The Best of Lix and Kix, vol 1: Roger Craik

Indispensible © 2009 by Roger Craik, all rights reserved

Read by the author on 18 November 2008 during the second ever Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza, held at the 806 Wine and Martini Bar, 806 Literary Rd. in Cleveland, Ohio

Roger Craik is English by birth, was educated at the Universities of Reading and Southampton, and came to the United States in 1991. Roger taught in Bulgaria on a Fulbright Scholarship in 2007 and currently serves as an Associate Professor of English at Kent State University, Ashtabula, in Ohio.

We recommend the following Roger Craik poetry collections:

Of England Still (2010) [available from Finishing Line Press], Those Years (2007) [available from vanZeno Press], and if you can find them: Darkening Green (2004), Rhinoceros in Clumber Park (2003), and I Simply Stared (2002).

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The Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza, hosted by Dianne Borsenik and John Burroughs, now happens the third Wednesday of each month (7 p.m.) at Bela Dubby Art Gallery and Beer Cafe, 13321 Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. Upcoming featured poets include:

Nov. 17th.: Blaire Bommer (Cleveland), Christopher Franke (Cleveland) and Major Ragain (Kent).

Dec. 15th: Nicole Robinson (Kent), Eric Anderson (Elyria) and Larry Smith (Huron).

Jan. 19th: Mark Jordan (central Ohio), L.S. Royal (Cleveland) and Marilyn Olivares de Ortiz & musical friends (Cleveland).

Feb. 16th: Steve Brightman (Kent), Akeem-Jamal Rollins (Cleveland) and music by Diana Chittester!

March 16th: Heather Ann Schmidt (Waterford, MI), Mark Hersman (Mansfield) and Scott Woods (Columbus).

April 20th: Dave Nichols (Cleveland), Courtenay Roberts (Cleveland) and Connie Everett (Columbus).

For more information on Lix and Kix visit either crisischronicles.com or myspace.com/lixandkix.

Poetry @ IngenuityFest 2010

Ingenuity, Cleveland’s Festival of Art and Technology

The Ingenuity Festival returns with a weekend-long celebration of art and technology, designed for audiences of any age and experience, staged in the center of Downtown Cleveland. Prominent international masters present original works alongside the finest of Northeast Ohio’s performing and visual artists. High technology firms and major colleges and universities are presented alongside acclaimed artists to create a dazzling display of exciting and immersive new work! Ingenuity pushes boundaries, creating a unique festival experience that draws and celebrates diversity, and involves the audience as both spectator and participant!

This Year’s Poetry centered events include:

Malikee Ikiru

September 24, 2010 11:45PM - September 25, 2010 12:00AM@ Span Stage - West Concourse - West Side of Bridge

Malikee Ikiru has been active in the urban poetry scene in Cleveland since the early 90s. He combines the hard revolutionary stance of the late 60s with futuristic images military science fiction. Mixing politics, romanticism, spirituality, and a computer generated world to give his art a matrixesque feeling.  He has done hundreds of shows and opened for such acts as Sonia Sanchez, burning spear and krs1. Are you ready for the revolution? The matrix has you!

Midnight Poetry with Dr. McMahon

September 24, 2010 11:45PM - September 25, 2010 12:45AM@ Span Stage - West Concourse - West Side of Bridge

Hosted by Claire McMahon readers will include: Poetry by Eric Alleman,  Eric Anderson, Diane Borsenik,  Miles Budimir, John Burroughs,  Charlotte Mann, Claire McMahon,  Robert Miltner, Michael Salinger,  Theresa (T.M. Gottl), Russ Vidrick.

Poetry Workshop and Performance with Michael Salinger

September 25, 2010 4:00PM - 5:00PM@ West Courtyard Stage

Student workshops led by poet/educator Michael Salinger. Students will write, edit, rehearse and perform their own original works.

Ray McNiece - Haiku Slam

September 25, 2010 5:00PM - 6:00PM@ Span Stage - West Concourse - West Side of Bridge

Whether you participate or observe you will enjoy the fast paced action of Head to Head haiku – a poetry competition based on the rules of Sumo wrestling. Also, add your thoughts to the endless scroll that will be a Cleveland Rengku. Hosted by local haiku master Ray McNiece.

The festival will be held on the subway level of the Veterans Memorial (Detroit Superior) Bridge in Downtown Cleveland.  It can be accessed from the East and West sides of the river and is protected from the weather.

CSU 4-1-10 – McDaniel and Dougherty

michael dumanis, director of the csu poetry center introduces jeffrey mcdaniel and sean thomas dougherty

Okay – so even the academic readings don’t start on time in Cleveland. The McDaniel – Dougherty reading was advertised as starting @7:30 and true to Poetic Standard Time things got rolling with Dumanis introducing the readers at around ten ‘til eight. Dougherty kicked things off launching into a rustbelt cinched treatise. Paisley flowered shirt rolled to his elbows showing tattooed forearms a cap that looks like it was plucked from a black and white photo of Ellis Island immigration line dwellers he reminded me more of an eastern bloc uncle than a professor from Case.

