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      You are here: Home / Events / Summer Postpartum Poetry in Essex, NY

      Summer Postpartum Poetry in Essex, NY

      September 10, 2012 By Geo Davis Leave a Comment

      Poetry in Essex, July 10 at the Adirondack Art Association (clockwise from top left: Colleen Torrans, Judith Moore, Donna Joerg, Bill Poppino)
      Poetry in Essex at the Adirondack Art Association
      (clockwise from top left: Colleen Torrans, Judith Moore, Donna Joerg, Bill Poppino)

      Summer postpartum depression got you down? Fear not. Poetry in Essex is the perfect antidote to the “So Long, Summer Blues”. Better than a cheap flight to a snowbird sanctuary. Better than a protracted Indian Summer. Better even than your serotonin reuptake inhibitor of choice. If the last two chilly nights (and days) have cooled your enthusiasm, grab a sweater and swing by the gallery tomorrow night for hot-hot-hot poetry in Essex.

      If you want to be thought of as smart
      I know a good way to start.
      Join us at seven
      On September eleven
      And get some good verse with the art. ~ Jeff Moredock

      I’m pleased to remind you that the fourth and final Poetry in the Gallery Slam will be held tomorrow, September 11, at 7 p.m. in the AAA Gallery in Essex… We deeply appreciate your participation. Your enthusiastic support this season has helped to make the slams a regular feature of the Essex cultural calendar and to broaden the role of the AAA in the life of the community. ~ Steven Krolak

      If you need any further evidence that the Essex renaissance is in full swing, I suggest you join us in the old firehouse on Tuesday evening. Bring a poem, an appreciation for poetry and a friend. You won’t be disappointed.

      Poetry in Essex, Summer 2012

      AAA Gallery Director Steven Krolak and Essex bon vivant Jeff Moredock delivered a consistently inspiring and well attended poetry series throughout the summer. Starting out with “Essex Poetry, Taxes and Poet Laureate” in June and Adirondack fountains of youth and marital bliss in July, August marked a memorable high note as local bards celebrated the hustle and bustle of summer with free verses for all. Moredock’s poem, “The Annual 4th of July Parade” captured the energy and excitement like a Norman Rockwell calendar illustration.

      The Annual 4th of July Parade
      It pulls itself together in the shadow of St. Phillip
      Wayne Bailey, a real trooper, calms the crowd
      “It won’t be long” “Any minute now.”
      Entertains by comments on passers-by who catch his eye
      And then, when the crowd has worked itself into
      What passes for a frenzy in Essex, New York,
      It bursts into view, ignores the blinking red light
      And fills the street.
      Convertibles carry politicians
      Floats carry good causes
      A small armada of ancient tractors
      Carry a small armada of ancient drivers
      Candy fills the air
      Men in red face, loose from a reservation in Reber,
      Run from side to side
      They frighten young children and lunge at
      Middle-aged women
      A bagpipe and drum band marches smartly by
      Cats scream to get out of their bags
      Drums cause chests to resonate
      More candy flies through the air
      A young man wobbles by on a unicycle
      Juggling cucumbers
      A vintage classic car goes by
      Driven by a vintage classic owner.
      Yet another fire-truck passes,
      Deafens the crowd with its siren
      The sheriff goes by, riding in the back seat,
      Not his usual place.
      A Hazmat truck appears, and we briefly feel less safe
      Even more candy rains from above
      Giant water pistols do their best
      But cannot dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd
      And then, when we all feel we can’t
      Stand the excitement one more minute
      The parade ends.
      Many want it to come again, as it did
      One year when it was so brief it
      Doubled back for a second run.
      But not this year.
      Church ladies still hawk strawberry shortcake
      Firemen push hot dogs and
      One good citizen sells balloons for a good cause
      Then sees their new owners lose their grip
      And watch their purchase head out of town,
      High in the sky.
      Children clutch bags of airborne and street-bruised candy
      A man from Willsboro claims to
      Have been struck in the eye by a tootsie roll.
      He gets smiles, but no sympathy
      Wayne Bailey, still a real trooper,
      Thanks a few dozen people and
      We all head home
      Grateful for another American birthday.
      ~ Jeff Moredock, July 2011

      If tomorrow night will be your first poetry slam at the gallery in Essex, let me cover a couple of questions I often receive.

      Poetry in Essex FAQ

      Jeff Moredock reading his poetry at the Adirondack Art Association in Essex, NY.
      Jeff Moredock reading his poetry in Essex, NY.

      Q: Is it really a poetry slam? What is a poetry slam?
      A: No, strictly speaking the AAA sponsored poetry events are not poetry slams. They are informal, public public readings in which everyone is invited to share their own poetry aloud with a friendly and supportive audience comprised of other writers and poetry aficionados. Poetry slams are competitive. “Simply put, poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they’re saying and how they’re saying it. A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 or one to 10 scale) based on the poets’ content and performance.” (Poetry Slam – General FAQ) Tomorrow night you’ll witness no competition, only encouraging and admiring peers.

      Q: Is it child friendly?
      A: Although writers are invited to decide for themselves whether or not their material is appropriate for the audience, there are often children in attendance and even reading or reciting their own poems. I’ve attended all three poetry in Essex events this summer and never once have I witnessed poetry that was inappropriate for children.

      Q: Is there a fee to attend? To read?
      A: Although similar events elsewhere often require payment for attendance, it is totally free to attend and/or read at the poetry in Essex series.

      Q: Do I have to be a published poet to read?
      A: Certainly not. Most of the poets reading are amateurs who write poetry for fun rather than profit. (Excuse the cheeky aside to all writers who’ve grown rich publishing poetry!)

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      Filed Under: Events Tagged With: AAA Gallery, Adirondack Art Association, Essex, Essex New York, Jeff Moredock, Judith Moore, Norman Rockwell, Poetry, Poetry Open Mic, Steven Krolak

      About Geo Davis

      Geo Davis (aka virtualDavis) is a writer, storyteller and unabashed flâneur. He taught and coached at Santa Fe Preparatory School and The American School of Paris, co-founded Maison Margaux: "Paris à la parisienne" in Faubourg Saint-Germain, and owns Adobe Oasis in Santa Fe, NM with his bride.

      Geo chronicles adventures (and misadventures) of rehabilitating an historic Essex home at Rosslyn Redux: Reawakening a home, a dream and ourselves; blogs about doodling and other esoterica at virtualDavis.com; posts sometimes unnerving, occasionally euphoric, and always pollyanna "midlife mashups" at 40x41.com; waxes nautical at Sailing Errant; and delves into matters of parenting, babylandia, and childfreedom at Why No Kids? He meanders on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube and Flickr.

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