9th Annual Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Contest Reading, June 1

Not only has this reading become an annual event in the Capital District of Albany, NY but the contest itself been an annual event world-wide for the last 9 (!) years. 

Bob Sharkey, local poet & point-man for the DiBiase contest, said that there were 620 entries, 40% from outside the USA, many from Nigeria, as has been the case for a number of years. He read an excerpt from the First Prize poem, “The War is Past” by Habiba Dokubo-Asan, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. 

Guy Reed who is a poetic presence in the mid-Hudson valley was a Fourth Prize winner, & he joined us to read his poem “What Memories Are Carried in Light” that cites not only famous painters, like Edward Hopper, & poets whose work were “carried in light,” but also places throughout the US where Guy had traveled. In his follow-up remarks, Bob noted that his son Matt, who is one of the judges, had traveled the US, much like Guy, & for that reason connected to the poem.

Barbara Ungar, a prolific local poet, read her poem, “October,” for which she received an “Honorable Mention,” a piece taken from her October journal about her partner, Stu Bartow, who was dying from cancer at the time. 

Another Honorable Mention, Charlie Rossiter, made the trip over from Bennington, VT (he hosts a monthly Zoom open mic on the 2nd Tuesday of each month), to read his descriptive poem “Memorial Day,” a bit of Americana.

Emma Marie Duke’s Honorable Mention love poem, “Monday Morning, Early” was read by Bob Sharkey; she is a poet in Cambridge, MA. Barbara Ungar was back to read local poet Bunkong Tuon’s poem “How to Defeat Pol Pot” from his recently published chapbook What Is Left (Jacar Press). Another local poet, James Duncan, read his ethereal prose poem “Pastoral.” 

Alana Pedalino, joined us from Nutley, NJ to read her poem “Surveying” about a visit from men from Fish & Wildlife to count lampreys in a creek on her property, filled with undercurrents (& not just the creek).

Jackie Craven, who also hosts a Zoom open mic, hers on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, read her poem (Finalist) “Federation Agents Ask Whether I’ve Ever Been Married” from her recent poetry collection Whish (Press 53).

One of the Honorable Mention poets, Sara Lynn Eastler from Rockport, ME had send a video presentation of her reading her poem, “The Unpassing,” but technical issues prevented it from being heard. However, one can read her poem, as well as all the other winning/honorable mention/finalist poems on the website 

And Barbara Ungar brought the afternoon to a conclusion with Tara Labovitch’s poem “Grief II;” Sara is from Ames, IA.

For the last nine years Bob Sharkey & his family have supported this broadly inclusive poetry contest from their family finances. The rules are simple: one poem per contestant, any style, any length, published or not, & there is no entry fee. The Prizes run from $600 for First, down through the Honorable Mentions of $60, of which there were 10 this year. The time has come to find another way to finance this endeavor for it to continue to a 10th year, or more. I, for one, would love to find a way to continue the Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Contest. Stay tuned.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, May 16

As I’ve said before, “If your friends & relatives don’t come to your readings, who will?” This night’s featured poet, Rachel Baum, did just that, & they (we) were treated to coffee & homemade cookies in addition to her entertaining reading. But first I invoked the night’s Muse, the ubiquitous small-press American poet, Simon Perchik (1923 - 2022) by reading one of his characteristically untitled poems (except for an * in the upper left corner), one beginning “Pulling the mirror closer…” Then on to a portion of the open mic list.

First up was Alan Catlin (whose poems are equally ubiquitous to those of Simon Perchik’s in the small-press world), with a grim piece about a shooting & its aftermath, with the reverberating repetition of “Wasted.” I usually see Carol Schupp Star at readings up in Saratoga County, but here she was to support Rachel; she read a nonet titled “Storms.” Betsy Lynch also came here to support Rachel; her poem titled “The Arrival of Childhood’s End: Sci-Fi Becomes Fact” about watching a grandson engaged with virtual reality goggles, a meditation on gaming.

Jackie Craven has a new book out, WHISH, tonight read “something silly” (her description) from the book, a poem about the stopped clock in the tower of City Hall in Schenectady. Melissa Anderson, who has had a book manuscript accepted for publication, Dogstar Poems, read from it a poem titled “Love Letter from Quarantine.”

