MUSELETTER #56
11/20/2000
In this catch-up-on-the-news issue of Museletter, you'll find all the latest New England events, hints & not-rumors from Robyn Su Millerz, “all things verse & meter” in & around New York City from Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, & a special London & beyond bulletin from Larry Jaffe. Enjoy!
Margy Snyder & Bob Holman
Poetry Guides
BOSTON/NEW ENGLAND
CAR TALK: A CLASSIC RETIRES TO THE BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS
Please send healing thoughts and well-wishes to Jack McCarthy (Worcester Team 2000, Boston's Best Stand-up Poet), who recently broke his arm. Jack is taking some time off to re-coupe and should hit the road again sometime next spring. We'll miss you till then, Jack!
CAR TALK II: A LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT STORY
The go-anywhere poet (yours truly) snagged herself a 1966 Dodge Dart 270 2-door hardtop. Black with red interior. This was fate. It matches the Slam Nationals 2000 poet badge which I was told (by erstwhile coach Eve Stern) must be hung from the rearview mirror of my car. Now that I have a car, I suppose I should build a garage. For those odd nights when I'm not out and about at poetry events.
CALENDARS-R-US
On any given day of the week, there are at least two readings in New England. Look for a simple, comprehensive list of regular reading series, listed by day of the week, at the end of this year. (My next Museletter column will be out in late December.) In order to ensure that your venue is listed in this one-time organizational extravaganza, please email wickedlit@mindspring.com a bare-bones day-of-the-week, time and place outline of your reading.
Flip-floppers who move from 2nd Tuesdays to 2nd Wednesdays and back to 2nd Tuesdays every other month will be stricken from the record forever, do you understand, Jay Davis? It makes the columnist look bad (as if anyone in a Dodge Dart could look bad) to post misinformation. Appeasing the columnist by featuring her, along with her teammates from Cape Cod (Kristin Knowles and Tom Fettig) on the return of 2nd Tuesdays at Free St. Taverna (128 Free Street, Portland, ME, 9 pm open mic, 10 pm feature, 11 pm slam) November 14 was a stroke of genius, I must say. Portland is 2 hours north of Boston. Contact Jay Davis at jcdavis@s-way.com for absolutely mis-free info.
MISINFO BUSTING
Eve Stern has recused herself as co-slam master of the Lizard Slam in Cambridge. I'm sure everyone's dying to know why. It's not that I don't know, or can't say. As a gossip columnist I have a duty to my readers to dish the dirt. But I wouldn't for the life of me disturb someone who has so elegantly reclused herself. It would be a crime against word.
For Lizard Lounge bookings, or for more info please visit the Jeff Robinson Trio's Web site, where you can subscribe to the e-newsletter or email Jeff. There's also a link where you can see the Poetry Jam live online at LiveWave.com. The Lizard Lounge Slam (1667 Mass Ave) is every Sunday, starting at 7 pm. $5 cover and a $20 prize to the slam winner. Followed by a feature and open mic, along with the music of the JR3.
Also, please note that if you make it out to Bridgewater, MA for the open mic and slam they hold at the Daily Grind every 2nd and 4th Saturday night, Valerie Lawson's new cohost is Adam Rubinstein, not Adam Stone, as I had previously noted back when it was true. Adams, I have noticed, are a good lot and she was lucky to get another after the kidnapp--- I mean, the departure of Adam Stone. I would say more, but some people don't approve of rumor-mongering. For nothing but the facts on upcoming features, email Valerie at VMuddyPond@aol.com and subscribe to the Chai Times. As for hearsay, I give you my word that the next four features there are each more awesome than the last: a great line-up.
THE NON-SQUEAKY WHEELS
For one reason or another, such as there are a gajillion of them and one of me and five whole, if somewhat puny, states to cover and only seven days in a week and only one column every six weeks and their hosts don't hound me (for those interested, I understand a workshop in hounding is being offered by a certain slam master, who will remain unnamed because the very people who don't believe in rumors also don't hold with naming names, go figure...), there are smaller New England venues for poetry I have yet to feature in this column. Look for write-ups next time on the changing of the guard at Moonstruck Cafe and the long-awaited new-home debut of Providence's Tuesday Spoken Word series. Plus any other big splashes in small but lovely ponds sent to me at wickedlit@mindspring.com.
