OPEN MIC-RONISM

Braving shrink-your-balls weather (even those without balls ... had them shrink, fall off, and roll away), a heartily determined small group of word lovers left the freezing temps outside and gathered in the warm air of the UAG Gallery to hear a trio of poets from Albany Poets recite their written work: Chris Brozek and Co-Presidents of the Hudson Valley Writers' Guild, Carolee Sherwood & Jill Crammond Wickham.

II, being of not-so-sound mind and delusions of impending greatness, made an attempt to record the festivities but, as you will see, fell short of completing that task to the best of my camera's ability (please forgive her - her name is "Camera D. Ass", just so you know ... she does make a gallant effort to record sound in which one can hear clearly - but she laughs in your face at your obvious ignorance to think that that is a given ... and on occasion, she does take a quality pic, however, that is only "on occasion" and at her discretion).

Please enjoy the video, anyway :-)

MAKING MERRY & MAYHEM at the MIC

Emceed by Mary Panza, the ALBANY POETS did not disappoint when they sponsored another Open Mic at the UAG a couple nights ago. Anyone, whether a member or not, could sign up to read their poetry, songs, thoughts, ideas, short stories, etc and perform them for an eager audience.



Three of my favorites: Dan Wilcox, read a few pieces which encompassed "The Beach" and "Zombie Gourd" (a nod to Halloween, no doubt); Cynthia Solywoda (below) performed an original song (a cappella) and read excerpts from a piece that included a language she created (and its translation); and Don Levy's "Getting Older by the Minute" struck a cord in everyone above the age of ten.


Other people at the mic were Thom Francis & Keith Spencer (better known as "Murrow"), Michael Purcell, Chris Borzek, and Bob Sharkey.

All were simply brilliant!!!

POETS PRODUCE PASSIONATE PROSE at The UAG

The Upstate Artists Guild of Albany, NY

was the place to be last night.

Not only were figurative

and photographic art on

display, but so was the

written kind. The writers

from Albany Poets added

a touch of intellectual

ambiguity to a backdrop

of in-your-face outsider,

graffiti, and street art

(current exhibit is

TAG IT

and runs 'til the 25th

of September, 2009).

Though prose was

highlighted, rhyme also

had a place among thoughts, wonders and actualities that were

recited and then hung in the air before disappearing to that place

where all things go to disappear.

If you missed last night,

not to worry: POETRY

OPEN MIC NIGHT will

be held the 2nd Friday

for the next three

months -

Oct, 9th;

Nov, 13th; &

Dec, 11th

from 7ish to 9ish pm.

Again, the guild will host these nights at the gallery -

247 Lark Street - and Albany Poets will sponsor them.

These events are FREE but DONATIONS will be GREATLY

APPRECIATED (;-D)!

At The MIC:

1.Sylvia Barnard

2. Alan Siegel

3. Tom (just "Tom")

4. Kevin Peterson

5. Todd Fabozzi

6. R.M. Engelhardt

7. Matt Galletta (not pictured)

Plus a special reading with musical accompaniment was done by

Thom Francis and Keith Spencer of MURROW (I was moved by their

piece about 9/11).