Rachel R. Baum began by introducing Berta Leone, whose photo of her bullet sculpture E Pluribus Unum is on the cover of Rachel’s book How to Rob a Convenience Store (Cowboy Jamboree Press, 2024). However, most of the poems in the reading tonight were not from her new book, & many were read by friends & family members. She began with with opening poem in the book, “Rodeo Winner,” a portrait of an abusive, gun-toting cowboy; she also read from the book “I See Your Ghost,” & “Sitting Shiva, After the Tree of Life Shooting,” & included a poem about her long-COVID diagnosis, “Long Haul Year Two.” Shuffled in between were poems, mostly not from the book, by others: Rod Driscoll read “Summer Concert,” her daughter Dr. Ariel Schwartz “Alterations” (about NYC & her grandmother), Don Shore “Diners,” Sheree Mirochnik “In Dreams Cars Flew,” & Betsy Lynch read “Like Mercury” which is in the book. Rachel brought the reading to an end with the 1st poem she ever wrote, “The Destination.” Proceeds from the sale of How to Rob a Convenience Store go to the Gifford Law Center for Gun Violence.

After a necessary break we finished off the open mic list. I read a poem from my sequence of “Witch” poems, “I Am a Gift,” the title taken from Dineen Carta’s poem of the same title from her book Rumi’s Granddaughter.

The final 3 readers are regular supporters of this monthly open mic. David Gonsalves  read “Ars Poetica,” a dizzying play of words about things he can or can’t or won’t do. Tom Bonville’s poem “To Know” was a colorful celebration of the beginning of Spring. Sally Rhoades read a recently written poem title “Lilacs,” inspired in part by one of my poems with the same title, but really by the lilacs growing in her yard.

Special thanks Rachel Baum’s family & friends for both supporting her unique reading, & for their generosity in supporting poetry events locally & the work of the Social Justice Center.

We are at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY each third Thursday of the month for a reading by a local or regional poet & an open mic for community poets. The reading starts at 7:30PM, sign-up from about 7:00PM, $5.00 donation, more if you got it, less if you don’t. 

National Baseball Poetry Festival, May 3 - 5

The National Baseball Poetry Festival is a creation of Biondolillo Associates, since 1984 a leading developer of branded special-event fundraising programs for nonprofit organizations. The Festival was set in motion by the following individuals and their teams: Richard Burke, CEO, Fallon Health; Tim Murray, CEO, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce; Joe Bradlee, Vice President, Community & Player Relations, Worcester Red Sox; Mark Sickman, Founder and Owner, BaseballBard.com; Jake Sanders, Project Executive, Worcester Memorial Auditorium and past-Chief of Staff, City of Worcester; and Jeff Reppucci, Knight-Hennessy Scholar, Stanford University.  Once it was set in motion, an Organizing Committee of business, civic, and educational leaders was formed to spearhead the Festival’s implementation.

Last year, after the inaugural National Baseball Poetry Festival, some of the attendees/participants sat down together to talk about their experience here in Worcester before heading home. It was agreed that this was an important celebration & as good as it was there are always ways to improve it. A memo was drafted with suggestions & sent to the organizers, &, I’m happy to say some of the suggestions were adopted. & so this year we were glad to be back at Polar Park for the Worcester Red Sox & for baseball poetry.

Friday, May 3

There was a welcoming reception at the Polar Park DCU Club, with snacks, a cash bar, welcoming remarks by the organizers & local politicians, including a reading the the quintessential baseball poem “Casey at the Bat,” written by Worcester native Ernest Lawrence Thayer. This was followed by a Stadium Tour, & a game between the Woosox & the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs; the Woosox won 4 to 2.

Photo courtesy of Poets at Large Facebook page

Saturday, May 4 was the big poetry/baseball day with events starting at 2:00PM with poetry readings by contest winners in grades 4 to 12, & Little Leaguers. Over 160 young poets submitted their work, with 20 students in each category (elementary, middle school, high school & Little Leaguers) were selected as Winners, with many attending to read their poems out at the Berm in the Polar Park outfield. It was a stunning display of young people, boys & girls, reading their poems to proud parents, teachers, & the rest of us Baseball Poets from near & far.

Later, there was an Open Mic at the Worcester Public Library, within walking distance of Polar Park. The open mic hosts were Karen Warinsky & Laura DiCaronimo, who also read in the open mic.

Herbert Munshine read a trio of baseball poems, including “A Breath of Art” about baseball players as super heroes, & "You Should Know His Name" for which he was recognized in the adult contest. Esther Munshine’s baseball poem was titled “Take Me Out.” Angela Tomasin read poems by her grandfather, Herbert Tomasin, who was in the audience. Bill Moorhead read a poem in baseball slang, “The Pitcher’s Creed,” & even a baseball villanelle. 

