Writers’ Mic, September 8

This is another of those open mics whose origins are pre-pandemic & has survived on Zoom, poet Jackie Craven is the host.

With the proximity of the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, I read my poem noting another September 11 — 1973 & the US-backed coup that toppled the elected government of Chile -- “Another Tuesday, then read “Writing Crows” which had been in the recent art/poetry exhibit, Poetic License, in Kingston, NY.

David Graham said that he has not been finishing poems lately but has been writing everyday; he read “Next Time Time You See Her” about a friend’s death & read at the funeral.

Susan Jewell read her latest rejection by Rattle magazine, “There Will Be Birds” with birds as messengers, then a poem just accepted to an anthology by Ironhorse Press (& a $50 prize), “A Herd by the Side of the Road Listen to Yeats.” 

You can always count on Scott Morehouse to inject a healthy bit of humor into an open mic, tonight he read “A Xmas Letter” putting a happy face on a dysfunctional family, with a break up & a new basset hound.

Marty McGuire said this was the 1st time she had done any thing like this, said she was a school counselor but wanted to be a stewardess, her poem “Tears on My Window” about being on a plane,” then the brief “Dust Bunnies.”

Jackie Craven read 2 sci-fi poems from a recently accepted chapbook, both inspired by her memories of her father’s garden, “Frankenstein’s Garden,” the other about his roses.

Tim Verhaegen showed up a little late, read again his tender poem about his Mom, “I Love Her,” & shared his screen with a photo of himself with his Mom, then read “Sex” a memory of his gay sex now that he is growing older.

This Zoom event takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month & you can find the Zoom link on the Facebook site Writers Mic. 

Poetic License, Part 2, August 28

This was an In-Person Reading at The Poetry Barn, in West Hurley, NY, as part of the Poetic License exhibit at the Arts Society of Kingston. See my previous Blog posted August 7 for a report on the earlier Zoom reading.  This reading, held on the eve of the closing of the exhibit, included a number of poets — & a few of the artists who created visual art based on the poems — in the exhibit this year (& one from last year’s exhibit). I was pleased & honored to be one of the readers as one of of the poets who had inspired a painting in the exhibit.

Co-founder/coordinator of Poetic License, Lissa Kiernan, served as host & M/C; Lissa is also the founder of the Poetry Barn. She described the project, pointing out that about 100 poems had been submitted & about 36 were selected to be submitted to the ASK gallery for selection & inspiration by their members, then introduced her co-conspirator in the project, poet Tina Barry, as the first reader who read her moving poem on the death of her mother, “Come Back.” Another poet who read later, Will Nixon, contributed the multi-media art, a photograph & a hospital gown on which he had written lines of poetry, about which he spoke later when other artists commented on their process in responding to the poems.

Norma Ketzis Bernstock read her poem “Cemetery” to which Barbara Esmack contributed “Cemetery.”

Margaret Cliggett read “Invisible Needlework” to which Kirsten Doyle had contributed an untitled painting.

Will Nixon’s poem “4am Friend” was enhanced by Kristin Reimer’s “Enchanged Managerie.”

Matthew J. Spireng read his poem “Driftwood” to which Marcia Sank contributed one of the few 3-dimensional pieces in the exhibit, “Driftwood Reflections.”

I read my poem “Writing Crows,” & the artist known as SL Rika responded with a painting titled “The Crow Flies” — how often do we (living, breathing) poets find out we inspire a new work of art by another (living, breathing) artist? It’s the first time for me in my many, many odd years, so of course I had to buy the painting, that now looks quite at home on the wall of my dining room.

Mary Ann Murray, who had been a student in Albany during the earliest years of the Albany poetry scene & now lives in Athens, NY read her poem “color theory” artist & artist Camille (Cami) Fischer responded appropriately with the colorful “Little New Paltz Village.” 

One of last year’s poets was also here, Phyllis Capello, to read her poem “Mythology News.”

Lissa Kiernan read her poem “Keeper of the Robes” which had inspired Renee Zhang to paint “Ephemeral Layers.” Lissa also had art work in the exhibit inspired by the poem “Agnes” by Maureen Alsop.  

