Welcome back to the Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up. This is the third edition of the round-up that brings all of Dan’s commentaries from his blog together in one place. This time around we have two open mics and the first Frequency North of the new season.
Albany Poets Presents, October 2
One often wonders whether this open mic really happens or just exists in the fantasy of alcohol & memory. Once some years ago I read a poem here & a lady I had invited told me later that’s when she fell in love with me. On some nights the-nameless-we just sat around & told outrageous stories & bought each other beers. On the Road is filled with such lies & similar fabrications. “October in the railroad earth…”
I’ve realized that “October is the Columbus-day month breeding racism & death in the continent…” so I have started including Tom Nattell’s “Columbus Fantasies” in my readings. These were poems written in 1992 to commemorate the Indians discovering an Italian mercenary for Spain landing on their shore. After doing a new poem of my own, “Starting the Wine,” I did #23.
This is the third year of this reading series at St. Rose, run by new poppa Daniel Nester. This year the readings have been moved from St. Joseph’s Hall auditorium, with the big stage & curtains, to the Library. Same number of people showed up, just looked more crowded. I mean if the same 40 people showed up at the Knickerbocker Arena — I mean Pepsi Arena — whoops, no, Times-Union Center — folks would say, “there was nobody there.” Like skinny girls in tight pants.
As always, be sure to check out Dan’s blog often for these commentaries and poetry from Dan and other area poets.