Karen Elizabeth Sharpe had been a host last year for one of the open mic sites, & this year worked on the student poets contest; she read Robert Frost’s “Birches” as about someone who didn’t have a baseball team to play on, then humorous instructions on how to eat a Fenway frank. Rex Arrasmith read poems about being an umpire at amateur baseball games. Tom Lagasse read a couple of baseball poems of the past. Laura Di Caromino read what she called a “stoner villanelle, titled “Team.” Ivan Smason was here from Los Angeles, started with baseball poem in rhyme, then one on the Toledo Ohio minor league team, the Mud Hens (he had also been recognized in the adult contest for his poem "Triples"). 

Patricia Biron read a poem, “Nelly What a Catch,” about her mother, the 1st girl on a boy’s high school team in 1935. Karen Warinsky, whose Facebook page Poets at Large has photos from this reading, & from the Festival, read “Little League Moms” (for which she was recognized in the adult poetry contest), others, including one on baseball & war. 

Photo courtesy of Poets at Large Facebook page

Since this open mic was in a library I read “Decomposition” a poem about why used bookstores smell like they do, then one of my baseball poems, “Waiting for Jacqueline Robinson.” Carol Hobbs read baseball poems by some of her 9th grade students, including a golden shovel “Who’s On First?” based on the famous comedy routine by Abbot & Costello, as well a one of her own poems,”Gods of August.” Pamela Gemme read poems by others including one titled “Sisters of Mercy Play Ball.”

Photo courtesy of Poets at Large Facebook page

Robbie Gamble read his only baseball poem “Short Season Single-A Ball.” Ed Dzitko read Sara deBeer’s poem “Batting Practice” from the baseball poetry anthology Who’s Your Team? (Orenaug Mountain Publishing, 2024). Sandy Lee Carlson, editor of Who’s Your Team?, read the title poem, a sonnet that she wrote.

Steven Biondolillo, the driving force behind this Festival, recited 2 of his baseball poems, “In Center Field” & “Black Blue & White,” a confrontation between Mets fans & Yankee fans.’

There was another game later that afternoon, in which the Woosox beat the Iron Pigs again, 4-0. But I opted to take some time off, get a nice dinner at Volturno Ristorante.  

A night of more baseball poetry at Steel & Wire on Millbury St. where I’d read in this same bar last year & rather liked its gritty edge, reminding me of Albany’s QE2 (long gone). There were 8 on the list, some of us who had read earlier at the Library. Sandy Lee Carlson & Ed Dzitko (from Orenaug Mountain Publishing) served as hosts/MCs, along with Pam Gemme. 

Jeff Brain, from San Franciso, was back again this year, started off with a poem about the physics of baseball, then “Candlestick,” “What Satchel Paige Would Throw to Willy Mays the Next Time,” & “Vampire Pitch” (a poem that was recognized in the adult poetry contest).

I read “The Cardinal” from my Baseball Poems (A.P.D., 2019), then from Poeming the Prompt (A.P.D., 2011) a political poem “What Really Happened.” Tom Lagasse read “The Bat,” then a memoir piece about his high school baseball team with a line from Rilke at the end. As he did earlier in the day, Rex Arrasmith read poems about being an umpire, “Diamond Three Umpire,” “Eyes on Ben,” & “Umpire’s Dilemna.”

David (from Maryland) read  “Señorita Baseball,” in English & Spanish (read by Jina Ortiz), a funny piece mixing baseball & love, then “Pre-season Report” about forgetting students’ names. Zvi A. Seline read from his book titled Simple Games: Ghosts of Fenway “Sam the Jet,” "Kennesaw’s Revenge” (on banning the infamous Black Sox), “How Many Angels,” “The Ghosts of Fenway,” & one about Jimmy Piersall “Politics & Baseball Do Mix.”

Jina Ortiz was back to read her poems, with David reading the translation, “The Last Pitch of the Night,” “The Baseball Player Blues,” & “Baseball in the Skate Park.” & once again Steven Biondolillo batted last reprising “Black Blue & White,” always good to hear.

& that, folks, was like a bases clearing homerun in the bottom of the 9th — good baseball & good poetry & everyone had fun. I hope to be back again next year.

