POETRY IN THE WOODS - Part 4 Open Readings

In the gristmill, poets come and go,
none thinking of Michaelangelo

Just a few of the poets who read during the open reading at the Gristmill at the Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival include: Max Smart, Michael Berman, Duane, Bill Schatzabel, Charlotte Caprino, David Roschack, Craig Grossman and Anthony Buccino, plus earlier there were Darcey, Greg and Daniel who read.

I couldn't tell you the last time I read my poetry out loud, but, beleive me, it was a long time ago.

On Saturday morning we were huddled in the dusty Gristmill, sitting on hand-hewn benches, under floors supported by hand-hewn beams, just a few feet away from the ancient equipment that took in the grist for the mill.

Below us, right under the building, the water ran in the same path it ran when it powered this old mill.

The light in the Gristmill wasn't the best for old poets' eyes and one fellow prefered to read his work near the window rather than in the dark recesses.

Darcey said the name of her high school was Hell - because they wouldn't put together a bus load of students to come to the festival. She said she shoved a $50 bill in the principal's face to help pay for the bus, but it was all a no-go. Or, in her case, go on your own. She read PULSE.

One young poet first read NEW SAUNA built on portmanteau words. He offered to read his own creation, a half-paradelle 49 LOW LEADERS OF TEARS. Someone asked the poet if he had a chance to read it to Billy Collins - who had invented the poetic device as a parody - but the young poet said no.

Buccino read CLOSETS at the morning open reading. At the afternoon open reading, he read the unpublished MONEY IN NEWSPAPERS and NEEDLE.

One fellow, in photo, read a poem he wrote at the festival and had on his Apple laptop.

In the back of the room I ran into one of my former reporters, Al Sullivan who is lately working the Hudson County scene from Bayonne.

Sullivan had earlier this month written about poet Jack Wiler and his latest book FUN BEING ME. Wiler has been a featured poet at the Dodge festival and is a visiting poet for the foundation.

Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Afraid of the Water

Yountakah Country

OTHER BLOGS ON THE DODGE POETRY FESTIVAL
Poet Mom
Steve's 2 Cents
Myth of Arrival
Bud Bloom
Cruelist Month
Dr Pretentious
Poetry Evolution
The Wandering Mind
Channel Surfing
Late Night Meanderings
Pop Scholar
Steve Urena

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The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival 2006