His work carried the same sort of unapologetic sensibility as his wardrobe. He himself later said that the pieces he was reading (from a forthcoming manuscript) were an attempt to just say things. “Sometimes things just need to be, said.” Dougherty’s reading style falls somewhere between a beat jazz sing song reminiscent of kinescopes of Kerouac on the Steve Allen show and the hip hop influenced delivery of contemporary slammers.

“this is going to be one of those readings where i really f*** myself up”

Dougherty finished his twenty-five minute set with a couple list poems – one titles Ex and finally a love poem with the refrain “you are…” I enjoyed his set and hope to see more of this  local writer.

McDaniel began his set with an excerpt from a longer piece of fiction, possibly a novel – something he has been working on for a couple years and not quite sure what to do with yet. He clutched the lectern and lowered his head looking as if he was reading in a wind tunnel and there was no warning when the fan might be turned on.

The five minute excerpt  started out with a hilarious rendering of a family cat in heat  swerved into a road trip to Niagra Falls with his father and brothers engaged in close quarter conflict and ending with a drug dependant mom vegetating back at home. McDaniel's work borders on the absurd at times and he uses humor like a knitting needle at a birthday party popping  balloons. I’ve always liked his work and was somewhat disappointed when he confessed that he has probably only written four new poems in the last couple years.  Let’s hope he rectifies this situation.

Snoetry: A Winter Wordfest

Lix and Kix and The Last Wordsmith Book Shoppe will host Snoetry: A Winter Wordfest in the historic town of North East (near Erie), Pennsylvania, on Saturday 16 January 2010. The day will begin with an hour of open mic at 1 p.m., then continue from 2 to midnight with around 40 featured poets and musical artists. We'll try to sprinkle in more open mic throughout the day, as time permits. And come rain, shine, or blizzard, we'll be there!

Dianne Borsenik and John Burroughs will be the day's emcees. Featured poets and performers during Snoetry will include:

Lester Allen (upstate NY)
Gary Bond (Toledo, OH)
Dianne Borsenik (Cleveland, OH)
Kent Brown (Jamestown, NY)
John Burroughs (Elyria, OH)
Cold Heart Youth (Erie, PA)
Nabina Das (Ithaca, NY)
Aleathia Drehmer (upstate NY)
John Dorsey (Toledo, OH)
Christopher Franke (Cleveland, OH)
Steve Goldberg (Cleveland, OH)
T.M. Göttl (Brunswick, OH)
Sammy Greenspan (Cleveland Heights, OH)
Michael Grover (Toledo, OH)
JJ Haaz (10-string guitarist, northeast Ohio)
Clarissa Jakobsons (Aurora, OH)
Chuck Joy (Erie, PA)
tj jude (from NC, by way of MI)
Lady K (Cleveland, OH)
Berwyn Moore (Erie, PA)
Zachary Moll (Monroeville, OH)
Alex Nielsen (Toledo/Cleveland, OH)
Dan Provost (Worcester, MA)
Wendy Shaffer (Cleveland, OH)
Dan Smith (Cleveland, OH)
Steven B. Smith (Cleveland, OH)
Carolyn Srygley-Moore (upstate NY)
Vladimir Swirynsky (Cleveland, OH)
Cee Williams (Erie, PA)



17 East Main Street
North East, Pennsylvania 16428
Phone: 814-725-9141
http://www.lastwordsmith.com

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New Monthly Poetry Salon

Pudding House Salon

Poetry Workshop in Cleveland

Pudding House Salon brings its dynamic workshop to Cleveland, where intermediate and advanced poets find mutual support, critique and development. Following the longstanding Columbus Pudding House Salon, every month we’ll do read-around, share poetry news, hone mic skills and scout publication opportunities. Afternoon intensive critique focuses on strengths and weaknesses of each poem and asks, has the poet dropped down into the deepest level to which the poem calls?

Pudding House is the largest literary small press in the U.S. with over 1,000 titles in print. Beginning this September, Cleveland Salon runs every second Saturday of the month at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Coventry Village library in Cleveland Heights, from 9:30 a.m. till 4 p.m., facilitated by longtime Columbus Salon member Sammy Greenspan*.

There is a nominal fee for the eleven-month series, (some need-based partial scholarships available). No required degrees or publication list. To determine if this workshop is a good fit, please submit three of your best poems and any questions to:

sammygreenspan@mindspring.com

Tied to the Bitchin' post...

Okay,

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted – been out of town for the better part of a month but I’ve been checking in. First off – we could certainly use some new fodder for the Blind Review Friday’s portion of the blog.

Secondly – to piggyback a bit on Geoff’s post below I would be interested to see what folks list as their pet peeves in the “poetry scene.” I define scene rather loosely here – could be Cleveland could be the literary world as a whole. Maybe it’s contest fees maybe it’s reading hosts constantly screaming at you to “give it up!” for this or that reader – whatever it is let us know.

