 First of all, we want to thank everyone involved in WORD FEST 2008. The audiences were great, the performances were stellar and the UAG was once again so generous in lending their time and space to us.
Now here is what Albany Poets is asking from you: We need contributors, editors, artists, photographers, and especially volunteers to help out with OTHER:. We want to take it to the next step and we need your ideas and hard work to make it happen. Are you good at writing reviews? Are you handy with a stapler? We need you and everyone in between to make OTHER: what it was meant to be: YOURS!! We are having an informational meeting to discuss the future of OTHER: on Tuesday May 13th at 7:30pm. The location will be decided by the number of people interested. If you are interested in joining TEAM OTHER: contact Thom Francis at thom@albanypoets.com. Introduce yourself, your experience, and your interests. Labels: Albany Poets, OTHER
 Every Monday Night "Forever". All events include an open mic of poetry/prose/performance hosted by Phillip Levine (Chronogram Poetry Editor).
Doors Open at 7pm, start time is 7:30pm. Features read for approximately 20-25mins each, beginning around 8pm. Open mic before & after the featured readers.
Upcoming "Special Guests": Monday, June 2nd, 2008:
Northeast Center for Special Care - Resident Poets, Artists and Musicians Monday, June 9th, 2008:
Steven Cleaver (poetry, fiction) - Steven Cleaver is a poet and fiction writer. His first novel, Saving Erasmus, was named Best of 2007 by Publishers Weekly and he was called an Original Voice by Borders Books. His poetry has won awards and has been listed on Poets Against the War. He brings a quirky sense of humor and a wry outlook on life to his writings. He is working on a book of poetry, Dear God, Or Whatever Your Name is Now and a second novel, The Gaps Between the Platforms. Brett Bevell (poet) - Brett Bevell is the author of the illustrated poetry books America Needs a Buddhist President (White Cloud Press 2004) and America Needs a Woman President (Monkfish 2007), as well as The Reiki Magic Guide To Self Attunement (Crossing Press 2007). Brett won the 1995 Paul Laurance Dunbar Poetry Prize, and has published his work in progressive and literary magazines around the country such as Chronogram and Earth First Journal. He lives and works at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY Monday, June 16th, 2008:
Teresa Costa (poet) - Teresa Costa can be reached at: manxcat12491@yahoo.com Jan Castro (poet) - I moved from St. Louis to New York City and Ulster County about a year ago, on June 22nd, 2005. Here are some of my many poetry publications, performances! Published Poetry includes: Wax-Winged, libretto and letterpress by Eclectic Press, 2005; The Last Frontier, 2002, and poems in Eyeball No. 5,” New Letters; Memories and Memoirs… by Missouri Authors; Poem for Julius Hemphill on WSQ CD, Justin Time Records, disk 137-2, 2000; Exquisite Corpse, Contact II, Telephone, Greenfield Review, Roof I, Weid, Abraxas; and the portfolio Thirteen Poets from Nevertheless Press. Poetry Readings include: New Music Circle and other Jam Sessions, River Styx at Duff's, Community College, E. St. Louis; Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis Poetry Center, Chicago Public Library Cultural Center, University of Kentucky at Lexington, Cornell U., U. of Wisconsin, Edinburgh and London Arts Festivals, Washington U., Webster U., Fiske Planetarium in Boulder, St. Louis U., Laumeier Sculpture Park, U. of Louisville, Missouri Botanical Garden, Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines Conference at the University of Iowa; New College in San Francisco, U. of Missouri-St. Louis; Small Press Book Fair at New York U.; Staten Island College, Lindenwood U., and radio programs in California, Missouri, and other states. 1996 -2000: Cassis, France; Co-Host, New Music Circle on HDHX, Sept. 17; Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club on Oct. 5; Obie's Pub: Sept. and Oct. 11; Left Bank Books on Nov. 2; Brandt's Spoken Word Sundays on Dec. 7 ’97; Poetry for University City Municipal Commission, March 21; poetry for River Styx at Duff’s, April 19; Day of the Dead Beats reading, Blueberry Hill, Nov. 1; Meramec Writing Festival 2000, March 31; 3rd annual “Howl” reading, April 16: biography panelist and poet, MO Center for the Book: U. of MO, Columbia, 11 Nov. 2000. 