Squeaking of squawking and letting it be known, Squawk Coffee House at Harvard Epworth Methodist Church (1555 Mass Ave) in Harvard Square, Cambridge is something like a best-kept secret, especially since it has (in three different locations) been going on since 1988. If you haven't been there in years, like me, and think that reading in a beautiful, supportive atmosphere is good for the soul, you'll be in for a treat when you go. The architecture of the current location was inspired by HH Richardson, and the space where the reading is held boasts a two-story arched doorway, stained glass windows and lofty ceiling. The heavenly feature on All-Soul's day, Celtic harpist Kate Mannyng, couldn't have been better timed or placed.
The Squawk open mic is for music or word or any combo thereof, and each performer gets 8 to 10 minutes. Cohosted by Lee Kidd (a man of many tongues) and Richard Cambridge (who has just returned from sharing his words with our neighbors in Cuba). Every Thursday from 9 pm to midnight (doors open at 8:30). Suggested donation is $3 and it's pass-the-can for the feature. There is usually an opening act as well. Coffee, tea and treats included in the cover. For more information call 617.868.3661 or visit their Web site at www.angelfire.com/music/squawk.
THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SQUAWK ON YOUR BEHALF
Have listings you would like to see posted on the Net, yet fear being tongue-lashed to my wicked “platform?” Too much at stake to risk getting burned? Be of good cheer! There are alternatives.
John Garvey, editor of South Shore Arts Network, wants to post your events listing. (This would be the South Shore of Boston, it should go without saying. Hub of the universe, and all that.) You can check out his site at www.SouthShoreArts.net and contact him PO Box 44, Norwell, MA 02061, phone 781.829.9234 or email editor@SouthShoreArts.net.
For the penultimate paranoiac (the ultimate ones, like me, don't even trust themselves) there's the do-it-yourself posting at the Bostonpoet.com calendar. Use the easy form to enter your event and it will come up immediately on their Internet Calendar. You may also submit poetry, articles, and editorials. And every Fourth Saturday of the month Bostonpoet.com editor Diana Saenz hosts a No-Name-Salon from 3 to 7 pm at Out of the Blue Gallery (168 Brookline Ave) in Cambridge. For more info, call 603.889.0650.
RHODE ISLAND, PLEASE
Jay Walker, who hosts an “open mouth” reading called The Spoken Word Poetry Series (SW) on Tuesday nights 7:30 - 11 pm has put out a call for help in designing a new Web site and promoting the SW series, which was to open in its new home this last Tuesday, November 14. Email Jay at Just1Jaywalker@aol.com (address soon to change), for more info. You can also subscribe to the Weekly Word News by emailing him with “Subscribe” in the subject heading and “Weekly Word News” in the text. There's also Monthly Musings, an email newsletter, with more detailed descriptions of the events, schedule updates for SW and other readings, bios of performers and commentary... a frightful prospect, considering he is even more wordy than I am! To subscribe, email the host with “Subscribe” in the subject heading and “Monthly Musings” in the text.
Providence Slam Master John Powers would like everybody to show up at the Downcity Slam and tell him to his face why they have yet to investigate such a hip place for poetry as the Green Room (145 Clifford Street, 8 pm every Thursday but the 1st of the month, which is at AS-220). Of course, once you are there you will be rendered speechless, except when onstage. A subscription to his newsletter is like a history lesson in the greats of slam poetry, so don't let a little thing like geography stop you from emailing him at johnp263@hotmail.com and signing up. (Yes, that means the line-up is hhhhot!)
MY LIPS ARE SEALED
Gag me and throw me in the so-pretty Lake Champlain if I didn't hear the most incredible rumors about what happened when Beau Sia went up to Burlington, VT for their Just for Laughs show at the Rhombus (186 College Street, 2nd floor) last month. You might've heard it here first, but for the strident compaints that I should not give space to rumors (particularly those from Vermont). Since I'm to avoid rumors (on pain of carping), I can't write about Vermont at all! At least until I approve a copilot for my '66 Dodge Dart and get back up there to see for myself. Meanwhile, subscribe to the People's Republic of Vermont's Slam Newsletter at www.gotpoetry.com/vtslams/ to learn more...
