St. Lawrence Area Poets

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