Personally I am offended by the feature reader who reads their work – cites a long ride home or some other pressing engagement – then heads for the door after one or two open mic participants. I watched a fairly well know reader in town pass notes to her/his entourage while a couple of people who sat through his/her reading took their turn at the open mic. Then, after two readers this person left. Lack of class in my book.

I know a LA poet who likes to go to open mics and read the sign up list as a roll call at the end of the reading to highlight how many folks come, read their stuff and leave.

So – any takers – what makes you nuts?

And – get those blind review submissions in.

Thanks.

Cleveland: a great town for poetry readings

Somebody had asked earlier where to go to find open mike poetry* in Cleveland.

*(or "open mic")

Cleveland is a great town for poetry readings. Almost any day of the week you can find a reading somewhere-- check out the clevelandpoetics calendar. Most of them have a featured poet, and usually have an open microphone after the featured reading for you to show off your stuff in front of an audience. If you're a member of that faction who believes that poetry is made to be read out loud, Cleveland's your town.

All of the Cleveland readings have their own character-- depending on whether you like a quiet reading in a coffeehouse, or a rollicking reading hosted by a M.C., somewhere in town we've got it for you.

A good starting point to look at to find out where the the readings around town are is the Cleveland Literary Center (aka, "the Lit")'s Calendar of Literary Events [note added: dead now, I'm afraid, but we now have the calendar right here on clevelandpoetics]. Also, if you're a member of the clevelandpoetics yahoo group, check the clevelandpoetics calendar as well.

Here is a list of the regularly scheduled readings, taken from the calendars I listed above. That isn't necessarily all of the readings in the area! I can't claim I've been to all of these (mostly a homebody, me). So if I've made an error, or listed an event that's no longer running or has changed date or place, let me know.

And I'm not even mentioning the various poetry workshops in the area. That's a whole 'nother post!

But if you want live poetry, to listen to, or to join in, here are your chances:

• Saturday, 2pm: poetry reading at Mr. Smith's Coffee House, 140 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, sponsored by the Firelands BGSU writing center. (Used to be the first Saturday, but they seem to have moved the schedule around).
• 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:00 pm: Nia Coffeehouse at the Coventry Village library @ corner of Euclid Hts. Blvd., moderated by Vince Robinson.
• 1st Thursday, 7pm: Jim's Coffeehouse Elyria. If you'd like to perform, show up by 6:30 to register. 2 Lake Avenue, Elyria.
• 1st Friday, 7 pm-10 pm: Poetic Flavor at the 2nd April Gallery, 209 6th St. Canton, OH
• 2nd Wednesday, 7pm: Mac's Backs poetry, at Mac's Backs on Coventry. 1820 Coventry, Cleveland Heights.
• 2nd Thursday, 7-8:30 pm: Brunswick Art Works sponsors poetry reading plus open mike at Dunkin' Donuts, 3868 Center Road in Brunswick
• --the 2nd Thursday Literary Café Poetry Nights in Tremont are a thing of the past, sorry!
• 2nd Friday, 8:30 pm: Deep Cleveland poetry hour at Border's Books and Music, 17200 Royalton Rd. in Strongsville (on hiatus).
• 2nd Saturday, 3 pm: poetry at the Brandt Gallery, 1028 Kenilworth Ave. in Tremont.
• 3rd Wednesday, 7 pm: Lix&Kix Poetry Extravaganza, at Bela Dubby Art Gallery and Beer Cafe at 13321 Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. (Used to be Tuesday, note the new day)

And at irregular Saturdays, you also get

• Saturday Night With The Poet's Haven. This is in varying places: at the Angel Falls Coffee Company in Akron on odd months, various locations in/near Cleveland in even months), hosted by Vertigo X. Xavier.

There are also club events that happen every week, incorporating poetry and spoken-word performance with music, hip-hop, and other performance arts:

• Every Tuesday, 9 pm - 1 am: Lyrical Rhythm Open Mic Poetry and Soul, hosted by Q-Nice, music by DJ Tom Noy, at the B-Side Liquor Lounge, 2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd, Cleveland Hts. Admission $4.00.
• Every Wednesday, 8 pm - 1 am: NEO Soul, 2573 Noble Road, Cleveland Heights, $5 cover. "The latest in NEO soul and oldschool hip hop spun by DK A and DJ Goldie, with open mic hosted by Athena starting at 9pm".
• (no longer ongoing) 8 pm - midnight: Mahogany Red, The Red Hot Experience, in The Living Room Coffee Lounge. "The night is open to all artists from poets to musicians to singers to dancers to emcees, with concierges G Styl and F.R.E.E. along with Audio Engineer Q-Nice." Admission $5:00.

So, that's what's happening around town. They're all different, so if you're a regular at one of these events, drop a note here and tell us what it's like!

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• check out the clevelandpoetics calendar