All-Genre Open Mic Out of Bennington, May 14

This is a monthly Zoom open mic, so Tom Nicotera & I plotted to each read our poems recently published in the new anthology of baseball poems Who’s Your Team? (Orenaug Mountain Publishing, 2024). The host of the open mic is Charlie Rossiter; there were 2 rounds, 1 poem each round.

I was up first with my entry to Who’s Your Team? a parody/pastiche of the opening of T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land,” my poem titled “October Land” (I can’t imagine Eliot at a baseball game, a hot dog in one hand, a beer in the other). In the 2nd round I read my poem titled “My Summer Camp” submitted to a call for entries from the NYS Writers Institute.

Ginny Folger’s 1st round poem, “The Afterlife, if Indeed There is One,” was published in the Spring 2024 issue of The 2River View  hoping that the Afterlife is not like being at Walmart. In the 2nd round she read “On the Night Balcony,” a short piece read twice.

Mark O’Brien on the Zoom camera seemed to be up in his garret, otherwise known as the Pirates Den, he read sonnets based on small town newspaper comments “Slingerlands” on baseball taken from the lines of newspaper, & a piece bases on a report of an accident in the Farland Newsletter from 1892.

Tim Verhaegen read poems from what he does best, write about his family. In the 1st round, “Is it True?” pondering if his mother, who died in 2009, made a suicide attempt by driving into a stone bridge soon after he was born; in the 2nd round, a re-write of the same story, titled “Dear Mother,” based on what an aunt told him. 

Francesca Sidoti read an eco-poem about the plan to harvest the Marcellis Shell, & how many could die harvesting it; in the 2nd round a true-crime story titled “Gates County.”  

Sharon Smith read “Whose Woods?” about a black bear, in Farmington CT; later, a story of a wedding in rhyme from Maine, “My Doctor’s Brother’s Horses Carriage,” what happened to a spooked horse.

In Charlie Rossiter’s 1st round he read a descriptive piece titled “At the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame,” being a long way from the crossroads; then, a descriptive piece of the college town Madison WI, “Mad City Syndrome.” 

Tom Nicotera read his poem for Who’s Your Team? about the 7th game of the 2003 World Series between the Red Sox & the Yankees, “It’s Just Like Love;” in the 2nd round he read a brand new poem, “Worm Meditation” dead worms after a rain, a memoir, to war & profiteering & his own death.

Naomi Bindman read 2 new poems, both works-in-progress, “The Other Dogs,” friends talking dogs & plants & turkey vultures in the woods; then a stream of phrases, a found poem rant, “Inbox,” on the flood of messages we all experience on our computers. 

Julie Lomoe began with a memoir of her daughter, “The Terrors of Motherhood;” then from her new poetry chapbook, Proof of Process, the poem “Donald the Bantam Rooster Speaks His Mind.” 

This monthly Zoom broadcasting from Bennington VT is on the 2nd Tuesday at 7:00PM ET. If you would like to join it & you are not yet on Charlie’s Zoom list, email him at charliemrossiter@gmail.com & ask for the link. It’s not just poetry.

Caffè Lena Poetry Open Mic, May 1

I was glad to get back to the long-running Caffè Lena poetry night after a number of months of missing it, & the fine featured poets they showcase. The featured poet tonight was Darcy Smith (who had been the featured poet in June of 2023 at the Third Thursday Poetry Night that I host in Albany, NY). The featured poet is live streamed, but first the host, Carol Graser, introduced the night by reading “The Nature of Quiet,” a poem by Susan Jefts, who was the featured poet here on April 3, 2024, then introduced tonight’s featured poet.

Darcy Smith is the author of River Skin (Fernwood Press, 2022) & began with a poem about her mother at 92, “Loose Gravel” from her book, read others from the book, poems down by the river, in the woods. She mixed in poems from a manuscript-in-progress, poems on issues of mental health, beginning with the rebellious “Sequins,” the scientific “Spin Particles,” “Rehab Ice Cream & Icarus,” & a poem for her brother, “Pain Management.” The poem she ended with, “Mama When Did the Rain Begin,” written for her mother-in-law, formed a bookend with the mother poem from the start of the reading. I like Darcy Smith’s readings of her poems — just good poems read well, with just enough background to give the listener a context. You can view the entire performance on the Caffe Lena Youtube channel.

Then on to the open mic with a whopping 32 poets signed up, beginning with Saratoga poet Rachel Baum with a hospital poem, “Surfaces.” David Graham is a regular here, read “Half-blind & Rain in the Night.” Another local poet, Carol Schupp Star, read “Spring” & “Quilting Joy.” Leslie Neustadt read a poem about a young girl on the West Bank, who she said could be her granddaughter, from a forth-coming book.

