Riverwood Poetry Festival Begins

Photos: I don’t have photos yet, but will post them as soon as I can.

The festival really started on Wednesday night (June 24th) at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford with Generational Slam Speak Easy. I was unable to attend the opening salvo, but, from what I have heard, it was a roaring success.

Thursday night (June 25th) at Wood Memorial Library in South Windsor went from the PIPs to a rip roarin’ hoot-en-nanny Yee Haw finish to the evening.

It started with the PIPs (Partners in Poetry), which is an eight-member poetry workshop group. Their poetry had a wide range of subjects garnering enthusiastic audience approval.

Then the party moved downstairs to the “Underwood Café”. This is where the tempo changed thanks to opening remarks by Julia Paul. She noted that most poetry readings are rather staid and sedate, and she thought we should all become more relaxed and respond to what touched us poetically with more than a “hmmm” or “uh huh.” She suggested “Yeeeeee Haw” and it didn’t take long for the Yeeeeee Haw evening to begin. ☺☺☺

George Wallace (New York City) started things off with his rapid fire “Beat” poetry. George was the first Poet Laureate of Suffolk County, New York and has 18 books of poetry to his credit.

LisaAnn LoBasso followed, and I would characterize her poetry as sweet and sometimes harsh observations of life. She herself refuses to characterize her style as either academic or performance. LisaAnn has a dynamic personality and an infectious laugh/giggle to go along with her dynamic and boundary-breaking poetry. She has been twice nominated for California Poet Laureate and has two poetry books in print, In the Swollen and Oleander Milkshake.

It was Dan Wilcox that brought the house down. Dan hails from Albany, NY and is a member of the poetry performance group “3 Guys from Albany.” His reading was going along so well until he started telling us about this bar in Chicago, “Weeds”. He told us about all the bras they have hanging there. {From Weeds website: Live music / open mike Fri and Sat. Decor features bras from past patrons; outdoor patio open during warmer months. Mondays are open mic night (spoken).} And with that…Dan whips off his tee shirt and he is wearing a bra. This went beyond hysterical. We, the audience of poets, were laughing so hard Dan wasn’t sure he would get a chance to read his poem. There wasn’t a dry pair of pants in the house! ☺☺☺☺

It has to be noted that all three of these exceptional talents were with us for the first Poetry Festival. It’s good to know we put on such a classy event last year that the poets wanted to come back and be a part of the Connecticut Poetry Scene!

Rather anticlimactic, I report that we also had books and Riverwood Festival tee shirts for sale.

Can’t wait for today’s events. We begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Faxon Library in West Hartford, featuring Dana Sonnenschein, Marilyn Johnston and Dennis Barone hosted by Tom Nicotera. From there the party adjourns to Fernwood Restaurant at 9:30 where we will hear Elizabeth Thomas, Melissa Emma, Wendy Battin and Sympetalous hosted by Mike Walker. There will be an open mic at the Fernwood and you’ll find me there with poems in hand (show me a mic and I’ll read you a poem!)

For complete information on the Riverwood Poetry Festival please go out to our website where you will find all the information on readings INCLUDING the Poetry Campout in Willington tonight and Saturday night.