ailment of her poems sounding pretty much the same. But I will say her piece about killing ants was what I would call "a real poem."

So when all was said & performed, when the timing was stopped & the scores tabulated, the stage wiped of it's sweat & tears, the winner was Tasha, Alyssa 2nd, Kristen 3rd & Alex 4th. Always good to hear the ladies, I have been heard to say.

Nitty Gritty Slam takes place on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays (& on the rare 5th Tuesday) at Valentines on New Scotland Ave. in Albany, NY -- open mic at 7:30, followed by the Slam -- $5, or $3 with student I.D.  More information at albanypoets.com.