Judith Prest read a new poem, “Tricks of Light,” then one from her book Grafted Tree: Family Poems “If Only.” Dianne O’Neill read about Spring “Thru My Window.” Leslie Sittner read about her deaf dog, “Adaptation.” Lance LeGrys read “The Prodigal Son’s Last Word.” His daughter, Alex LeGrys, read “Fake Cowboys,” & “The Closest Thing I Can Get to a Love Poem.” Jeannine Laverty shared a poem by Brian Doyle, “October Poem.”

After a short break, our host Carol Graser read about her chickens, “Alarm at Dawn.” I read 2 of my “poem cards,” “Shaker Hymn,” & “April 18” (Poem-in-your-pocket Day). Another Darcy in the house read 2 rhyming poems, “City Light My Nemesis,” & “Queries I Have So Many.” Kirsten also read 2 (sad) rhyming poems, “Looking Up from the Gutter,” the other untitled.

Harry continued the rhymes with “The Beast” & “Mother’s Wish.” Toni read about saying goodbye & a piece titled “The Way I Know You.”

Franklin Whitney was involved with poetry at Caffè Lena even before the regular 1st Wednesday readings started over 20 years ago; he recited a poem in 3 parts, & accompanied each part by a different flute. Stanley was also a musician & played music he wrote to accompany a poem about Summer & katydids by Susan Fantl Spivack. This was Grace’s 1st time ever reading at an open mic, she read a sad, goodbye narrative “Deer in Tomorrow’s Garden.” Robin read a poem, “Ode to Voyager I” with the line “… who will sing to you when you turn 50?”

Lucia read 2 poems, one about her sister making puzzles. Rhonda Rosenheck read what she described as 2 love stories, “Impending Fall,” the other from an anthology she edited, Thriving. Chris Prager read the only poem he ever wrote, about a bird singing Mozart taking him away from the world. Elissa brought us back to rhyme, one titled “Sharing the Last Bite,” a birthday poem to someone in the audience.

E.R. Vogel (Eric) & I shared a table in the crowded cafe; he read a love poem about enjoying Spring days by the water. Ellen Rook read a poem titled “What Can’t Be Explained,” then a poem inspired by a Georgia O’Keefe painting “Tender Perennial.” Elaine Kenyon’s poem, titled “Bobby Knight” was inspired by a poem by the late North Country poet Stuart Bartow. David Rook read a poem from The New Yorker magazine by W.S. Merwin (1927 - 2019) “Neither Here Nor There.”

There were so many poets on the open mic that Rodney Parrott was not even last; he read “From the Perspective of Movement,” a section from his memoir-in-progress “The Wanderer.” Colleen Lovette (not sure of the spelling) said she was an actor & recited lines from Shakespeare put thru the food processor of her brain, as she put it.

Sam Dakota began with an untitled poem in rhyme, then one that she said was a rant about the FASA form (for financial aid for college students). & the last reader, Lulu Feeney (? spelling) — for those that stayed all the way to the end — also read an untitled poem in rhyme.

Phew! quite a night, but then there are many such nights here at Caffè Lena Poetry Open Mic Night — always a local, regional, or national poet as the featured reader, then an open mic with fine poets from the surrounding region, near & far. It happens at 47 Phila St. on the 1st Wednesday of each month, starting at 7:00PM, doors open at 6:30PM, $5.00, students free.

2024 Word Fest Open Mic, April 27

The very 1st Albany WordFest was held on September 8, 2001, at the Greenhouse Shelter in Thatcher Park, up in the mountains outside Albany. It was the brain-child of Albany poetry impresario R.M. Engelhardt. There were readings by 31 poets, divided into 5 local gangs/groups, plus an open mic of 6 poets. One poet from the Kingston group made up faux back-stage pass/badge for “PsychoClusterFuck” — it seemed to fit. There was, of course, some grousing about the outdoor venue from some of the staunchly urban poets, but there were toilets available.

Over the years there were various iterations of Word Fest, including strings of multi-day events, even folding in the Third Thursday Open Mic as well as other regularly-scheduled events into a grand WordFest, all held in Albany, many at the UAG Gallery on Lark St., eventually in 2007 switching from the Fall to April (to coincide with National Poetry Month). Then the pandemic.