2001 - 2006: two concerts at the Galaxy club; poetry performance with Gash-Voigt Dance Theater; exhibition & reading of The Last Frontier for Special Collections Washington University, St. Louis; Southern Illinois U., E. St. Louis; Lindenwood U., St. Charles MO; “Poem for a Poet” danced at Forest Park Community College by Gash-Voigt Dance Theater; Taproots Arts Fair; and YMCA Meet the Authors at Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, St. Louis. Author: Sonia Delaunay: La Moderne, The Art & Life of Georgia O'Keeffe, The Last Frontier (poetry); co-editor, Seeking St. Louis, Voices from a River City, 1670-2000, Margaret Atwood: Vision and Forms; Contributing Editor, Sculpture Magazine, 1996 to present; freelance writer: The Nation, American Poetry Review, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Black Renaissance Noire, belles lettres. Curator and memberships: Midwest Sculpture (06), Sonia Delaunay: La Moderne (02); Guest Art Advisor, Sculpture Key West (06); humanities professor, guest lecturer, arts consultant at universities; Founding Executive Director and award-winning Editor for Big River Association; member of Board of National Coalition of Independent Scholars; member, New York’s PEN American Center. See Jan Garden Castro at www.google.com and www.sculpture.org Monday, June 23rd, 2008 - 7pm:
Thom Francis (poet) - Thom Francis, an upstate New York native, has been a writer and spoken word artist since he was old enough to understand, and therefore question the nature of the world in which we all exist. His skepticism, an attribute that seems to have been instilled in Thom since birth, has only been strengthened by the struggles in which he has encountered throughout the course of his thirty years of survival. These various struggles have made Thom an extremely strong and empathetic person, as well as the perfect candidate to pursue a calling in which he exposes the peculiarity exhibited by the human race. His work, based upon personal experience as well as general observations, always reveals an outlook commonly overlooked by the average observer. Since Thom has been involved in the Albany area poetry scene he has been featured at such open mics and events as The School of Night (Valentines), Vox (Albany Center Galleries), Web of Consciousness (C@fe Web), Live from the Living Room (Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Center), Open Spoken (Colony Café, Woodstock), Kill Your TV, Feed Your Ears (Lark Street Bookshop), Third Thursday Poetry Open Mic (Lark Street Bookshop), Poets in the Park (Washington Park), the Albany Word Fest 2001, 2002 (Thacher Park), 2003 (Valentines), 2006 (UAG Gallery), and 2007 (Tess' Lark Tavern), and LARKfest in 2006 and 2007. Mary Panza (poet) - Mary Panza currently serves as the Vice President of Albany Poets. She is the host of the monthly poetry and spoken word open mic, Poets Speak Loud, held at the Lark Tavern. She has been involved in the Albany poetry community for over a decade hosting events, performing her own work, producing a local poetry CD, and editing an anthology on the local Albany scene. Monday, June 30th, 2008 - 7pm:
Craig Hancock & The Kinderhook Group (poetry) - Craig Hancock’s poems have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies, most recently Hudson River Art and Peer Glass. For the past twenty years, he has taught writing at UAlbany, working mainly with Educational Opportunity Program students, who help keep him honest, paid, and real. Most recently, he has been looking deep and hard into the heart of language. One result, Meaning-Centered Grammar (Equinox, Ltd) appeared in late 2005. He is now working on a follow-up book, a more fully integrated grammar and rhetoric. He is a founding member and past President of the Hudson Valley Writer’s guild, founder of the Kinderhook Writer’s Group. Most of his recent poems have come out as songs. Planned July Schedule:
7/7 - Billy Internicola (poet); Frank LaRonca (poet)
7/14 - Allen Murphy (poet); Judy Lechner (poet)
7/21 - Joanne Pagano Weber (writer/painter); Bruce Weber (poet/art historian)
7/28 - Donald Lev & Home Planet News Benefit Colony Café, 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock, NY
(845)679-5342 - www.colonycafe.com Labels: Colony Cafe, Mary Panza, open mic, poetry events, Thom Francis, Woodstock
 Where: 'Over The Rainbow', 35 Hudson Ave, Nyack, NY (corner of South Broadway)
When: Monday May 12th, 7:00 – 9:00PM
Come join us. Open mic, before and after features. Sign up for open mic before or during reading. We also want to hear your voices!
Post Traumatic Press 2007 is a …
…searing raw-whisky anthology by military veterans from World War II to Iraq. New recruits like Jim Murphy who “just got in-country.” And seasoned writers like Richard Boes, Larry Winters and Marc Levy make art from “things that won’t let go.”