Some of the artists were also in the room. Sharon Ascher talked about working in paisley designs & her painting which was a response to Laura Whalen’s poem “Elegy for E” (as in Emily Dickinson), & Lissa read Laura’s poem. 

Lissa also read Juan Mobili’s poem “Victoria” about which the artist, Victoria Perry, spoke about being drawn to the poem by the coincidence of her name. &, as mentioned above, the poet/artist Will Nixon talked about his visual artistic response to Tina Barry’s poem.

I have always liked having poetry readings in art galleries & this project took that a step further, in addition to turning the more traditional "ekphrastic" poetry on its head, by encouraging visual artists to respond to the written word. I am looking forward to next year's edition of Poetic License as well as perhaps seeing this concept expanded to other venues, other cities. In any event, to the poets & artists: Keep at it!

Update: here is a link to the poets & poems that were read -- https://youtu.be/uvrXBK2t_98

Poets at the Arboretum, August 13

Just when you thought Zoom was everywhere, another new/old IPR (In-Person Reading) popped up, this a re-birth/re-vamp of the pre-pandemic series the poet Alan Casline ran at the Pine Hollow Arboretum in Slingerlands. In fact, things have changed at Pine Hollow, with the reading today held in the new Visitors Center on Pine Hollow Road. It was originally scheduled to be outside among the trees but it was over 90 degrees so was moved inside to a most-pleasant, spacious room facing windows looking out at the trees. 

Gabby Sant’Angelo, the Executive Director of the Arboretum, welcomed us to the space then read a poem by the late Dr. John Abbuhl, the creator of this space, who was a regular reader for many years at this open mic’s earlier incarnation; the poem was titled “Natures Speaks to Us to See If We Have the Nature to Be.”

Tom Corrado has been writing & publishing his “Screen Dumps” for years, announced that he is closing in on #600, read a long one, then a short one dedicated to his wife Didi.

Some of the poets here tonight I hadn’t seen since prior to the pandemic shutdown. Philomena Moriarty is one of them. She read 3 poems, “Weightless,” “Baggage” with a quote from James Baldwin, on the past, & a peaceful meditation “The Hudson” with a visit from eagles.

Julie Lomoe read a rambling memoir written at a workshop presented by the International Women Writers Guild about the blackout in NYC in 1965 & hearing the Beatles’ song “Yesterday” (I once organized a panty raid at an IWWG retreat, but the women were all asleep).

I read from my series of poem cards (printed on 3x5 cards) that I give out free to random citizens & workers, including my most “popular” poem “A Prayer for Super Heroes.” At this point a loud rain through the trees started, but we had sound.

I hadn’t seen Paul Amidon either since before the pandemic & he read 3 poems, apologizing that “some poems we may have heard before” but then 1) who would remember, & 2) if we did remember it would mean we liked it & would enjoy hearing them again. “A Death in the Family” was a memoir of an old tree, “Ding-a-Ling” was about that Summer assault of ice cream trucks, & the humorous “I Want to be a Leftover.”

Tom Bonville got through 1/3 of his poems before the lights, & the sound equipment, went off. He was able to get through a memoir, “My Old Man,” then part-way through “Getting a Shot,” & read “Silence” as Didi Corrado held her cellphone light on his pages.

I actually hadn’t seen Edie Abrams since way before the pandemic hit, & here she was for this grand reunion of in-person poets. Her first poem responded to a poem by Tom Bonville about a lover, then she read “Regret” about young people struggling with gum at a solemn memorial service. Meanwhile Didi’s battery continued to do its job illuminating the poems.

Our M/C, Alan Casline, was the last reader as the storm still raged, with 3 poems, “Want the Warrior Not the Wound,” “Fungus Will Take Over,” ending appropriately enough with a meditation in a storm “Across the Churchyard.”

One can hope that this is just the beginning of the re-birth of the series that Alan previously ran at the Arboretum. We will just have to stay tuned.

 

Writers Mic, August 11

This open mic, now on Zoom, is the granddaughter of the open mic formerly at Schenectady venues, Arthur’s Market & C.R.E.A.T.E. Space. The host is poet Jackie Craven. Tonight there were only a handful of poets reading, but with poetry, as with sex, you don’t have to have a lot for it to be good, even memorable.

