Author: Editor Shrub-Steppe Poetry

Nine of us gathered at Brian’s studio for the last open mic before we go on hiatus for the summer. Brian opened the session with an original song – a poem set to music – which he sang and played on his guitar. Always a great way to start! A new person joined us, and among the “regulars” was a young woman who had joined us a while back. As always, the poems were intriguing, the vibe was warm and friendly, and everyone enjoyed connecting.

If there is interest, we’ll take our poems above ground May through August at the home of Susan Blair. Use the Contact form if you’d like more information.

A free, poetry-only open mic open to the public.

Check back for location – sometimes we move around town a little!

We enjoyed some really good poems at our most recent Podium. We read our own stuff, of course, plus several of us read something from well-known poets. I particularly enjoyed the William Stafford poems which Susan L. read: “Is This Feeling About the West Real?” and “A Valley Like This .” In fact, they inspired me to dust off my copy of his book, The Way It Is: New and Selected Poems, and work my way through it again. Here is one of my favorites:

You Reading This, Be Ready
by William Stafford

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now?  Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?

When you turn around, starting here, lift this
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want from this day.  This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life -

What can anyone give you greater than now,
starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

Read about William E. Stafford at the Poetry Foundation.