Excuses, excuses

I know, I know, I have been remiss in my blogging recently. I have acquired some new responsibilities here and am trying to keep on top of everything, so EOTNP is suffering.

We were chock full again last Thursday, even with Beach Boy Burke away. We welcomed Stacy (which brings to two, the Quakers in our ranks - is that unusual?).

Women were swooning over a Ron Pavoldi sighting: he appeared in his Mafioso outfit, looking debonair. His poem was was a Fairy Tale, a bit of a departure in that we are accustomed to Ron being somewhat of a storyteller and this was a darker, more obscure effort.

Alan passed out some new versions of the last EOTNP chapbook with additional poems (blue cover). Perious Frink is being read at the Perfect Blend (sorry, I first said Java Jazz) on Sunday and Alan brought his What I Learned from Perious Frink poem. I didn't go to the reading, but understand that a hot time was had by attendees at Smit's afterwards.

I enjoyed Joyce (yes, Joyce is back!) "I want to throw a pot like a poem". Good tactile sensations. Suggestions were made for tightening it up.
Alan remarked that Tom's Too Late to Go Over Your Words was "tucking in", "folding around itself". We liked the grandmother's house where"you tried to skim all the books in your grandfather's library".
I cracked up over Markle's idea of sleeping with all the people in your poems.
No one but Edie could have managed to get the words bifurcated and shebang in the same poem.
Ally broke hearts with her description of a struggling bird.

Art broke hearts with my favorite of the evening, accompanied by a haunting photo:
In the Silence, In the Silence, Does thee stand, Witness, witness,
The grace of land, The face of Silence.
Thanks, Art.

Art made some interesting observations as he was commenting on Dennis' poem. He felt it was a heartsong, beyond the limitations of meditation: the heart speaks, not reflecting the brain. We all seemed to enjoy this one.
Paul's wood splitting work was reflective and dense, told a good story. Alan called it "heroic". Tom pointed out that pruning needed to be done.
Mimi asked for help with verb tense problems. What If had a utopian feel to it, with beautiful language. (But the leather mask made me think of Hannibal Lector.)
"Cedarwood" by Bev had a lovely conversational tone.
Tim was there with no poem.
I wrote about the young man who disappeared from Albany the day before Christmas from his father's point of view.

Paul suggested that we meet on the 5th Thursday, which is next week (31st), and I have put it on the lib calendar for 6:30.

Thanks to Alan and Jennifer for a wonderful evening on the 19th of food and drink and drumming (I loved the drum). Charlie was a great host, dessert was awesome, the bird was tasty (I don't mean Alan) and the beer emporium full. It was nice to see spouses. We missed Mike and Tim. I got some good photos which I will post asap.