I read 1st with my own “personal” experience of the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japan, an in-utero poem “August 1945,” then a brand new piece only days old referencing the Space Pen (remember them?) “Technology.”

David Graham has been a regular here (wherever that is on Zoom) tonight read a “new-ish” poem inspired by Allen Ginsberg’s poem “A Supermarket in California” David’s poem titled “Lament for K-Mart,” then what he called “a really old poem” a translation of a poem by Su Tung Po (also known as Su Shih, 1037 - 1101) “On the Birth of his Son.”

Susan Jewell said she has been “preoccupied with laundry,” read her poem “Now that the Children Have Grown” about her father putting up a clothes line, written in response to an image in Rattle magazine in its ongoing ekphrastic contest.

Our host, Jackie Craven, said she has been doing surreal writing, where times of the day are personas or characters in the poem as in the one she read, “3PM” with the intriguing line “we are replicas too” — anything/anyone can be a persona.

It’s too bad this went by so quickly, since anyone, anywhere can attend via Zoom. It’s on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7:30PM Eastern time. Find the link on the Writers Mic Facebook page & join us to share your poems.

 

2nd Tuesday All-Genre Open Mic Out of Bennington, August 10

This open mic has done much better since the pandemic forced it to Zoom. The host is poet Charlie Rossiter, who likes go around twice, one piece/performance each round.

Bridget Elder had been at the in-person version of this event, but this was her 1st time joining us on Zoom, & she jumped right in to read with “Give us Your Trees.” She stayed on theme (maybe it’s a Vermont thing) in the 2nd round with a descriptive piece about being in the woods.

Tom Nicotera’s 1st round piece was titled “Picking Up Trash,” scattered by a bear in the woods behind his house; in the 2nd round he read about a bar out in the sticks of Pennsylvania, “At Michael B’s.” 

Tim Verhaegen only did the 1st round, a tender dream poem about his mother that he’s read before simply titled “I Love Her.”

I pointed out that Friday had been the 76th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan & read Tom Nattell’s poem “Hiroshima” written years ago for the 40th anniversary of the bombing; in the 2nd round I read a brand-new bar poem typed up on a 3x5 card “Technology.”

By far the youngest poet to read in this series was Helena Bushee who in both rounds read short, funny poems in rhyme; I hope all us old farts didn’t scare her off from coming back again.

Our host Charlie Rossiter read a new poem that sounded like a surrealist dream poem, but he said it was for real, “Going Places that Don’t Exist.” In the 2nd round his poem “We Bought It All” was about the post-WWII aspiration to achieve the American dream.

In his 1st round Kenn Ash read from a book he was writing, this excerpt was about a survivor on a lifeboat in a storm. In round 2 he read a love song “Fairy Tale Love” filled with references to nursery rhymes & fairy tales.

Jim Madigan dialed in from Oak Park, IL (where Charlie had run an open mic) with a new poem in the 1st round, riffing on Whitman’s “I contain multitudes,” about the result of a DNA test that showed he’s “a mutt” (as he said). In the 2nd round he referenced Homer’s Odyssey, with “Sirens” about wanting to be tied to the mast.

Bill Thwing’s 1st round poem was from his book Search With Your Eyes, a meditation prompted by a panhandler “The Land of the Brave & the Free.” His 2nd round poem, “Paleo-Man’s Dilemma,” finished up the night, & he said it was based on a dream that led him to activism.

So no matter the weather in Bennington, or future lock-downs, or traffic, you can stay safe where you are & join the 2nd Tuesday All-Genre Open Mic Out of Bennington on Zoom. If you’re not on Charlie’s list for the link, email him at charliemrossiter@gmail.com & ask for the link. Hope to see you there.

2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, August 8

After a year & a half of Zoom gatherings on the 2nd Sunday, it/we were back with an In Person Reading, but no longer at the Arts Center of the Capital Region where we started out 11 years ago. Instead, we gathered at Collar City Mushrooms up in North Troy, which is run by local poet Avery Stempel. The location is a renovated used car dealership, & includes a gallery of paintings by local artists on the walls throughout the building. Nancy Klepsch & I were the tag-team co-hosts for the readings, the audience including not only the readers but partners/friends, traveling from as far away as Kingston, NY & Bennington, VT.

