The FACEOFF

Edie's late arrival narrowly saved me from being the token female last night. She had spent a great deal of effort on her poem about a woods' walk with her dog Caesar, which was not only entertaining, but nearly perfectly rhyming - inspired by Dan Lawlor. Dan made a major stride with his work as evidenced by his poem entitled "War". The meter was his best yet. Edie made a strong case for the difficulty of writing rhyming poetry and we all agreed.

The Professor had invited one of his former poetry students to visit us. Tom Vecchio used to be a Voorheesville kid who is en route to Oregon. He is still writing poetry and brought a good one about NYC life - coffee, the F-train, newspapers caught in an iron fence. Dr. Willis himself was a little more obscure and several of us admitted we didn't know what he was talking about. His explanation was that it was a blast against "dualism", which I am still going to have to look up. Sorry, Art.

Dr. Sullivan was a hit with all of us. Short and simple about his work as a "civil seer", "strewing poems everywhere". Obeedude had us all laughing - at the content of his poem and the fact that we could practically understand it. To clue you in, he got a Lolli if he were "guid" getting his "hairscoot" and "ona Connan cood play".

Alan served us up a fish platter, Grandfather Carp's tale to be exact. It was a great description of a river journey, leaping through white foam, tumbling rapids, shadows and shallows. Final section introduced a dragon element which I wanted to see earlier. Paul, who, I was interested to note, had left a comment on our blog last week, offered up a piece on landfills and politicians which the guys seemed to like but I was unmoved by.

I did a breakout poem about taking a cheap flight to Vegas and getting married in the Elvis Chapel which everyone laughed at, perhaps not realizing that I was deadly serious. If I post it, the women may understand.

News and Gossip:

• Timmy is featured at the Gay and Lesbian Center next Thursday. Please go.
• Mary Panza, the Albany Poetry Goddess, is urging us to submit poems to Chronograph, a pretty sharp looking local magazine of which she is the poetry editor. I can get you info if you want it.
• I tentatively told her I would featured at the Lark Tavern in September. They have good burgers.
• Alan brought the info for poetry reading at the Altamont Fair this year. For those of you who didn't know me then, I was discreetly discouraged from attending again after my first performance there years ago. For some inexplicable reason, the little ladies with the apple baskets didn't like me. I will probably spare their sensibilities and not go back. Bob Foltine is making the arrangements for August 15 at 10:30 a.m. in the Old School House. Call Bob at 785-1252 to sign up.
• We agreed that some of us would like to visit Mildred and I am charged with inquiring about doing a poetry reading at Beverwyck in the fall.
• I am going away next weekend. My Josh and Amy are finally having their wedding celebration and I get to meet the new in-laws. I guess that means more good behavior from me. Amy's father is a minister.
• Cathy's family (son and wife, two kids 4 and 7) is here to stay with her so she has been too busy to answer her email.
• Tom was not at the meeting but I will see him tomorrow at pottery class.

Hilarity at Smitty's included lots of good Scots jokes, as well as other ethnic and cultural indiscretions, such as offering Edie pizza with pepperoni. Tom Vecchio joined us, which led to a discussion of communes on which, to no one's surprise, a couple of us have lived.

Omigosh, i almost forgot to mention Timmy's poem, as I was saving it for last. It was a spot-on description of a faceoff between two macho hunks at a gay swimming hole. It was a little sad, very touching, and pretty darn funny. Great job.