Collin Kelley's First Fridays Open Mic at The Portfolio Center is a cool drink o' water...
I loved this past Friday's event, which featured TWO Poets, as well as the Open Mic..
Mike Dockins("Slouching Towards A Comet") was the first Feature to read, and his work bounces right through you, Seuss-like...his "The Fun Uncle" was an instruction-book-of-sorts, on dealing with kids...
His "Eleven Gin and Tonics" had the audience giggling...
He also read a darker piece which included a reference to Kent State--and it just so happened he read this(unknowingly!) on the ANNIVERSARY of the Kent State shooting...
(for you youngsters out there: National Guardsmen opened fire on UNarmed students(killing four, wounding others) who were peacefully demonstrating the Vietnam War, on campus)...
Stephen Bluestone, the second Feature speaking, read about several subjects, but the most compelling was one concerning erotica--The title of his latest book of poetry deftly references this:
The Flagrant Dead.
Where Mike Dockins deals in Abcedarians, and other forms of word-play"If it's not fun, why do it?" he asked;
Stephen Bluestone's work is quieter, perhaps a bit unnerving...
Props to Collin Kelley, for knowing this combination of talent would lead to an evening with surprises, and exhiliration.I left feeling "high"--and isn't that the point of the whole "Communion" with each other--through Poetry, Theatre, Art, Music?

Sunday night, I got lucky again--a serene, balmy setting:
Piedmont Park
The reason:
Georgia Shakespeare Fest's "Shake At The Lake"-- "Twelth Night"..
I had packed a nice picnic dinner of all kinds of mouthwatering goodies:honeydew melon carefully scooped(Grapefruit spoons work wonders!) into cupcake-papers, Linzer-torte Raspberry cookies,potato chips(several kinds), fresh veggies and ranch dip, provolone cheese topped sandwiches,fresh egg-dill-salad etc......Hansoo & I were meeting up with Susan and her partner, Janey.
From the opening music, to the last footstep across the stage(a raised platform with stadium-like lighting surrounding it)-- mesmerized-- cannot begin to describe how I felt!!
The direction was crisp, fast, and delightful...Lots of physical comedy, and a few "broad" moments, which keenly balanced the intimate pacing, and seating at Shake At The Lake...
It's been awhile since I attended Georgia Shakespeare
(no excuse, I just got caught up in my own writing, and then memorizing MY OWN scripts!)but I'll be participating ALOT from now on! Note I said PARTICIPATING, not ATTENDING...because that's what real COMMUNION IS--when you feel a CONNECTION to what's happening, to what's being CREATED onstage. Bravo, Georgia Shakes! Bravo!

It's nearly 3:00 A.M., and I am thinking it's as good a time as any, to mention that in a week and a day...
Tuesday, May 15th, I will have the extreme pleasure of Reading/Performing at "Outwrite Books" at 8:00 P.M., in Atlanta's Midtown, and I share the bill with Craig Washington and Franklin Abbott--if you don't know them, you SHOULD!!....
I personally will be doing some pretty provocative/evocative pieces-
I'll be doing my most OUTrageous Poems---NO CHILDREN, please!
One segment is called "The Orgasm Poems".You get the idea.
Now, come OUT to support the FREE EVENT(and Outwrite Books, and us artist-types!), and let's connect...