Veterans’ Reading From the Anthology “Post Traumatic Press 2007”

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.

Caffe Lena Open Mic And Chapbook Release

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.

Reading From The Anthology "Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans"

On Thursday, April 3, 6:45 - 8:45 pm at the Bethlehem Public Library (451 Delaware Ave, Delmar ) Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Veterans For Peace & Post Traumatic Press presents a reading from the anthology "Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans", edited by Dayl Wise. The featured readers will  include Dayl Wise, Jim Murphy, Thomas Brinson and Dan Wilcox. 

"Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans" was put together to tell the stories of veterans with direct  experience of the military.  For some, the intense experience of war can only be expressed in poetry, while others are driven by the need to say something openly political. The contributors includes veterans from World War II, the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, peace time and the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Copies of the anthology will be available and proceeds supports Veterans For Peace.

This event  free and open to the  public and will include an open mic for community poets.  For more information, call 518-391-2830. 

 

Upcoming Events at Java Jazz

Here are some upcoming events at the Java Jazz Cafe (318 Delaware Avenue, Delmar).

Thursday, February 21st from 7pm to 9pm, Blue Wilder and Chrys Ballerano, will combine their talents and energy for a great evening of guitar and folk music.

Friday, February 22nd from 7pm to 9pm we are pleased to introduce Rob Skane to our growing group of entertainers - Rob's song and guitar style is truly enjoyable - a great evening for everyone!

AND...

Next week, Monday, February 25th from 6:30 to 8 pm, Java Jazz is proud to host author Richard Boes, reading from his latest work: "The Last Dead Soldier Left Alive".  Richard is a Vietnam Veteran for Peace.  Introductions by Dan Wilcox.

For more information on the Java Jazz Cafe, contact Cathy at (518) 439-1727 or visit their website at http://www.javajazzcafe.net

Michael Bostick at the Third Thursday Poetry Night

The Poetry Motel Foundation presents Third Thursday Poetry Night at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY on Thursday, February 21, 2008 (7:00 sign up; 7:30 start ) with featured poet Michael Bostick.  

Open mic for poets before and after the feature.  $3.00 donation -- suggested, more if you got it, less if you can’t.   This night of poetry is hosted by Dan Wilcox.

Michael Bostick is the author of “Mou-si: Life Lessons and Thoughts Set to Poetry”, published by RoseDog Books in May, and was the subject of a profile about his writing in the Albany Times-Union in October. His poetry explores such varied subjects as social ills, spirituality, alcoholism, love, race and responsibility.

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

There were two open mic commentaries and one post about the difference between print poetry and performance poetry this week over at Dan Wilcox's blog.   There are some very good points about print vs. performance in the comments section from Therese Broderick and Mary Kathryn Jablonski so be sure to check those out, too.

Poets Speak Loud, October 29

So I, Dan Wilcox, ended up being #1 on The List again & read a couple new poems inspired by conversations with other poets, "Consumerism," & "Poetry Prompts." I was followed by Scott Casale, who hasn't been around for a while. Both his poems seemed based on random phrases & images, "Stop Writing a Piccolo's Refund," & "Amarillo Bleu," where the second stanza is a re-arrangement of the first stanza.

Print poems v. Perf' po

Buried in the tsunami of comments on my Blog of October 26 were some musings by Therese Broderick about performing poetry at an open mic. Therese is a thoughtful poet who likes to ponder the many & various issues of modern poetry both in & out of our community. Her comments reflect some of the issues that I have confronted over the years in practice & thought (this is not meant as a point-by-point response to Therese's comments, I'm just bouncing off them randomly).

Albany Poets Presents, November 6

As advertised, this was the challenge laid down by Mary Panza to perform the best dramatic reading of the worst song lyrics and you win a featured reading at the Poets Speak Loud open mic at the Lark Tavern in the future, even if you have already featured. So the hardcore showed up, with the best of tunes & worst of tunes.

Go to Dan's blog to read his complete commentaries and speak or mind in the comments section of the posts.

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

What a busy week it has been on the Dan Wilcox blog.  He posted a blog last week about a recent HVWG event with a small audience and the comments section exploded.  Here is what happened on Dan's blog this week.

Third Thursday Poetry Night at the Social Justice Center, October 18

So then the strangest thing happened -- Dennis Sullivan, our night's feature had left a couple of free broadsides up on the counter by the sign-up sheet & our first poet up, Daniel Scott, who was unfamiliar to what we were doing, picked up one of Dennis' broadsides & read it. What a cool introduction to the night's feature -- how perfect. (Perhaps Daniel will return with one of his own poems soon.)

What If They Gave A Reading & No One Showed Up?, October 20

Even though "Community of Writers" was sponsored by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild there were but 10 of us in the large (then seeming larger) auditorium of the Albany Public Library to hear Russell Dunn, Lyn Miller-Lachmann & Pierre Joris read from their work.

As always, be sure to check out Dan's blog for more on the poetry scene here in the Albany area. 

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

Welcome back to the Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up.  This week we have Dan's comments on Shaun Baxter's open mic at the Night Sky Cafe and a special report from Miss Mona about the Allen Fisher reading at the UAG.