NEXT GENERATION OF VOICES
Poets all over New England (even in VT -- especially in VT!) are bringing the word to kids. And kids are giving it back, in greater and greater measure! Here's a smattering of under-21 events:
- The Breathing Poetry Project announced the making of Vermont's first high school poetry slam team last month at Mt.Abraham High School! The Breathing Poetry Project offers performance poetry workshops in Vermont elementary, middle, and high schools. Email Program Directors Kim Jordan or Seth Jarvis at BreathingPoetry@aol.com for info. Future Rhombus Gallery slam to note: December 15, Teen Takeover Slam, for poets under age 20 only!
- At Barnes & Noble in Leominster (289 N. Main Street) on Friday, December 1, 7pm: Kids' Poetry Night. Kids of all ages are invited to read their work or poems by their favorite authors. For directions or more info, call 978.537.6009 or visit the Open Mike Poetry site for even more listings in Leominster and surrounding areas. This is arguably the best poetry Web site in New England. Be sure to look into their online community.
- Valerie Lawson (Slam Master, Bridgewater) runs a quarterly slam at the Fuller Museum of Art in Brockton, MA, where she is working to develop a series of teen slams. To be informed of future events, email her at VMuddyPond@aol.com.
- Although not necessarily for under-21 poets only, Tony Brown (host, Java Hut) and the Poet's Asylum are instituting a new type of feature, to begin in January, called a showcase -- where seasoned poets will work with a team of 3 newer poets to create a 30-minute feature. For details, contact Tony Brown at Chrysler77@aol.com. For a complete line-up of slams and features at the Java Hut (1073A Main Street in Worcester) visit their Web site.
- For mostly under-21 poetry at its hottest, try the brand spanking new slam presented by the Memorial Union Student Organization (or MUSO) at the University of New Hampshire. Between 70 and 90 students listened in rapt attention for hours, through an open mic, feature by Jose Gouveia (former Cape Cod slam master) and a round robin slam of 14 first-time slammers. Shirts were torn off, slammers danced on chairs -- all in all an auspicious start to a new slam series. For directions to the college and details for their next event (in December) contact Amy or Sarah at UNHmuso@hotmail.com or Megan at msvenonins@hotmail.com.
NON-SLAM POETRY PICKS
Gary Hicks (1998 Boston Team) hosts a reading series at the Center for Marxist Education (550 Mass Ave, 2nd floor, Central Square, Cambridge) called “Illusion and Reality,” which includes an open reading, featured poets and an open discussion on craft. Which means... the poetry aficionado has not only the opportunity to hear first-rate material from such luminaries as Ryk McIntyre (famous even outside his own mind) and Kwesi Davis (Boston Team 2000), but gets to pick their brains afterwards, as well!
Finally (whew) don't forget BlackOut. Get there early for a seat. New powerhouse performances every other Wednesday at the Piano Factory (791 Tremont Street in Boston) -- to a theme. This past Wednesday, November 15, the theme was Thanksgiving... or Thanksforgivingmenothing. Next show will be Wednesday, December 6. Doors open 8:30, show at 9. There's a brief open mic at the start of the evening. $5 admission.
NEW YORK/NORTHEAST
Hi everyone! Your ever-weary poetry-loving NYC/Northeast Museletter correspondent Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz reporting in on all the things verse and meter!
13 IS A LUCKY NUMBER FOR POETRY
Finally, after a long wait at the manufacturer, NYC Slams is ready for mass consumption. NYC Slams is a live show recorded at the infamous Bar 13 in New York's Union Square and featuring members from all three NYC National Slam Teams, all of which competed in the 2000 Nationals finals night, including the eventual National Champs NYC Urbana.
The CD features performances from 13 of NYC's hottest poets: Roger Bonair Agard, BASSEY, Bryon Bain, Kirk Nugent, Beau Sia, Taylor Mali, Lynne Procope, Morris Stegosaurus, Yolanda Wilkinson, Marty McConnell, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz (that's right: me!), Felice Bell and Guy LeCharles Gonzalez. The CD can be ordered at PoetCD.com or Poetry Slam, Inc. Next up for the budding poetry CD house is Volume One of SLAMMTHOLOGY: an audio anthology of the next generation of poetry. Stay tuned for more info on that!
WHO KNEW SELLING OUT WAS SO MUCH FUN?
If you could think of the best one-day poetry event, what would it be like? The answer that SlamJAM cohorts Bob Holman, Jen Weiss, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez and myself came up with was an intergenerational, multi-racial, all welcoming, pay-what-you-wish, fun festa grande! And it all came together on Saturday, October 28th at the Little Red School House on the lower west side of Manhattan.
