St. Lawrence Area Poets

Yes, more doldrums.  No north country poetry that I'm aware of.  I have started work on a SLAP poetry newsletter for September & am roughly 1/2-way finished.  Have at least one new writer to add, a fact which always tends to wake me up.  The hope is that w/ all the eager college students back in town, a renewed interest in poetry can be expected, w/ fierce poems circulating cyberly & perhaps sluggishly thru postal mail, house to house, one at a time, how quaint a notion. 

The next SLAP meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th at 6:30 at the gazebo in Ives Park in Potsdam.  In case of rain, we'll meet at Jernabi's coffeehouse by the bridge. Some idle efforts have been made to arrange a reading at the latter end of the ninth-month, as Whitman would put it.  Check for updates.

And the Challenge, well, here it is: Write a poem using heteronyms, words that look alike but have different meanings.  They may sound the same or different.  Example: tear & tear; the stuff that leaks from your eyes & to rip something into bits.  Get it? We need a poetic Mardi Gras, a Fat Tuesday, linguistic orgy, w/ food, music, drink, & lots of cool words arranged like birds & insects, flying & crawling, constructing, even destroying.  Certain things deserve to be destroyed. 

Anyway, build poems don't destroy them just yet.  And dig those crazy heteronyms.  Lead-lead, bull-bull, fly-fly.  Is there an echo in here?  See you next time.

Bye,

-John

soundtrack: Matthew Sweet

weather: cool & breezy, brilliant sun thru the clouds

no beverage

contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

The August SLAP meeting was a funky one.  Scheduled for 7:00 on a Tuesday evening in Ives Park in Potsdam, only Nancy, myself, & JeanMarie showed up.  We had a nice chat, exchanged some new poems, & talked about future Challenges for the poets.  Then who wandered over but Bill Clinger, w/ a friend.  Bill thought the meeting was going to be held on Thursday & just happened to be in Potsdam on Tuesday.  So he chatted w/ us for a bit, recited part of a new song, then strolled off w/ his companion into the dusk.  A few minutes later Neal Zirn appeared.  Neal was one of the strong SLAP members a couple of years ago, & just happened to be practicing in the park w/ his Tai Chi group.  He spotted us & came over to say hi.  Afterwards, Nancy, JeanMarie, & I went to the ice cream stand next to the Roxy & treated ourselves.  It was a warm summer evening.  The mood was convivial & festive.  Ice cream was the perfect topper! 

I later found out that two Slappers showed up for the meeting at 6:30 rather than 7:00.  So connections were funky, a word that might be a bit difficult to define, but that livens up a sentence like spicy -hot sauce on rice. 

The next meeting is scheduled for the second Tuesday in September, at Ives Park, 6:30.  The Challenge is ambiguous, so I'll report back later.  Have a good week & get some fine writing done.

Soundtrack: rain ticking on the windowpanes & metal roof

Miscellaneous: Tom Tomorrow, & the oxymoronic hot chili

contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Raining pretty hard right now.  Yesterday was the used Book & Bake sale at the Russell Library.  The word "used" in the previous sentence refers only to the books, not to the baked goods (we hope).  I bought the first four volumes of Winston Churchill's six-volume set about the second world war.  Now I've got to look around for volumes five & six.  Also bought a novel by the American Winston Churchill published in 1901, The Crisis.  Nancy picked up some young adult novels for school, a few cookbooks, & several miscellaneous items.  This is an annual event so I expect to see all you SLAPPERS at the sale next August.

For readings, well, the summer is generally slow.  But we did attend a reading back on July 29th at Creative Spirit in Potsdam.  It was rather well-attended, w/ at least two dozen people present.  They had like 10 readers, including retiring professor Maurice Kenny & SLAP's own Kelly Frost.  One young fellow named Alex French had spent five weeks in Africa this summer, working on building a school in Ethiopia.  He read from a journal he kept when he returned to the USA, comparing what he saw here to what he had seen across the ocean.  That was some pretty powerful stuff.  Another strong reader was Kayla Riley, who impressed me w/ her words, her clear enunciation, her excellent eye-contact, & general connection w/ the audience.  Maurice Kenny was selling copies of his new poetry chapbook, Feeding Bears. 

