Local Poetry On The Air

You can tell when National Poetry Month rolls around each year; the media takes the opportunity to highlight the art in the papers and on radio and television.  This week is no different with two appearances for local poetry.

On Wednesday, April 15, Thom Francis and Mary Panza will be on Channel 13 (WNYT) as part of their Midday News beginning at 11:00am.  Thom and Mary will be talking about the upcoming Albany Word Fest and read a poem or two.

Then on Friday, April 17, Joan Murray will be on the Roundtable program on WAMC (90.3FM / 1400AM) at 11:10am.  On the program Joan will be talking about a new anthology that she edited, The Pushcart Book of Poetry: the Best Poems from 30 Years of the Pushcart Prize, and her upcoming presentation of poems from that volume at The Arts Center in Troy.

Be sure to check out these programs showcasing the poetry and spoken word that lives in upstate New York.

Caffe Lena Poetry Festival, April 11

The Albany Word Fest is not the only poetry festival in the area this year celebrating National Poetry Month.  Carol Graser is putting together the Caffe Lena Poetry Festival on Saturday, April 11 (from noon to 10:00PM) with a great lineup of poets, workshops, and activities all leading up to a reading by the legendary Ed Sanders.

Here is the information from Carol:

This year Caffè Lena greets the approaching spring and the arrival of National Poetry Month with a torrent of words: an all-day festival of poetry performance and workshops.

The program will feature twenty-minute readings throughout the afternoon by twelve stylistically varied, widely read poets from NYC, Rhode Island, Maine, the Capital District and the Adirondacks. Included will be Bernadette Mayer, Joseph Bruchac, Sam White, Michael Brown, Lyn Lifshin, Alan Catlin, Steven Huff, Miriam Axel-Lute, Barbara Ungar, Nancy White, Miriam Herrera and Jordan Smith. Workshops will be offered by Joe Bruchac, Michael Brown, Barbara Ungar, Jordan Smith, Miriam Axel-Lute and Steven Huff.

Afterward, we'll Gather for conversation and a meal of appetizers, salads and main course dishes. Bring a dish for 10 people and eat for free, or pay $10 and fill your plate at the eclectic buffet.

Headlining our first Caffè Lena Poetry Festival is Ed Sanders, famed counter-culture figure of the ‘60s, who built a bridge between the Beatnik and Hippy generations.

Please check www.caffelena.org  for a full schedule of readings, workshops, and for information about the potluck dinner.

2008 Albany Word Fest Update

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

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.

Caffe Lena Celebrates National Poetry Month

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.

2008 Albany Word Fest

It is that time of year again...Albany Word Fest! 

In celebration of National Poetry Month, Albany Poets is proud to present the 2008 Albany Word Fest featuring the poetry, spoken word, and music of upstate New York.  This year’s event will take place on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, 2008.

The 2008 Albany Word Fest will start off on Friday night with a cocktail party at Tess’ Lark Tavern (453 Madison Ave.) at 5:00PM.  This is a chance for all of the poets and performers to get together, network, and reconnect with each other before the event begins. This is open to all ages.  Must be 21 or older to drink. 

At 7:00PM, the poetry and spoken word begins at the Friday Night Open Mic at the UAG Gallery (247 Lark Street).  

Poets who wish to participate in the open mic can sign up online by going to the Albany Word Fest website. Performers will also have a limited opportunity to sign up at the event itself.  Each poet will have three minutes to share their work.  The open mic is open to all poets and spoken word artists with no style or content restrictions.  Admission is based on donation.

On Saturday, day two of the 2008 Albany Word Fest brings the annual Psycho Cluster F*#k featuring music and spoken word from The Johnny Bravehearts (Mary Panza, John Weiler, Monica Roach), The House Band of the Apocalypse (Thom Francis, K.J. Spencer, Aaron Christiansen), and more to be announced.  Admission for this event is $5.00.  This event is open to all ages. 

Also, throughout the 2008 Albany Word Fest, Albany Poets will release OTHER:NINE, the long awaited new issue of Albany Poets’ literary magazine as well as the launch of many new features to the Albany Poets website including an online open mic, new poetry from local poets, updated photo galleries, performance videos, and more.

The 2008 Albany Word Fest is sponsored by Albany Poets, Tess’ Lark Tavern, UAG Gallery, and the very generous donations of supporters of the arts in upstate New York.  For more information, up-to-date event news, open mic sign up, and more, go to www.albanywordfest.com

A Program of Poetry at the North Chatham Free Library

In honor of National Poetry Month, the North Chatham Free Library is pleased to present Dr. Jeannine Johnson with a program entitled: "Why Read Poems? Why Do People Write Poems?"

Jeannine Johnson graduated with a BA from Haverford College, and a PhD from Yale,  Dr.  Johnson went on to teach at Yale, Wake Forest, and Harvard.   Currently, she is  a visiting Assistant Professor in Writing and English at Wellesley Her first book, “Why Write Poetry?  Modern Poets Defending Their Art,” was published in 2007.

At the library, on Sunday, April 13,  Dr. Johnson will be talking about modern poets and why they defend the value of poetry in their own poems. This is a relatively widespread and strange  phenomenon in modern poetry, which today enjoys a popularity that is unparalleled in our country's history.  Why do poets need to defend their poetry?   Dr. Johnson will share some of her ideas about the impulse to preach to the choir, as it were, and about some of the effects of doing so on poets, poetry, and readers.

The library chose this topic especially, to encourage people who are leery of poetry.  Because Dr. Johnson has special expertise, we invited her to this series even though she is not a resident of Columbia County.  The program begins at 3:00 pm.  It is free and open to the public. For any questions, please call the library at 518-766.3211.
This series is made possible with public funds from the Decentralization Program of the NYS Council on the Arts, administered in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts through the Twin Counties Cultural Fund.

Additional funds are provided by the Town of Chatham and donations to the library.

Any Questions?  Please contact Vicki Kurashige at 518-766-3211 or Julie Kabat, Executive/Artistic Director, Concerted Effort, Inc., PO Box 407, North Chatham, NY 12132