Open mikes and slams involving high schoolers, college students and the festival's hosts started out the day. The evening activities began with the first-ever Sell Out Po Bout, where three top spoken word artists battled poetically in six wildly different rounds, and the winner was determined by how much money the audience put in their respective buckets on the stage. Who ever sold out the most, won! Competitors Shane Koyczan, Shappy and Beau Sia competed using music, multi-voice pieces, improvs and haiku, among other poetic genres, with the biggest Sell Out being none other than Shane Koyczan, the National Slam Champ from Vancouver, BC.
Other big winners that evening were the Bard College Slam Team, who won the third annual Intercollegiate Slam, and Team NYC Union Square, who took home city-wide bragging rights in their bout against NYC Nuyorican and NYC Urbana in the NYC Grudge Match that ended the evening. Congrats to all, and stayed tuned to hear more from the SlamJam Team!
DEF POETRY JAM COMING TO PHILLY TOWN!
Philly will be the next stop on the Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam Tour. Dates for the 3-event weekend are December 9th and 10th. Saturday, December 9 at Club Brave New World from 10 am to 4 pm will be the open auditions. It is free to audition. Just show up and be ready to do your spoken word vibe, no longer than 3 minutes. The 4 judges will choose 12 semi-finalist contestants, to be announced Saturday night at the Poetry Showcase.
At Saturday night's Poetry Showcase performance at the African Art Museum from 7 - 9 pm (December 9, $10), Napalm of the Poets Den/NJ, Twinpoets of Delaware, Aishah Bradley of Philadelphia and Kimmika L.H. Williams will all perform. Also, on Sunday afternoon at Brave New World from 2 - 4 pm will be the semi-final rounds. The 12 artists announced Saturday night will be invited back to compete for the #1 spot representing our tri-state area in the National Poetry Slam to be held in NY. Others who want to attend the event, other than the listed artists, will have to pay a $10 admission fee. Come out and represent! Since Philly is my hometown, maybe you'll see my face there too!
SHOT IN THE DARK
Brain child of Long Shot Press guru Danny Shot, we have an evening of celebration of the newest voices on the scene. “Veteran Poets Salute the Younger Generation of American Poetry” will let some of the most well-known poets in New York (Pedro Pietri, Keith Roach, Steve Cannon, Bob Holman) introduce you to the poets of the new millennium and beyond. Be there at St. Mark's Church, 2nd Avenue and 10th Street, New York, December 15th at 10:30 pm. $7.
THE POETRY WEB SITE THAT NEVER SLEEPS
If you are a New Yorker and haven't checked out NYCPoetry.com, you are missing out. This has been a banner month for the Web site, as they announced both an offline version of their indispensable poetry listings and their first NYCpoetry.com chapbook contest. The submission deadline is March 1 and the winning entry will be published in a hand-sewn version by Headwaters Press. The first-prize winner will also receive a custom-designed Web site subhosted by NYCpoetry.com. Check out the site for all the details and a lot of fun to boot!
POETRY AIN'T JUST FOR BIG CITIES!
R.M. and Rob Engelhardt write to tell me about their monthly poetry reading in Albany, NY called “The School of Night.” I haven't been there yet, but thought I would pass the info along to y'all. If you go, drop a line and tell me what you think!
The School of Night: A gathering for poets, poetry and the spoken word held on the last Tuesday evening of each month @ Valentine's, 17 New Scotland Avenue, Albany. Signup at 7:30 pm, start time @ 8 pm. Hosted by poet R.M. Engelhardt w/Bruce Richardson on saxophone. Donation.
OH BABY!
In more personal news, this Muselettrist congratulates poet Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, slammaster of the NYC Union Square Poetry Slam and his beautiful Salome on the birth of their first child Isaac Daniel Gonzalez (6 lbs, 2.5oz and 19 inches). The little guy is cute as hell!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
If you are going to be in NYC during Thanksgiving, I invite you to come to Urbana, my reading series, for the November 26th show. Not only will it celebrate the release of poetry legend Taylor Mali's latest CD Poems From The Like-Free Zone, but it is also going to double as my NYC birthday party, since the 26th will be my 22nd birthday! Whew!