We decided not to test out Jernabi's this week w/ a poetry reading.  I don't know when the Fields is planning to reopen, if ever, but I would like to give a small reading at Jernabi's just to test the waters.  Or the java.  Plus Jernabi is just fun to say.

The next SLAP meeting will be held in Potsdam on Tuesday night, 7:00, that's August 10th, I believe.  At the gazebo in Ives Park.  But in the case of rain, we'll meet at Jernabi's. 

Otherwise, that's it.  Bring the results of our rather morbid Challenge, to write your own epitaph (or someone else's).  See you then.

weather: rain

miscellaneous: Philip Lamantia

Contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Yeah, it's a Sunday late afternoon in July, in fact the very end of July.  Nancy & I are just chillin.  We cleaned off the bookcases in our bedroom, piling the lovely tomes all over the floor in two rooms & painting the walls behind & around the bookcases.  Great work w/ beer!  I saw so many marvelous books I want to re-read or read for the first time--so many beautiful titles: fantasy, science-fiction, essays, psych-books.  I think we need some new genres.  Hey, everyone think hard & send me your nominations for new genres.  Make 'em up!

How does everyone feel about an open-mike reading at Jernabi's coffee shop on Thursday evening, August 12th?  Any strong yeas or nays please let me know.  I've got something scheduled, but it's only tentative.  Be great if three or four readers showed up. 

And I do plan an August SLAP poetry newsletter.  Anyone who wants IN, please send poems soon.  That's it.  This is a perfect summer evening/late-afternoon.  Well, it's nearly 7:00 now, & the fat sun is dropping toward the trees on the horizon.  I want to take off three years & read all those books.

soundtrack: Punk-O-Rama #3

beverage: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

weather: beautiful sun no humidity

miscellaneous: Harold Bloom & The Matrix

contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Last week's meeting was interesting, w/ two new folks showing up: Tim Strong, owner & proprietor of the Birchbark Bookshop & its several branches, & Rich Will, a Presbyterian minister.  We exchanged poems, everyone taking a turn.  Myself, Nancy, JeanMarie, & Dale Hobson completed the sextet.  We engaged in our customary rambling conversation, then Dale brought up the incredible story of Mark Twain's NEW book.  Apparently Twain left instructions for his final work to be published 100 years after his death.  And he died in 1910, so here we are, a century later.  I can't wait, this will be amazing.  A voice from so long ago.  Evidently the publication date will be sometime this fall. 

The Challenge for next time is to write--well, there are several choices.  You can write an obituary for yourself, or your own epitaph.  Or, if this is too creepy, write one for someone else or an imaginary character.  Be honest.

We've been contacted several times by this fellow down in Syracuse who calls himself Mic Tha Poet.  His name is Mike Gaut.  Anyway, Mike's birthday is Friday the 30th of July, which by cosmic coincidence is his 30th birthday.  He has arranged for a big poetry bash down in Syracuse that night.  It will be held at a place called the Opus Restaurant & Lounge, in Syracuse's Downtown Armory Square.  There's a $10 cover charge, & the festivities last from 9:30 in the evening until 2:00 at night.  There will be a number of big Syracuse poets on hand, so if you live in the area be sure to check it out.  From what I understand, Mike's done a lot to revitalize poetry in his region.  Good luck &--Happy Birthday Mic Tha Poet!

That's it for now.  Next SLAP meeting scheduled for August 10th, I believe.  Not sure of location, will deliver that info later on.  Send me poems for the August SLAP poetry newsletter.  Thanks. 

Bye.