Chronogram - Arts . Culture . Spirit . Through poetry, prose and song, this book tells the stories of veterans with direct experience of the military. For some, the intense experience of war can only be expressed in writing, while others are driven by the need to say something openly political. The book includes veterans from World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, peace time and the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reading their own work are Vietnam veterans Walt Nygard and Jerry McCarthy, USMC; Jim Murphy, USAF; Thomas Brinson, Dan Wilcox and Dayl Wise, US Army; and WW II US Army veterans Jay Wenk and Sam Weinreb among others... PTP 2007 - $10 - Book proceeds to Post Traumatic Press. Published by Post Traumatic Press, Woodstock, NY. Editor: D. Wise, dswbike@aol.com. Visit web site at www.PostTraumaticPress.org. ‘Over The Rainbow’ is an organic restaurant and cafe that provides a unique and welcoming place to share resources and to build a responsive community voice to social issues.  Labels: Dan Wilcox, open mic, poetry events
Looks like a very interesting pair of readings will be taking place on May 8th at 7:30pm in Nyack. Take a gander at the bio of Afaa Michael Weaver (http://www.afaamweaver.com/). Catherine Doty & Afaa Michael Weaver
Riverspace
119 Main St., Nyack, NY
845-348-0741; info@riverspace.org
 So far this years Albany Word Fest (This Weekend! April 18-19) is looking like it will be the biggest and best yet!
Four days until the 2008 Albany Word Fest and there is still time to sign up online for the Friday Night Open Mic at the UAG Gallery. So far there are 75 poets signed up for the open mic with the online signup closing tomorrow evening. Poets who do not sign up online will be able to sign up at the open mic at the UAG on Friday night. Also, we are very excited to announce THE POET ESSENCE will be performing at the Psycho Cluster F#*k on Saturday night. The Poet Essence is one of Albany's best spoken word artists and it is a real honor to have her as part of this years event. Saturday's annual Psycho Cluster F#* will also be featuring The Johnny Bravehearts (Mary Panza, John Weiler, Monica Roach), The House Band of the Apocalypse (Thom Francis, K.J. Spencer, Aaron Christiansen), a multimedia performance from poet Nicole K with VJ Fongaboo of Twisted Pair Visuals, plus more acts to be announced this week... The 2008 Albany Word Fest will also be the place to grab your copy of the long awaited, much anticipated OTHER:NINE. The ninth issue of our litery magazine will be available featuring Maria Barr, Shuan Baxter, Chris Brabham, Seth Brown, Scott Casale, Michael J. Conner, Stephen H. Donohue, Tom Harmon, Nicole Karas, Adam Kress, Penny Meacham-Cornelius, Lisa Nolan, T. Kilgore Splake, Leigh Vandebogart, Dan Wilcox, and Hollice Danielle Wiles. Plus, an updated listing of all of the poetry readings and open mics in the area, the return of Miss Mona, and more. We will launching some new features on the Albany Poets website for the Word Fest including an online open mic, a new look for the OTHER: site, and updated poets profiles and poems. For more information on the 2008 Albany Word Fest and to sign up for the open mic, go to www.albanywordfest.com Labels: Albany Poets, Albany Word Fest, National Poetry Month
 Woodstock Poetry Society & Festival as part of the Woodstock Arts Consortium is sponsoring the following poetry event as part of the Woodstock Arts Week. For a full listing of Arts Week events, see: www.woodstockartsconsortium.org.
Poets Gretchen Primack and Allen C. Fischer will be the featured readers when the Woodstock Poetry Society & Festival meets at the Woodstock Town Hall, 76 Tinker Street, on Saturday, April 12th at 2pm. Note: WPS&F meetings are held the 2nd Saturday of every month. The readings will be hosted by Woodstock area poet Phillip Levine. All meetings are free, open to the public, and include an open mike. Gretchen Primack’s publication credits include The Paris Review, Prairie Schooner, FIELD, New Orleans Review, Rhino, Best New Poets 2006, and others. Her chapbook The Slow Creaking of Planets is freshly minted from Finishing Line Press. She teaches at Bard College and at two maximum-security prisons through the Bard Prison Initiative. More information and poems can be found at www.gretchenprimack.com. Allen Fischer is not reluctant to draw on his business background in his poetry. Although he lives for the most part in Saugerties, NY, he splits his time between city (Brooklyn, NY) and country (Saugerties, NY) with one month a year near Hamburg, Germany, his wife's home town. His writing is also somewhat peripatetic as feelings and concerns are dealt with through the historic, social and scenic lenses of these various locations. Retired as director of marketing for a nationwide corporation, Fischer's writing is as likely to mine the images and conflicts of the world of business as it is to describe the seasonal extremes of upstate New York. From the Philadelphia area, a graduate of Haverford College, he attended Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies both in Washington DC and Bologna Italy. Later, he served in the US Army, also in Italy, thus setting in motion a life of changing locations. Fischer came to poetry relatively late, beginning to write "whenever possible" in his forties. For about 12 years, he worked closely with poet William Matthews. Allen Fischer has published widely in journals such as The Greensboro Review, Indiana Review, The Laurel Review, Poetry, Poetry Northwest, Prairie Schooner, Rattapallax and River Styx. In 1997, his poems were selected for inclusion in the Anthology of Magazine Verse & Yearbook of American Poetry and Bright Hill Press' Out of the Catskills and Just Beyond, and in 2007, Riverine: An Anthology of Hudson Valley Writers. Labels: poetry events, Woodstock
