Floyd’s Spoken Word Open Mic is One Year Old
For the first anniversary of the Spoken Word Open Mic at the Café Del Sol a lawyer from Washington D.C. with aspirations of becoming a musician scribbled his poem on a scrap of paper before coming up to the stage to read it. Dr. Sue Osborn was in the house with her son Mars. She read a poem from her journal about a blackberry, which began … My family doesn’t want this one. Radford University graduate, Bekah, got a rousing applause for each one of the three original poems she read. Open Mic regulars and Floyd Writer’s Circle members, Mara and I also read. Mara performed an experiential piece, read in between a recording of “Don’t Think Twice it’s Alright,” sung by Joan Baez and The Indigo Girls. Another piece she read was inspired by a National Geographic article that likened being in love to obsessive compulsive disorder …The conversation heart you gave me on valentine’s day … was probably spiked with dopamine. I never ate it … But if I had, I could have avoided months of clichés … I read two serious poems, one of which is brand new and the result of a recent therapy session. Feeling a little guilty about possibly bumming the audience out, I promised to follow those poems with one that would make them laugh. And it did!
At the Dentist
It’s too late to pretend
that the overhead lamp
is the sun in Tahiti
and the reclining chair
is a floating raft in a tropical sea
Because the tube in my mouth is not really a straw for pina colada
and the grinding drill I hear coming closer
is not the blender that mixed it
~Colleen
September 20th, 2006 8:59 am
Love the dentist poem!
Visiting from Michele’s.
September 20th, 2006 9:21 am
“I read two serious poems, one of which is brand new and the result of a recent therapy session. Feeling a little guilty about possibly bumming the audience out”
Colleen, probably wouldn’t of bummed me out, you see, I seek out humor alot and like to be considered funny. But there is a very serious side of me. My father would sing an old favorite song of his,
“Laughing on the Outside, Crying in the inside.”
Us humans need a common thread of contact that we know someone is connecting with us in which I do find in your writings!
September 20th, 2006 9:27 am
Thanks, Stuart. I agree about the common thread that connects us all, and I appreciate your words.
September 20th, 2006 10:10 am
It sounds like quite a diverse crowd at the Spoken Word, and quite entertaining, I am sure. Reminds me of stories of the 60s, coffee houses, etc. Before my time, of course!
September 20th, 2006 11:48 am
The dentist poem is fabulous. I can relate!
September 20th, 2006 1:27 pm
I need that poem.
I am going to memorize it and play it in my head tomorrow when they put my final real crown on!
This temp one is starting to ache.
And good idea Mara…anything with the Indigo Girls HAS to be good.
September 20th, 2006 3:56 pm
Now tell me how you really feel about the dentist!!
September 20th, 2006 4:04 pm
I think there’s a psychiatric term for my dentist problem. It’s called disassociation disorder!
September 20th, 2006 4:32 pm
That sounds like a great reading. I miss those. We have them here, but they are predominantly a younger crowd that I’m a snob to.
I prefer older poets with more perspective than to just write about sex and drugs all the time.
Anyway, I love the dentist poem. Perfection!
September 20th, 2006 5:29 pm
Hi Col,
Too bad Open Mic is not in all cities and towns. Think what would come of it…reminds me of how blogging has opened up avenues of communication.
Your post today prompted me to post a poem of a different kind; one by Seamus Heaney the Irish poet.
September 20th, 2006 5:36 pm
Love the dentist poem.
Is there was way to get on the mailing list–next time I’m down visiting my parents I’d love to drop by the open mike.
September 20th, 2006 6:14 pm
Our writer’s circle and Sally from the Cafe started this open mic. Anyone can start one anywhere. Years ago I went to one in Boston. You could go there, Kath!
We do them on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 7-9. Best to call the cafe to verify though. 540-745-ACUP.
September 20th, 2006 6:59 pm
The only way to survive the dentist’s chair is to disassociate! LOVE the poem. 🙂
September 20th, 2006 7:50 pm
I’m still smiling. Great poem and great metaphors!
September 20th, 2006 9:24 pm
LOL, LOL…Love that poem, Colleen. The whole idea of trying to put yourself in Tahiti or anywhere but that chair, is brilliant. I actually have tried this myself, and found it absoultely did not work! (lol)
September 20th, 2006 9:52 pm
Clever poem and a neat thought to have while you’re shaking in that chair with the annoying suction thing going!
Open mic is acol thing. Wish we had one in my town..we did for awhile and then the owner had to close the cafe. They had a drum circle night too. It was called, The Groundswell..a swell escape from the daily grind!!!!
September 20th, 2006 10:06 pm
I’ll definitely be thinking of that one the next time I’m in the dentist chair (which seems to be all too frequently.)
September 20th, 2006 11:47 pm
I’m always so utterly disappointed with my kid’s teachers. This year my daughter who is a senior is in an AP English Lit class in which they are writing poetry. At “back to school night” the teacher gave use the run-down, and told us how much he loves poetry. I asked if the students will be reciting their poetry. He said, no. For most of them it’s too personal.
HOW THE HELL DO YOU TEACH POETRY WITHOUT TEACHING THE FIRST THING ABOUT IT, WHICH IS THAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD AND NOT READ? HOMER NEVER WROTE ANYTHING!!!
I’ll sit down now and behave like a good suburban dad. Thank you.
September 21st, 2006 12:30 am
I am actually a graduate of Radford University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with focuses in Sociology and Social Work and a minor in Women’s Studies. Thank ya’ll so much for the opportunity to attend open mic. I hope to attend and bring more of my poetry. If anyone would like a copy of Rebelutionary, The Counter was still Between Us, Um, What, Huh?, or Internalization, just let me know. I’d love to share. Hope to see you all again soon.