World Class Poetry Blog

I just returned from one of my favorite poetry readings. York, Pa. They call it Poetry Brew.

Poetry Brew is hosted by Rich Hemmings, by far one of the best promoters of poetry and poets that I’ve ever seen. He’s like the Ed Sullivan of poetry. Real classy guy.

Tonight’s venue was billed as a themed event, “Increase The Peace: A Stand Against Teenage Gang Violence”. Rich had asked me to be one of several featured readers, but I couldn’t commit, unfortunately, and was not a featured reader. But the slate of those who were was a fabulous band of poetic talent from the South Central area of Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Md. Among the talent included:

• Rebecca Gonzalez (I wrote about her last night)
• Karen Atlas
• Snow
• Le Hinton
• Bedlam
• Carol Clark Williams
• Native Son (1/2 of Native Son and the Drifish)
• Rich Burrill
• Debberae Streett
• the Drifish (the other half of Native Son and the Drifish)
• and Rich Hemmings

While I was not among those featured, I did get to read during the open mic portion of the event. I read my poem “20 Acres”. My grandson, spending the weekend with us, was in attendance and after the reading (because the poem is about him), came up to me and gave me a big hug (while I was on stage, of course, and preparing to read a second poem). He’s 5 now; was 3 at the time of the poem being written and I had been home from Iraq for about two months. That was amazing; the little guy never ceases to amaze me.

But the evening was topped off with an unexpected treat when Native Son and the Drifish took the stage as a duo. I’d seen them before and they are awesome. They are true performance poets, not the type of performance poet you’ll see at the slam event. They’re better. They perform with perfect harmony and clarity and it’s absolutely indescribable. They’ll be back in York on June 28 to promote a new album and I can hardly wait to see them again. That is an event worth putting on the calendar.

Have you ever sat in a poetry reading after signing up to read and deciding mid-way through that you just didn’t feel like reading? That happened to me tonight. I don’t know why. It could have been the heat or it could have just been a fickle feeling of gloom. But I waited and waited and waited and the reading spirit didn’t urge. I finally did allow myself to read, however. I was the last reader in the open mic period and wouldn’t you know that after the reading I received the most sincere compliment from someone who had never heard me read before. And I had read two poems that I had never read in public before. Both were poems that are included in the book I am revising, Rumsfeld’s Sandbox (working title), all poems I wrote while in Iraq in 2005. It just goes to show that reading is not always for me.

On a side note, the featured reader was a friend of mine and a local poet I admire, Rebecca Gonzalez. Rebecca is promoting a new book, Sonata for Rain, which I will be reviewing, but for now I’d just like to sing a word of praise. Sonata for Rain is published by Iris G. Press, who introduced me to the work of Jeff Rath.

Becca is a Pushcart nominee, which is impressive on its own, but if you’ve heard her read a poem out loud, her sensitivity to language and rhythm are incredible. She is fluent in two languages and the beauty of her lyrics in both is astounding. I am looking forward to getting lost in Sonata for Rain and bringing it to my readers.

Here’s your chance to support freedom of speech.

Get published @ Teenypoet.

Ah, plagiarism.

Reginald Shepherd on New American Poets.

Slamming the Bluz in Charlotte.

Openness, inclusiveness. Is that possible in poetry?

“Outside the Flood Walls” by Edward Byrne.

Slam event: audience participation.

Veterans against the Iraq War.

Making sense of Mamet, the poet and the man.

Simic on time.

Read Ted Kooser’s penultimate column.

Actor John Lithgow recites poetry at USC.

A self avowed hobby poet.

You’ll love these gut-busting metaphors. They had me in tears. My favorite:

14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

Book Tag - from Dude, Where’s My Country?

America became well off when its workers were paid enough money to afford to buy the very houses and cars and stereos they built with their own hands. That made them happy, content, and not thinking thoughts of revolution or terrorism. The genius of Henry Ford was not only his invention of the assembly line; it was his idea that everyone should get five bucks a day (a bonanza in those times).

How to play:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

Consider yourself tagged.

And when all else fails, write a poem.

I am giddy with excitement. I just returned from my first hosted open mic poetry reading. The event was held at the Reformed Episcopal Church in Enola, Pa., which is where I attend regularly. At my pastor’s behest, I started the venue and it looks like it will be well attended. It was certainly well received by those who attended tonight.

Our church holds a monthly contemporary worship service on Sunday night and we decided that it would be a good night to add a poetry reading directly after that event. So we did just that.

I’ve never organized a poetry reading before. I’ve been to quite a few, of course. I’ve even been a featured reader at some of them. I’ve also been a member of several workshops and critique groups. But I’ve never organized a poetry event, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Typically, poetry readings are attended by poets, who show up to hear a featured reader then read their own poems. Some of them arrive expecting to read then leave. These types of events are usually held in coffee houses, book stores, or local pubs. We held ours at a church.

