2nd Sunday @ 2: Poetry + Prose, December 11
Dan Wilcox and Nancy Klepsch hosted the 2nd Sunday at 2, Poetry and Prose open mic at the Arts Center in Troy with 15 poets on the list.
Dan Wilcox and Nancy Klepsch hosted the 2nd Sunday at 2, Poetry and Prose open mic at the Arts Center in Troy with 15 poets on the list.
The start of our 5th year at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, with my co-host Nancy Klepsch, down the hall in the conference room.
It was a beautiful (Mothers) day outdoors with Tulip Festival, but just the same the poets showed up for the open mic at the Arts Center.
A beautiful Fall day and “Chowder Fest” in Troy, NY and Dan Wilcox and Nancy Klepsch still had a bunch of poets come out to the Arts Center.
Dan Wilcox and Nancy Klepsch are back after the Summer off for the Poetry + Prose open mic at the Arts Center in Troy, on a lovely Sunday afternoon.
The quarterly 1st Friday Night Out/Art Walk open mic at the APL Main Branch took place on Friday, September 6 hosted by Kevin Peterson.
A day of parades, the Pride Parade in Albany, & the Flag Day Parade in Troy where this reading happened in spite of it all. Nancy Klepsch & me, DWx, the hosts, readers & listeners. I was first up with a clutch of new poems, the first perhaps goes on, “Counting Moons” then “Delete this …
As you can see, this was not a “Slam” but a S.L.A.M., but 3 of Albany’s finest poets performed in another of Saratoga’s problematic “Arts Festivals.” This was held on the patio of Sperry’s Restaurant on Caroline St. The problem here being Caroline St…
This is just an open mic, no featured reader, held most months of the year at the Arts Center of the Capital Region on River St. in Troy, NY for writers of prose & poetry. The hosts are Nancy Klepsch & me, DWx. Brian Dorn has gotten brave & signed up first, & started with …
Nancy Klepsch was back as co-host with me, DWx, & a full list of open mic readers, some for the first time, some regulars. George Guarino started us off with a hypnotic reading of his piece “What If,” setting the tone for the afternoon. …
This is a new open mic series in town that I’ve been meaning to get to, but it’s on Thursdays & I miss at least one a month due to my own venue on the third Thursday & somehow other Thursdays get away from me as well. Finally, I got there this…
Tossing the beret photo by A.C. Everson |
When AlbanyPoets started Poets Speak Loud! at the Lark Tavern on Madison Ave., in Albany, the first reading was scheduled for January 31, 2005, the last Monday of the month, in tribute to Tom Nattell whose legendary poetry open mic at the QE2 (a punk rock club) on Central Ave. was held on the last Monday of the month for over 11 years. Tom, who was dying of cancer at the time, was invited to be the first featured reader. He died the morning of the reading, so the open mic became an impromptou memorial service. Afterwards we marched to the Robert Burns statue in Washington Park to “toss” Tom’s beret to the head of Bobbie Burns, in what has become a yearly ritual.
Since 2011, following the fire at the Lark Tavern & the move of Poets Speak Loud! to McGeary’s, we’ve been having the beret toss prior to the reading. After a pre-toss party at the home of Carolee on Lark St., we trapesed to the statue, with a candle, flowers, sage & a green beret. We took turns tossing it to Robert Burns until Keith Spencer landed it with precision on the grand Scots poet’s arm.
Down at McGeary’s tonight we gathered for the open mic, with me, DWx, as the host. I read my short tribute poem with bell, “Theology 101” then played Tom’s performance poem, “Wounded Knee,” from the 3 Guys from Albany cassette/CD. Then on to a great cluster of poets from this community of great poets, some of whom had been on the stage of the QE2 & knew Tom, others who were much too young, but are now carrying on his work in their own way.
First up was A.C. Everson, who told the story of Tom talking into her deaf ear while a poet read on stage; her poem “I’m Looking for Where the We Are” was in the spirit of Tom, then a new work in progress, “My Country.” Then, in contrast, Carolee (almost not) Sherwood, with a poem written last Thursday, combining Winter & divorce, “Blue Sky January,” then “from someone who doesn’t write love poems” (she said) a poem about a first kiss, “Unless You Count the Tulips.” Avery‘s poem “Where Inspiration is Created” ended with an invocation of the Greek muses. R.M. Engelhardt had his own remembrances of the music & performances at the QE2, then a preachy bar poem imagining himself as an “Old Soul;” he has a new book out, The Resurrection Waltz, from which he read “St. Poem.”
New face & voice Natalie read 2 poems rich in vivid images, “Heart Strum” & the picture of a family cooking, “Diorama.” Jill Crammond recalled seeing Quincy Troupe & the AIDS quilt, both brought to Albany by Tom Nattell; she read “After My Son Returns From His Father I Learn Guns Are Not Bad” & the love poem “Outside Your Home the Machine Lifts Boulders.” Kevin Peterson read a short poem that flew by, “Bayonets” then a piece about watching TV & flipping between football & “Law & Order” (done that too). Tess Lecuyer read her funny, provocative list poem, “Prompts: Dates.” I followed with my annual birthday poem — if I live long enough may have poems enough for a chapbook someday! Sally Rhoades also remembers the QE2, specifically March 15, 1990, then read “I Wear My Wounds Gently” & another piece that sounded like notes for the other poem.
Tom Nattell, 1991 |
Sylvia Barnard‘s memory of Tom goes back to the Readings Against the End of the World; she read 2 poems from her new book, Trees, the anti-war piece “To Harry Patch” & a Civil War poem, “Marriage Quilt.” Leslie Michelle didn’t read her own work, but instead read “At Shakespeare & Company” from Jan Tramontano‘s book Woman Sitting in a Café and other poems of Paris (The Troy Book Makers, 2008).
Thom Francis read a poem about an occasion at work I remember only too well — at a meeting with “the divine leader,” surrounded by sycophants. Mary Panza told us she was 19 when she first went to the QE2 (heck, I was only 21), & read a re-write of her signature piece, “This is Not an Angry Poem.” Joe Krausman read 2 “shorts” as he described them, “Alice” & a funny “psychological” poem. Poetyc Vyzons slipped in at the last minute & was positive, about loving yourself & others, & about passing on our gifts to our children.
To conclude I read my elegy, “Chasing Tom,” then played the recording of Tom’s classic “Save It” & ended with his last poem:
Short or tall
flowers
are wonderful
Other last Mondays of the month, Poets Speak Loud! continues at McGeary’s on Clinton Square in Albany with an open mic & a featured poet — check AlbanyPoets.com for details.
The Hudson Valley Writers Guild supports the efforts of writers in all genres by sponsoring readings, workshops, and contests and providing a number of valuable resources for the entire literary community.