Allen Fisher Reading at UAG Gallery, October 12

I asked my old friend, Miss Mona, to cover this event for me while I was in Philadelphia. Miss Mona used to comment on the gossip scene in Albany years back & has just been growing old since.

Zounds!, October 17

The monthly open mic at the NightSky Cafe on Union St. in Schenectady, with our host Shaun Baxter. I note that Shaun seems to have responded to fact that he is not the shortest open mic host by producing the smallest open mic flyer, just over 3x4 inches. He started us off with Raymond Carver's "Where Water Comes Together with Other Water", then challenged us to parody William Carlos Williams' "This is just to say...", you know, the plums-in-the-fridg poem.

Be sure to check out Dan's blog for more on the poetry scene here in Albany.  Dan also has a post about a recent visit from Charlie Rossiter (of the Three Guys from Albany).

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

We are back with the Dan Wilcox Poetry Open Mic Commentary Round-Up. This week Dan did not comment on any open mics, but he did give his views of the new Behind the Egg reading at the Federation of Ideas and the Banned Books reading at the Albany Public Library.

Banned Books Read-Out, October 6

An annual event at the Albany Public Library, co-sponsored with New York Civil Liberties Union, Capital Region Chapter. John Cirrin, the Public Information Officer for the Library introduced Joanna Palladino who put the event together & was the M.C., with some opening remarks by Melanie Trimble, the NYCLU-CRC Executive Director. As usual, readers from the community picked their favorite of books that have been banned/challenged over the years. Many of these were books for children & young adults.

Behind the Egg at Point 5, October 6

Not quite literally behind the Egg, this series began it's new season with 3 powerful poets from the area, Randall Horton, Cara Benson & Carol Graser. The hosts are Erik Sweet & Daniel Nester

As always, be sure to check out Dan’s blog often for more commentaries of local poetry events, readings, and yes, open mics.

Dan Wilcox Poetry Open Mic Round-Up

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..."

Caffe Len, October 3

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.

Frequency North, October 4

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.

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

Welcome back to our second edition of the Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up, where we list the most recent poetry open mic and reading commentaries from Dan's blog.

Third Thursday Poetry Night, September 20

Another third Thursday at the Social Justice Center, with your fantastic (objectively speaking) host, Dan Wilcox -- hey, that's me. And the muse was the late Grace Paley -- "It is the responsibility of society to let the poet be a poet..." ("Responsibility").

Poets Speak Loud, September 24

Twice in one week the featured poet doesn't make it to his/her reading -- global warming or the war in Iraq -- or just the Full Moon? Robert Milby had car trouble last Wednesday & Barbara Vink had pneumonia tonight. I'm guessing that both will be rescheduled eventually. So the host, Mary Panza read Barb's poem "The tavern keeper" from her new chapbook Heat Wave (Benevolent Bird Press, PO Box 522, Delmar, NY 12054 -- handsewn, individual wood block print covers, edition of 100 copies, from Alan Casline).

Be sure to check out Dan's blog often for more commentary on the upstate New York poetry scene.

The Dan Wilcox Open Mic Commentary Round-Up

Since Dan began his blog where he features his thoughts on the open mics and poetry readings that he goes out to, many people have mentioned his "reviews" while on stage.  With that in mind, we thought we would start a new feature here on the Albany Poets Blog where we would round-up the previous weeks commentaries on Dan's blog.

LarkFEST 2007, Saturday, September 15

I'm not a big fan of these festivals, especially for poetry -- over-priced vendors, the same hot dogs & pizza & lemonade everywhere (I did find some decent clam chowder, overpriced, of course), crowds, wobbly port-a-johns, sanitized bands, cute honeys (oh, wait, that's a good thing). But Albany Poets did the best it could under the circumstances, & I think having poets do short, zingy sets between bands was a good idea.

Poetry and Performance, September 15

This was a reading/performance, organized by Denie Whalen of New York Expressive Arts & co-sponsored by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild. The performers were Elizabeth Gordon McKim & Steve Clorfeine. They had conducted a workshop for New York Expressive Arts earlier in the day & their performance was in the Nia-Yoga space on the main floor of 4 Central Ave. It was perfect venue for these performers, an open space with the city through floor-length windows on one side, mirrors on the other, & a bank of plants & ceramics behind them.

Colony Cafe, September 17

I was proud to be a participant in this reading bringing together writer-veterans who are included in Post Traumatic Press 2007: poems by veterans. I have a great deal of affection for Dayl Wise, the editor, & his co-conspirator/copy-editor/wife Alison Koffler (both read at Poets in the Park this year), & for the other veterans/activists/writers included in the anthology.

Zounds!, September 19

At the NightSky Cafe in Schenectady, with our host, Shaun Baxter (substituting for the substitute host, Liz King, who had been scheduled to host for Shaun Baxter -- or something to that effect). And the scheduled featured poet, the whirling dervish of mid-Hudson Valley (& beyond) poetry, Robert Milby was stuck somewhere else with car trouble.

Be sure to check out Dan's blog often for more commentary on the poetry scene and also for his own poems that he frequently posts, which are always a great treat.