So be there: Sunday, November 26, 7 pm, at CBGB's downstairs lounge, 313 Bowery. Just $5 and of course, there will be an open mic and an open slam. For any more info on Urbana (including upcoming features Lisa King, Patricia Smith, Kim Holzer Leeds, Michael Cirelli, Ayodele, Cass King and our infamous Cute Boy Slam), join the Urbana mailing list. Just email me at Urbanaslam@yahoo.com with the word “Subscribe” in the subject header.
Whew! Well, that's enough from me. Please don't hesitate to write me if you have any questions or have an event or series you would like me to know about. Until then, keep reading, keep writing and stay warm!
SPECIAL REPORT: FROM LONDON & BEYOND
Dear poetry folk… I am finally back and almost over jetlag, which hit hard and uncomfortably this time. Traveled forever to get home it seems, but here I am and the sun shines in la la land while London is cold and rainy. I miss the UK quite a bit and will be going back there.
THE BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL POETRY FEST WAS ALL THAT
Bristol International Poetry 2000 consisted of 6 events over 5 days. Five out of the six shows played to capacity houses; four of those five were well over capacity. The Verscity Slam drew over 150 people to a venue that comfortably sits half that many, and Get Some Insomniacs (the Midnight 'til Dawn reading) was crammed at 1 am and still full at 5 am. The poets present at Get Some Insomniacs also provided a fine selection of poems for the instant anthology, which is now available for £2 plus p+p.
ZINES IN & AROUND THE UK
- Comrades is an bi-monthly e-zine publishing new and established writers and artists. Categories include poetry, fiction, artwork, nonfiction, reviews and essays. “In the coming months we will be holding a poetry competition and in the new year, publishing our first print poetry and art anthology. Our newsletter launches in the 2nd week of November and will contain all manner of interesting and useful things. We are a non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of our contributors and their work. Submissions in all categories for our January edition are welcome now. Find us at www.comrade.org.uk.”
- Rising, “tough on poetry, tough on the causes of poetry” -- “Hard-boiled poetry zine for brewed-in-a-bathtub writers. Recent issues include 'End Time Rising,' 'Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd Rising,' and forthcoming 'Oh Lonesome Rising.' Writers include Francesca Beard, Roddy Lumsden, Salena Saliva, Gerald Locklin, Jenny Wren, Richard Brautigan, Yen Li, Tim Turnbull, Todd Moore.” £1 from Tim Wells, 80 Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, London, N16 6AA. Submissions info: “Address on every page sent. No poems that have '...like a...' in them, no Bukowski copyists, no whiners, no poems about cats, no peace loving tree hugging... and so on. Please send poems about Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, the Afrika Korps, storms, trains, and vomiting through love... that kind of thing. Next issue is 'Oh Lonesome Rising.'”
WIN A TRIP TO IRELAND
My Irish publisher, Salmon Poetry, whom I got to visit by the Cliffs of Moher, is having a contest to win a trip to Ireland. Check it out. Ireland is truly an enchanted country.
That's all for now. Much happening about Los Angeles in my next column.
READER-SUBMITTED POETRY NEWS BRIEFS
From Jackie Sheeler:
The East coast place to be on January 1, 2001: The Alternative New Year's Day Spoken Word Extravaganza at CBGB's Gallery. 150 underground (and some slightly aboveground) poets performing from 4 pm until midnight at the legendary Bowery club. And it's FREE! Join us at 313 Bowery for a helluva good time. Contact me or Bruce Weber for more information.
From Georgia A. Popoff:
Imagine waking in the morning sun 10 miles from Sienna in an Italian villa, having a lovely breakfast, and joining 9 other poets and me to write for the morning. Then afternoons to yourself to wander and ponder. Gourmet dinners in the evening and the Tuscan nights to share our work and perform for each other! Sounds pretty good, huh?! And doing it for a week! Well, the directors of Il Chiostro di Toscana are planning a poetry week June 16 - 23, 2000. And they just told me that the rates will soon go up from $990 to $1,060 for the week (not including airfare); however, a $200 deposit sent to me by December 1st will not only keep your place in the workshop but secure the lower rate as well. The remainder would be payable to Il Chiostro by late March.
Give yourself a holiday gift of a trip to Italy to continue your poetry adventures. Mail your deposit, payable to Il Chiostro, to me at 112 Judson Street, Syracuse, NY 13210. And feel free to email me with questions, and look at the Web sites for more information. I can't wait to see the poems we create!
