Bob Sharkey is the editor of the annual Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Contest. He’s a long-term board member of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild where he is now the membership person. Surface at Sunrise, his second chapbook, is currently available. Although his poems have been published in many journals, he prefers the immediate feedback from open mics and from opportunities to read as a feature. He started his writing career at St. Patrick’s grammar school in Portland Maine.
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.
Another third Thursday at the Social Justice Center, with our featured poet, Susan Maurer, all the way up from New York City.
To begin this third Thursday night I invoked the Muse, tonight the gone bohemian character & poet Maxwell Bodenheim. Then on to the open mic.
This was a special reading (and open mic) to celebrate Pride month held at the Fulton Street Gallery in Troy, organized by Nancy Klepsch.
The last Monday of the month is when Poets Speak Loud! is at McGeary’s and since it was the last Monday of May, it was also Memorial Day.
Finally recovered from last month’s Poet Laureate Contest at Smith’s Tavern we were back at Old Songs for the open mic with featured poet Tim Dwyer.
’Tis the season for this series at the Pine Hollow Arboretum Visitors Center with host Alan Casline and featured poet Paulette Swartzfager.
There was a good group of local poets gathered to read in the open mic & to hear our featured poet, Janet Hamill at the Social Justice Center.
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.
When the first Word Fest happened in 2001 it was an open mic. Since then Word Fest has grown & changed, but the one constant is the annual Word Fest Open Mic.
This year with the series a full week of readings and open mics this regular monthly poetry event was a fully official part of Word Fest.
Word Fest week is here! We have a week’s worth of poetry & spoken word events lined up. Plus, there are open mics & reading taking place all over the area.