Appropriately enough, the 1st reader was the proprietor, Avery Stempel with a couple of mushroom poems, including one on the healing powers of the wonderful fungi. Later in a “coda” he returned with one of his kirtan-like pieces, this one about opening up.

Today was between the 76th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6 & the 76th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, I performed Tom Nattell’s poem “Hiroshima” which he had written for the 40th anniversary of the bombings, then, staying on the nuke topic read the much lighter (& lascivious) "Nukes for Piece."

Cheryl Rice had driven up from Kingston, NY & read just one poem, titled simply “Paradise.” 

Laura Ellzey, here from Vermont, read an older piece titled “What River is That?” (while we gathered literally on the bank of the Hudson River), then later in the coda a poem titled “Laura’s Walls” about her work as a painter (of rooms).

Maria Diotte talked briefly about not having written much this past year & a half, read a new poem composed recently outside one night, beginning “The buzz is of the night…” then a meditative chant “Everything is No Thing.” Later, an inspirational quote.

Nancy Klepsch paid homage to our host here among the mushrooms with a poem titled “Kvetsch,” a pastiche of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” about shoppers at the Troy Farmer’s Market picking over the mushrooms. Her coda piece was a chant “The Woman Speaks of the River.”

Kelly Wescott said this was her first time reading in public (i.e., a “virgin”) & began with an inspirational quote (that she got from a book of quotes) then her own, brave, poem “Prison Set Me Free.” Later, in the coda, read a collection of quotes she liked.

At this point we had come to the last of the sign-up sheet & Nancy asked if there was anyone else who wanted to read who hadn’t & lo & behold! there were.

John responded to Kelly’s poem with his own poem written in prison, & shared the companion drawing in stark black & white, the poem a meditation in rhyme about war, hate & peace. Later, in the coda read the famous poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1903).

Tina Mazula also stepped up (& was also a 1st timer) with poem about kneeling & working in her garden.

Then yet another 1st timer, inspired by the other readers & 1st timers, Avery’s aunt, Sandra Stempel, read a very brief poem — but the important thing was she got up to read it!

The 2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose has found a new home among the mushrooms (there’s something symbolic in that!) & we will be back every 2nd Sunday, at Collar City Mushrooms, 333 Second Ave., Troy, NY — on the banks of the mighty Hudson that flows both ways.

In the meantime check out the 2nd Sunday @ 2 Facebook page as well as Collar City Mushrooms, which is also doing other programming. Support your local fungi.

Poetic License, Zoom Reading August 7

The Poetry Barn of West Hurley & the Arts Society of Kingston have collaborated in creating an exhibit, with readings, of poetry & visual art which is on display at the ASK Galleries, 97 Broadway, Kingston, NY until August 29. A virtual opening was held August 7 & began with a brief overview by Brent Felkner, ASK's Executive Director, of the August Spotlight Exhibition Dennis Connors: A Retrospective, an artist & active member of ASK who passed away in 2019. This was followed by a reading of 14 poets, with online viewing of the visual art their poems inspired from the Poetic License show. Another reading, this one live, in-person, by different poets & artists will be held on August 28 at The Poetry Barn with digital displays of the visual art, I will be one of the readers at that event

The poems were selected by co-curators Lissa Kiernan & Tina Barry; artist/members of ASK picked out poems to inspire them to create a piece, or, in some cases, pieces of visual art in a variety of media. I was honored to have one of my poems, “Writing Crows,” selected for the exhibit & was thrilled to see the visual response by SL Rika, "The Crow Flies." The art work & the poems are on display now at the ASK galleries until August 29, & I am certainly planning on a trip to see it in person. But in the meantime I & you can view Poetic License, & hear recordings of the poets, including me, reading their poems & view the art at the ASK website 

The poems are short, like vignettes, or, indeed, brief pictures, & the art inspired by these poems are in a variety of styles, mostly very colorful, many representational, but not always an “illustration” but certainly ekphrastic — one art form inspired by a work, or works, in another art form. & if you are moved by any of the pieces you can purchase the art at the ASK website.