Word Fest resurfaced again this year in Averill Park, a rural suburb of Albany, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, from 4PM to 7PM on Saturday, April 27. The prior night there was a poetry book-signing & sales in Troy at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity, both a project of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, with an online sign-up for readers. 

The host Saturday was long-time Albany poet Mary Panza (whose image had graced the badges for WordFest 1, aka “PsychoClusterFuck”). She runs a tight ship as an open mic host. There were 24 readers, including “Homecoming” poets, poets from diverse segments of the local open mic scene, & — the best of all — new, not previously heard poets. Exactly what a Word Fest should be.

As with any advance sign-ups there were a few cancellations, the 1st of which catapulted me into the opening act — I had signed up in the open 2nd slot. & much like past Word Fests I had given long-time poet & former host of open mics in the early year, Don Levy, a ride here tonight. Don followed me on in the open mic. Don read a new piece, “My Queerness,” & some old-time favorites such as the once-televised “Lobsters at the Grand Union.” Francesca Sidoti included one of her “true-crime story” poems. 

Anna Boughtwood read a poem on chronic pain, another on a break up. Tim Verhaegen included a poem titled “Crime Sex.” Nathan Smith read from his Cotton Candy poems. 

The announcement for this Word Fest noted there would be 3 featured readers, all women (prompting one wise-ass to brand this “Pussy Fest”), & all 3 had names that began with “S,” but the only one to show up was poet (& activist) Samira Sangare. She began with a love poem, “The Sun Sets on a Black Girl,” the a Slam poem “The Angry Black Woman Tribute;” on to 2 poems for Palestine, the widely published “If I Must Die” by Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer who was killed by an Israeli military attack in December, & Samira’s own “I Have No Words,” which she said was just written. She was honored with the rare poetry encore, for which she read from Frederick Douglas’ famous comments on the meaning of the 4th of July for a black man who was a former enslaved person.

A quick break, then back for many more open mic readers.

Cat Simon included a poem from her chapbook-in-progress. Kate S. read her poems in public for the first time, one with the great title “If You Can’t Find the Words, Choose a Color.” Frank Robinson began a segment of married couples reading with their spouses (is the plural of “spouse” “spice”?) & was playful, including rhyming on the word “metaphor.” Therese Broderick included a poem to her daughter inspired by a long-saved tuft of her hair. Continuing the spouse section Robb Smith read a series of Haiku. His wife, Julie Lomoe, read from her newly self-published chapbook of poetry a poem in the persona of Donald Trump.

David Gonsalves included a poem by the recently gone poet Jerome Rothenberg (“A Little Boy Lost”). Mojavi was a blast-from-the-past (he was the host of Soul Kitchen at Clayton’s Restaurant in the late ‘90s), he read some childhood memoirs, & an erotic love poem. Toyin O., another new voice, included a poem on her skin color (“Reality of a Black Girl”), & a love poem. Sally Rhoades read poems she has read out at local open mics, & at the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival in Oklahoma.

Kathleen Anne Smith, the author of the poetry collection Let the Stones Grow Soft, read a couple of poems, including “How Do We Home Alone?” Mimi Moriarty also read a poem on a related theme, “Advice on Being Alone.” Ed Rinaldi seems to be slinking back into the in-person poetry scene, read an untitled philosophical meditation. Karen P. was also a new voice for me, read poems with rain & snow, & even a paper bag. It’s been a long time I’ve heard Poetic Visionz doing his thing with audience participation & deconstructive word-play, glad to hear this again. 

Annie G. was yet another new voice, had sat with her family in the front row, patiently awaiting her turn, read a poem for a friend also in the front row (“Coke Bottle Wisdom”), one for her father, & list poems (one titled “Grief Is …”). I’ve seen Sybil perform in the past as a singer/songwriter but I think this was her 1st time in a poetry venue, a long playlist, including a new one from her 1st year at medical school, “The Painting Hanging by the Library Stairs.”

The final reader was Samuel Maurice, who as an intern for the Hudson Valley Writers Guild was around all day, even before we readers got here; he has been making his presence (& his work) known over many months, including at the 1st Monday Invocation open mic series at The Eleven on Lark St. in Albany one poem he read tonight included a mood ring, “Love Poem to My Hangnail.”

April may be over but one can find out where the poetry events are happening in the Capital Region of Upstate New York by going to the Hudson Valley Writers Guild website -- check out the calendar, the calls for entries, the poems, the stories, the photos.