Weather: breezy, sun goin down

miscellaneous: fireworks, Russell parade, candle burning

contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

We attended Potsdam's Summer Fest on Friday & saw a few good bands.  We caught the 2nd half of Localmotiv, a local outfit specializing in mellow-rap, blues, & hip-hop.  They were followed by the Kyle Tupper Project, featuring Kyle Tupper on keys & vox, Drew Coles on sax & secondary vocals, Allen Darrah on drums, & Marshall (Mush) Hughes on bass.  Most of Kyle's band played pop-jazz.  They did a great job on The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," & finished up w/ a Tupper original, "11B," about the road heading east from Potsdam; it's a pretty funky number w/ a long instrumental introduction.  We finished the evening w/ the Sebatooth Sextet, a jazz combo featuring: Seba Molnar on sax, Sam Fuller on sax & clarinet, Kyle Tupper on drums, trumpet by Matt Bowman, Tim Savage on keys, & Dan Gagliardi on bass.  Was a great show, despite the torrential rain!

Not much poetry going on lately, at least nothing that's being written down.  I'll try to put out another SLAP poetry newsletter in August, & I've made tentative plans for a small reading at Jernabi's in Potsdam, possibly towards the end of July.  I'll keep you posted.

The next SLAP reading will be held on Tuesday, July 13th, at 6:30, in Canton, on the west side of town, in that little park they created a couple of years ago, near the bridge, near the site of the old TAUNY building, before they tore it down.  

Got that?  The Challenge is: write a poem w/ the opening line, "We wait all year for this."  I wrote mine a couple of days ago, so I can relax.   You probably can't.

See you next time.

Soundtrack: The Gin Blossoms

Beverage: Yuengling Lager

Weather: Hot but not too hot & sunny

Miscellaneous: Graduation party in Morristown

Contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Ah, nothing much seems to be going on.  I'm trying to set up a reading at Jernabi's, maybe on Thursday night, July 8th.  Maybe.  If there's any interest, please let me know.  It's a small place, so even three readers would be enough.  So long as we don't scare away too many customers.  The Potsdam SummerFest is coming soon, but no one seems to know exactly when.  I'm waiting for the July Fourth Coast Entertainment Magazine for some accurate info. 

Really, nothing much happening.  There was some talk of a reading at TAUNY in Canton, but I've heard no follow-up on that.  I am planning a SLAP poetry newsletter for July, so if anyone has any amazing poems they want to share, send 'em on over.  I have enough, I think, but I'm always looking for new poets to include in this intermittent publication. 

On the personal side, I've had a few short nature type poems picked up by Bear Creek Haiku out in Colorado, & Nancy has had a few poems published in various national publications, Penwood being the most recent.  I'd like to know if any other Slappers have any success, so we can share your triumphs w/ our millions of online readers. 

Anyway, enjoy the rest of June.  See y'all next time.

Soundtrack: The Dead Milkmen

Beverage: Tawny Port

Weather: warm & heavy air, no earthquakes

Miscellaneous: Metropolis the movie was superior to Metropolis the book

contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Tuesday's meeting was rather sparsely populated, which is not to be considered a surprise at this time of year.  School is out, people are travelling, on vacation, enjoying themselves at barbecues & similar activities.  The only suckers that showed up were me, JeanMarie, & Val Harrington.  As a consolation, we enjoyed the lovely evening in Ives Park by the banks of the Racquette River in Potsdam.  We shared our Challenges, stream-of-consciousness pieces written while listening to music.  The results were variable & interesting.  The Challenge for next month is to write a poem w/ the first line: "We wait all year for this," JeanMarie's idea.  She also brought up the idea of introducing live music into our poetry readings. She knows this fellow Josh Lazo who's a marvelously talented musician in Potsdam.  I've seen Lazo perform several times w/ various jazz ensembles & found his talent to be prodigious.  I have a recording of  Neil Fitzgerald's CD Natural Discovery, on which Lazo plays sax.   Anyway, as we discussed the possibilities, who came walking along but Josh Lazo & a friend, who was accompanied by a huge wet black dog on a leash.  Talk about serendipity.  Josh liked the idea of a music/poetry gig, but he's really busy now.  It's something we'll check out soon.

