Tim's Elevator Lady

First, my disclaimer: the information in this email is entirely my own interpretation of the events of last night. If I say something wrong, forgive me or beat me up but don't yell at me. I don't like yelling. When the blog gets going (see next paragraph) you will have an opportunity to blog your responses.

Okay -
Although several of our stalwart attendees did not attend, we still had ten at poetry last night. Mark appeared unexpectedly, and with a really good poem about his "wizen" face. He and Alan got a look at our work-in-progress EOTNP blog which should be up and running by next week. When I get it finished, I will send you the info to find it. Dennis, I'm sorry, we got talking about the blog and I forgot to print out your poem.

My poem of the evening vote goes to Tim who presented an outstanding character sketch of a woman with a cell phone on an elevator. Paul read us a touching encounter regarding a wood stove. Alan had several exquisite lines about the wind in the middle of a solid poem. Mimi compared politics and weather, everyone liked it. Philomena went a little documentary with meerkats - she is going to revise, I think. Joyce became the "Rock Lady". I became nothing.

Alan presented us all with a handstitched edition of some of his poems, with his own linoleum block print cover. I liked "Little Things", Alan.

We attracted a young guy with gorgeous blue eyes who read about us on the Albany Poets website, but we succeeded in scaring him away.

Cathy stayed home to watch Grey's Anatomy. (joke!)

Mike left for Mexico on the day of the snowstorm. I assume he was not on Jet Blue.

We attempted to decipher a post card from Dennis who is guzzling Guiness in the old country. Something about writing on a "stewardess".

Lily Alys

Santa at Smit's

Ten poets - the new time and system seems to be working and we finished a little early, actually.

As for our poems - Paul had an "existential breakthrough", Ryu made conversation, Mike contributed a Valentine poem with a deadly ending. Art presented an unusual piece we decided to work on for performance. And, personally, I felt that Dennis wrote a masterpiece.

Only five of us made it to Smit's, where Santa Dennis treated us with a gift certificate from a Christmas appearance. Btw, new management at Nichol's has Mark scheduled to work on Thursday nights indefinitely. You will have to see him in the aisles for a while.

Poetry day is definitely April 14 and begins with pot luck brunch here at the library at 11 a.m. Joyce's husband Steve and some of his fellow musicians from Comhaltus will be joining us to add a little Irish music to the festivities. I encourage all of you to work on something outstanding for the event - performance pieces, collaborations, costumes (!) - and ask friends and relatives to drop in. We will quit when we run out of steam, or by 4 p.m., whichever comes first.

Two from our midst are leaving the country next week: Dennis to Ireland and Mike to Mexico. Happy trails.

Next Thursday is Lifelines with Ally in charge.

As for me, this week I have dyed the gray out of my hair and rushed the dog to the vet so they could make him barf up a half bag of Hershey's kisses. I guess that's all.
Lily Alys (bv)