Loose Leaf Notes

1. Only once in nine years did I make it early enough to hear the Little River Poetry Festival kayakers read from the rock amphitheater on the river, but I did make it to the 7 Voices Poetry Ensemble at 10 a.m. on Sunday, the last day of the festival.

2. Curated by festival co-founder Jack Callan, who was joined this year by Krista Gerber, Erika Joyner, Rachel Anne Morris, Jamie Williams and Judith Stevens, the ensemble was titled Hiding the Evidence.

3. Poets, like Krista Gerber and Jamie Williams, tell it like it is.

4. Jack Callan and Rachel Anne Morris read.

5. Erika Joyner, wonders “Maybe I’m not a wimpy guy?”

6. Cas Horne reads I Dreamt of Doomsday.

7. The readings concluded with a poem by Jack, Five Broken Cameras, a riveting story of a Palestinian Cameraman, read by the ensemble.

8. Meanwhile a late morning Open Mic was a highlight. Don MacKeller knocked it out of the park with his slam poem on the atomic bomb, wait for it, among other things.

9. “Before the eating disorder res or during” Coral Kendall asked the audience to choose. They chose during.

10. I read my newest poem The Curve Ball: I said, “I’m clumsy unless I’m dancing / like a stutterer who stutters until they sing” / I was thrown a curve ball / that I couldn’t catch / I was left sidelined for the long haul…

11. A first-time reader shared “For the Water Protectors,” reflecting on a very real local threat.

12. How to get creative? I don’t k now the name of Trevor Huffman’s poem, but I’m calling it The Alphabet of Drugs: MDMA, Money, Dealing, Multiple Arrests… or More Dead Minority Americans.

13. Always up for some comic relief, Judith reads a poem on how Jack swallowed a wasp, called No Wine Before its Time.

– Thanks to Jack and Judith for their mentoring and hosting, and to  all the poets and audience members. We hope to see you next year! June 6 – 8. Check out the Little River Poetry Festival’s Facebook page for information. Little River Poetry Festival Friday is HERE. Saturday is HERE.  Thirteen Thursday