I had not planned to have the event, or to host it. I decided, last summer, to have a beer and poetry event in my back yard at home and invited my pastor, Father Don, to attend. He did. At the event he asked me why I don’t sponsor such an event at the church, without the beer. I thought, “Why not.” So that’s how we got started.

During the planning process I decided to invite my friend, former poet laureate of Hanover, Pa. Dana Larkin Sauers, to be the featured reader. She agreed and that was that. The deal was on. Dana brought her best friend, current Hanover Poet Laureate Mike Hoover, and a few other poets I know in this area showed up as well. We even had a poet from the area that I was not familiar with who had heard about the event from one of the poets in attendance. So we had a good turn out.

Besides the poets in attendance, several members of our congregation stuck around for some poetry and snacks. In all, the event was a big success and several of the poets in attendance said they would come back. I’m so glad they enjoyed themselves.

Since the event was held at a church, we decided to make it a “family friendly” event. That doesn’t mean all religious verse. It does mean no cussing, swearing, gratuitous sex or violence, or other material inappropriate for children and old people with pacemakers. Everyone followed the rules. I didn’t think they wouldn’t. But it’s nice to know that some people will respect boundaries.

I’m looking forward to future events. We plan to have the open mic reading monthly and I will be promoting it in the local papers. As I learn more about how to organize such events and get better at actually running one, I think it will turn into a grand occasion. I will, of course, be seeking featured poets in and around my area to come and share their works with the folks at St. Michael’s Reformed Episcopal Church. You know, it’s good to break new ground.

Look for a review of Dana’s book “Between the Space of Grace and Gray” soon.

In the area where I live, York and Adams counties, Pennsylvania, there are quite a few poetry readings. On almost any given night I can go to Gettysburg, York, Hanover, or Harrisburg for a poetry reading. I could probably find one or two in Carlisle as well, but I haven’t looked. It’s quite rewarding.

Because of this, I have a lot of opportunities to read. An independent bookstore in Hanover, Pa. offers a reading once a month and a critique group once a month. Another group in York offers readings twice a month and a critique group once a month. Another York poetry group reads every Wednesday night and another one reads once a month as well. A group in Harrisburg reads every Thursday night. The Gettysburg group meets once a month. There is a lot of getting around.

I’ve recently been asked to offer an open mic poetry reading at my church in Enola. I have not run many groups of this nature, but I obliged. The problem - and it’s only a problem if you see it that way - the challenge with running an open mic poetry reading at a church is you have to balance the poet’s freedom of speech with the propriety of the atmosphere. I suppose you have to do the same thing in certain other public venues, though some open mic readings are bit more edgy (I happen to like those!).

Our first such reading is schedule for third or fourth Sunday evening in February. We have yet to nail down the exact date. But I’d be interested in hearing from anyone out there with experience in running an open mic poetry group and share with me your wisdom in how to get it going and keep it going.

PRESS RELEASE:

Choices, Inc. is pleased to announce the next two installments of the acclaimed The Poetry Lounge DVD series - The Poetry Lounge 2: The Power of Poetics and The Poetry Lounge 3: The Power of Performance.

Based on the weekly performances of ‘Da Poetry Lounge, the largest weekly open mic event in the country, the new DVDs focus on specific aspects of spoken word writing and performance.

In The Poetry Lounge 2 - The Power of Poetics, spoken word artists discuss various poetic techniques they use while creating their works. The Poetry Lounge 3 - The Power of Performance covers how the artists prepare and perform their work in front of an audience.

Each DVD includes performances and interviews from such noted spoken word artists as Sekou the Misfit, Brutha Gimel, Gina Loring, In-Q, Paul Mabon, Poetri and more. The artists discuss topics ranging from personal faith to dealing with the loss of a loved one and inner-city issues.

Filmed before a live audience and produced in collaboration with educational advisors including Alexs Pate, Award Winning Novelist Assistant Professor of Afro-American and African Studies at the University of Minnesota and Dr. Paula Wolfe, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Literacy Studies, the new titles seek to engage and inform audiences of all ages on the power of the spoken word.

When asked about his ongoing involvement with The Poetry Lounge series, Pierson Blaetz, Artistic Director of the Greenway Court Theatre said, “Looking for inspiration…I’ve found all I need from these leaders of the spoken word movement. You can’t turn away from this potent mix of talent and wisdom.”

Special Features will include a Photo Gallery, Poetry Booklet, ‘Da Poetry Lounge History and a Lesson Plan written by Dr. Paula Wolfe.

If you’re in New York on Oct. 24, 2007, you’ll want to stop by the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. The Poetry Foundation will sponsor a reading of Kwame Dawes, Mary Karr, Patricia Smith, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Rachel Zucker.

Those in attendance will receive complementary Poetry magazine and tote bag. A book signing will follow.

Admission is free. Time and place:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 7:00PM
Housing Works Bookstore Café
126 Crosby Street
New York City

For more information, go to http://poetryfoundation.org/programs/events.html.

This is one poetry reading you will not want to miss.