Reads Poems

Ars poetica

The meteoric rise in the academic sanctioning of poets since the 1970s has made "ars poetica" one of the things never far from my mind.

here’s to deb

salonista of the housatonic

whose pictures and words
conspire to cheer us,
cajole us into carrying on –

she is enabler to all us
babblers and warblers;
prancers and dancers;
polemicists, and

self-actualized artistes
of every stripe and us also
just crafty enough

to steep in the fellowship
of saying hello
i’m here, too.

Dave Read

Dave Read poetry performance at IWOW.
Dave Read poetry performance at IWOW.

Feb. 13, 2021 – I saw Deb Koffman’s obit in the paper today, something she wrote, rather. Her InWords OutWords monthly ad hoc variety show – it was no normal open mic, anyway, is where I came out of poetry self-exile in the waning days of the last Bush administration. Deb is forever in my gratitude for the role she unwittingly played in my unspooling into poethood.

Back then, each month someone was given a twenty minute feature spot. I got mine (there is only one/per) the night of President Obama’s election. I’m pretty sure it was a decade too early, but at least, I’ll remember the year! I said “here’s to deb” the next month, and today I say it again, with meaning and tears. Thanks Deb.