That's it, really.  Things are pretty quiet in the world of SLAP.  We do need to publish a SLAP poetry newsletter in July, so everyone send me your poems.  Bye.

Music: Midnight Creeps

Beverage: Yuengling Lager

Weather: Sunny & lovely

Miscellaneous: Metropolis, the novel

Contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

Yes, that's right.  Due to a communication snafu (isn't that a ridiculous looking word?) my previous entry included some erroneous information.  The next SLAP meeting will indeed be held on Tuesday, June 8th.  And the time will be 7:00 as originally reported, however, (& this is where the foul-up occurred) the place will NOT be in Canton but rather in Potsdam at good old Ives Park, near the Gazebo.  We enjoyed several meetings there last summer; just watch your step due to the proximity of the geese.  In case of rain, snow or weather of any inclement variety, we'll meet at Jernabi's coffeeshop by the bridge since the Fields is closed until July.   And bring those completed challenges. 

And that's it.  See y'all on Tuesday, compadres. 

no soundtrack

no beverage

benign weather

no miscellaneous

for info & other sundry, contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com

The most recent SLAP meeting featured a quartet: me, Nancy, JeanMarie, & Jon Ignatowski.  We compared poems from the April one-poem-a-day challenge & just generally spaced out on jawboning philosophical conversation.  The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday June 8th at the UU Church in Canton at 7:00.  There's a reason for the time change but you'll have to guess what it is.  The next Challenge (formerly known as the Assignment) is to write a stream of consciousness poem while listening to music, preferably without words.  Now the idea is to listen to some 3-minute pop tune (like the Hawaii Five-o theme) not some lengthy Wagnerian Magnum Opus.  Ready, set, go! 

I've lately come across two local college publications, & the time seems propitious to compare & contrast them.  The publications are Grasse Roots, the Spring 2010 issue, published at SUNY Canton, & Blueline, the 2010 issue, published at SUNY Potsdam.  First Grasse Roots, edited by Kirk Jones.  It's 80 pages of poetry, prose, photos, & artwork produced by the SUNY Canton community, students, faculty, & alumni.  There's no indication what issue number this is, nor who took the gorgeous cover photo of burning red autumn foliage reflected in an unrippled  body of water, presumably the Grasse River.  Among other notable works is a poem by Jessie Scott called "Beauty of a Butterfly," actually shaped like a butterfly.  I can honestly say that I don't know anyone included in this edition.  A few of the names sound vaguely familiar, but that's it.

On the other hand, many of the names in Blueline sound familiar.  Editor Donald McNutt has participated in at least two SLAP open-mike readings. Intern Kelly Frost is a regular Slapper, who never ceases to amaze me w/ her ability to memorize poems quickly & accurately.  The authors presented are mostly from New England & New York, but others range from all across our wide nation.  The poems & stories maintain a focus on nature, embodied by the spirit of the Adirondacks.  The cover is a blue pastel within which is a box containing a photograph of one of those endless vistas of the Adirondack Mountains, lumpy variegated hills receding into the distance. Several lengthy book reviews are included, of which two of the best were written by Nancy Berbrich.

Both of these journals are worth reading.  I feel lucky to live in an area w/ such a vibrant educational community.  Think of it--four top college names within roughly 10 miles.  Somehow I feel that SLAP needs to be involved a bit more w/ these institutions.  Institution might be the wrong word.  But imagine a poetry slam (or poetry SLAP!), w/ contestants from all four colleges competing for the prize.  Hmmmm.

Anyway, that's it for tonight.  Have a good week, & good luck w/ the Challenge.

Soundtrack: Django Reinhardt

Beverage: Sam Adams Scotch Ale

Weather: Hot, sun going down

Miscellaneous: Barefoot in the Head, Brian Aldiss

Contact John at ataraxia1114@aim.com