Here we are...

...a group of Baby Boomers of sundry religious,
political and cultural orientations, who have been
meeting at the Voorheesville Public Library since 1991
to read and discuss each other's poems.

We include old fathers and young grandmothers,
artists and musicians, and run-of-the-mill eccentrics.
Writers are welcome to stop in and stay if they like us.


Some of Us

Some of Us
Dennis Sullivan, Beverly Osborne, Tom Corrado, Edie Abrams, Art Willis, Alan Casline (all seated); Paul Amidon, Mike Burke, Tim Verhaegen, Mark O'Brien, Barbara Vink, Philomena Moriarty

Friday, February 1, 2008

RIng Around Ron

Last night's meeting began with the ceremonial passing of the gavel to the new gavellier who immediately used it on the bird and the blogmaster (who, I should add, were in the process of conducting legitimate business).

NG then passed out (blue) copies of the newly revised proceedure and opened the floor for discussion. There was some clarificaton needed on some of the points. We all conducted ourselves politely. Beverly in particular was quiet and well behaved and offered to frame the new rules. She also had a truly wonderful poem about her father's sweater which was reminiscent of John Rankin's My Father's Clothes.

Cathy was in good form with a kissing-in-the-kitchen poem. Tim liked the delectible fragrance (sorry for the pun) of the first few lines and I suggested different line breaks.

Paul brought Swap Meet with a right-on flavorful description of car parts and the people who trade them. Great line: "their orphan inventories".

At some point in the middle of things, Ron ran around the table in his overcoat.

Tim brought a revised version of his poem about his aunt Florence who died young of meningitis. We still thought it needed more detail to be clear.

Alan wrote a totally wonderful line I Dreamed Last Night of the Circling of Stars which he used for the title of a dream recitation.

Edie cracked us up with a sound-effects version of Friendly Fire at the Poetry Workshop which is indescribable.

Tom did a total hatchet job on Philomena Place poem, not because it was not good, but because he wanted the verses scrambled up (surprise!)

I did not write, but got a rather hearty laugh reading an old rhyming doggerel called The Callous Cowboy which some of you probably heard before.

Tom outdid himself. I felt that it was his most successful effort in the style he has been working in for several years - "the epitome of unified diversity", if that means anything. It was a two-pager that was a pleasure to read.

Our next meeting night falls on Valentine's Day and in that spirit we accepted a theme assignment on that topic. As usual you are free to ignore the assignment, but it is usually fun when we all do the same thing for a change.

Bev has given permission for her poem to be blogged and I do so with pleasure.

Alan passed out a small book of Catherine's poems with a beautiful cover.

Yes, those are my photographs I have added to this page.

Gary, if you are reading this, come and get your glasses.

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