Albany Poets is proud to announce a brand new spoken word series that will take place at The Midtown Tap & Tea Room. Albany Poets Presents will put a spin on the typical poetry event in the local literary community by highlighting one poet every two months with an interview and Q&A session following the reading.
Host Thom Francis explains, “I am fascinated by poets and writers and their process, what makes them put pen to paper. I want this new series to shine the light on not just the words, written and spoken, but also the story behind them.”
Albany Poets Presents will also be recorded live to be distributed through the Albany Poets website and other outlets.
The first Albany Poets Presents reading will be on Wednesday, December 16 starting at 7:00PM featuring Alan Catlin at Midtown Tap & Tea Room, 289 New Scotland Avenue, Albany.
Alan Catlin has published well over sixty chapbooks and full length books of both prose and poetry including Near Death in the Afternoon on Becker Street, Self Portrait as the Artist Afraid of His Self-Portrait, both from March Street Press, and Drunk and Disorderly, selected poems from Pavement Saw Press. He is currently an editor of Misfitmagazine. Alan is retired from the Bar Wars after thirty four years working in his unchosen profession as a barman in various establishments in the Capital District including twenty-five years at the Washington Tavern.
Thom Francis says, “I have been a fan of Alan’s work for the twenty years that I have been coming out to poetry readings in the area. When I was coming up with my list of poets what I wanted to feature at this new series, Alan’s name was the first. I can’t wait for the opportunity to dig deeper and find out about the stories and experiences that have shaped his poetry.”