 Live From The Living Room, a featured reading series with an open mic afterwards is held on the second Wednesday of every month at the Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Center, 332 Hudson Avenue, Albany, NY. The next reading is April 9th with local poet/dancer Sally Rhodes
Sally is a local poet who has, from time to time, incorporated dance into her public featured readings. Sign up is at 7pm with 7:30 start time with host Don Levy and $2.00 suggested donation. For more info call (518) 462-6138. This is a straight-friendly reading. Labels: Live From The Living Room, open mic, poetry events
 Musician and multi-tasker Michael Eck is the featured artist for Upstate Artists Guild’s third national exhibit, “WTF? What The Folk”
Michael Eck’s visual representations of seminal American folk, blues and jazz musicians have been featured nationally at venues such as The Lisle Station Museum (Illinois), The Outsiders Art (Connecticut), Inside/Out Gallery (Minnesota), Fairleigh Dickinson University (New Jersey) and Synagogue for the Arts (New York). Regionally Eck has been a featured artist at Albany Center Galleries, Fulton Street Gallery, Firlefanz Gallery and the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Using donated paint and power tools, Eck makes his works from recycled material, including desk drawers, shelving, wooden boxes, farm equipment, door panels, demolished stage sets and discarded construction materials. The paintings are a direct outgrowth of his fascination with the ever-flowing river of American music. Eck’s portion of the exhibit will contain over 50 works. Fully half of the works have never been shown; the remainder is a retrospective of musician portraits from the last five years. Many of the new works come from a multi-media work-in-progress, “The Anthology Alive!: One Man’s View of The Anthology of American Folk Music.” Eck – a member of Ramblin Jug Stompers and The Gospel Train, as well as an acclaimed songwriter -- will also perform a few songs at the opening and engage in a question/answer session with patrons. Eck dedicates this show to the memory of Rochelle Brener, a great artist and a great inspiration. http://michaeleck.com/megal.htm WTF? What The Folk
April 4-25
Opening 6-9 pm, Friday, April 4
Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark Street, Albany NY Michael Eck - mandhand@aol.com - www.michaeleck.com - www.jugstompers.com Labels: arts events, Michael Eck, UAG
 Two Caffe Lena posts in one day...
The first Wednesday of every month Caffe Lena presents
CAFFE LENA POETRY OPEN MIC on Wednesday, April 2. Doors open at 7:00PM, reading starts at 7:30. $3.00 admission. This months featured poets are contributors from Caffe Lena's first poetry publication, EVERY DROP OF WATER: VOICES FROM CAFFE LENA POETRY STAGE with short readings from A.C. Everson, Barbara Ungar, Francelise Dawkins, Rob Faivre, Therese Broderick, Bob Sharkey, Dan Wilcox, Barbara Garro, Sue Jefts, Kristen Day and Sarah Craig. Please joins us to celebrate the official release of Every Drop of Water:Voices From Caffe Lena Poetry Stage. In the summer of 2003, Carol Graser stepped forward to revive Caffe Lena's long neglected poetry program. Since then Caffe Lena has enjoyed monthly poetry open mics, each highlighting a featured poet. This chapbook, the first ever released by the coffeehouse , contains poems written by features form the open mic's first two years. some authors will be present to read their work throughout the evening and the chapbook will be available for sale for the first time. This month is sponsored by: Saratoga Poetry Festival, Dedicated to Poetry in Public.
Labels: Caffe Lena, Dan Wilcox, National Poetry Month, open mic, poetry events
 On Sunday, April 6th, 2:00PM at Caffe Lena (47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY), in celebration of National Poetry Month, Caffè Lena offers a program of poetry written by and about women. Five award-winning poets will read their works: Barbara Ungar, Nancy White, Elaine Handley, Marilyn McCabe and Mary Sanders Shartle.
In addition, Handley, McCabe and Shartle will be joined by Lauren Vanko and Caroline Seligman in reading from Emma Saves Her Life, a book of poems based on the letters of author Naton Leslie's grandmother. Born in the mountains of Appalachia in 1907, Emma tells stories about her life which reverberate with wisdom, humor and pathos. Don't miss this unique event at Lena's. Cost is $5. For more information contact Mary Sanders Shartle at sar-poetryzone@sals.edu.
Labels: Caffe Lena, National Poetry Month, poetry events
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