Jan Steckel's Blog: Horizontal Poet Sings Bidyke Blues - Posts Tagged "poetry-reading"

One of the oldest rounds in English is "Sumer is Icumen in." See the manuscript here. It's so warm today here in Oakland, and the birds are singing so loudly in our back yard, that it feels like summer's on it's way. I have two readings scheduled for this summer, and I hope those of you in the SF Bay Area will save the dates.

The first is at the Berkeley Poetry Festival on Saturday, June 5, in front of the old Cody's bookstore at Telegraph and Haste. I'll be reading at 2:30 PM; the festival lasts from 12:30 to 6. I'll post more details soon.

The second is at Works in Progress (WIP), a women-only reading hosted by Linda Zeiser, on July 10, where I'm honored to be featured with Giovanna Capone. WIP will move to a new location in Piedmont that evening; details to follow.

You can find three poems of mine online now in Apparatus Magazine, edited by Adam W. Hart. Those of you who are poets and writers, be sure to let me know about your readings and publications, too! Enjoy the warmer weather.

Because I get to read with James Cagney!

Here's a poem of his:

The Florist – James Cagney

after smoking
whatever it was
down to its last flake
of ash

he comes into the flower shop
approaches the florist, and asks

what flower
cuts thru the bullshit
between people

and says:
I don't hate you
despite never saying that I love you

that apologizes
without
being sorry

that
means love
without saying it

and says love
without
meaning death

and the florist says
the yellow chrysanthemum

James Cagney is a featured writer poet and performer currently residing in Oakland, California. His work has appeared on line and in print in Caduceus, Sussurus, http://www.facebook.com/l/96962BWgnGx...
Un-mute.com, Oakland Local, and Sparring With Beatnik Ghosts.

James and I are reading together Friday, December 10, 2010 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
at the Nefeli Cafe. Dale Jensen and Diana Quartermaine will be your hosts. There will be an open mic. 1854 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.

Dear Friends,

Save the date, if you live in the SF Bay Area! I'll be among several featured readers at Works in Progress, an open mic for women. Good food, live music. NB: there's an admission fee. If you want to read, best to call Linda, the organizer (below), WELL before the reading, as the open mic list often fills up even before the show. Hope to see some of you women there! Though this is a lesbian-run reading, all women are welcome.

Warmly,
Jan


WORKS IN PROGRESS, An Open Mic for Women

Fireside Room, Plymouth United Church of Christ, 424 Monte Vista, Oakland

Saturday, March 12, 6:30-10:30 pm


Kimberly J. Miller is an accomplished vocalist who has performed across the United States, in England and on Russian Radio. She has opened for Chaka Khan, Chris Williamson, members of The Association and Three Dog Night. Her soulful, powerful performances have won her critical acclaim for a number of stage roles and well as for her concert “Salute to the Women of the Blues I & II” which were commissioned by and performed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Kimberly will be accompanied by the illustrious Karen Mullally and Shari Kline!

Other incredible lesbian performers who will knock you out include:

Celeste McCarty, Karen Thompson, Tyler Stanley, Patty Overland, Bev Jo and Jan Steckel..

$7-$10 Admission includes a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of six $25 certificates for fine dining at a local restaurant!

6:30 – 7:30 Pot Luck - BRING YOUR FAVORITE FOOD TO SHARE!!
7:30 - 10:30 Performance, Fireside Room

Hosted by Feminist Author & Poet Linda Zeiser, Produced by Linda Zeiser & Carolyn Stull. For information, contact Linda at (510) 701-1022, ZeiserpoetMC@aol.com.

Works In Progress is a creative space for women's art: Poets, Musicians, Comediennes, and Performance Artists. All are encouraged to share their works, completed or evolving. WIP is scent free and wheelchair accessible.

Dear Friends,

Sorry to have to tell you that due to illness, my reading with Marc Hofstadter this Friday, June 10 at the Laurel Book Store in Oakland, CA, will be postponed until Thursday, August 18, at 7 PM. I have a kidney infection and Marc Hofstadter has a monster cold. He's watching baseball nine hours a day, and I'm lying down in the knee-high grass under the spunk tree in our back yard when I get dizzy. Getting to know the ladybugs, snails, little black spiders, butterflies, hummingbirds, mockingbirds, and the neighborhood cats really well. Still don't know what that little passerine bird with a triangular black head is called. Health to us and to all of you! Sorry for the inconvenience.

Warmly,
Jan

Anger Management in San Francisco, hosted by H.K. Rainey and Paul Corman-Roberts, was one of the most fun readings I've been to. We descended through a beautiful antique store called Viricocha in the Mission district of San Francisco into the red light of a basement speakeasy. Chairs clustered around small tables, and the bar in the back sold beer and wine. The acts and the audience were equally picturesque, and everyone seemed to have talent spurting out their ears.

Thanks to Evan Karp of Litseen.com for the footage below of me reading "Don't Tell Me" and "The Horizontal Poet."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyna8v...

Please save September 5 for me if you're going to be in the San Francisco Bay Area that evening! I'll be the featured reader at the Sacred Grounds Cafe near the Haight. Bring some poetry of your own to share at the open mic.

Sacred Grounds: Open Mic Wednesdays: 7 pm sign up
2095 Hayes @ Cole, San Francisco.
415-387-3859
Host: Dan Brady: creative1@creativeideasforyou.com

Host Dan Brady is a poet, composer, singer and an elementary school teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District. He took over hosting the Sacred Grounds Cafe Wednesday night reading after its longtime host Jehanah Wedgwood passed away a year and a half ago. Jehanah hosted the open mic for nineteen years and edited fifteen anthologies of its poets' work. Sacred Grounds is the oldest continuously running open mic in the city, started in 1973.

I'll read for half an hour. As I recall, the open mic spots are a generous 5-10 minutes. The cafe serves beer, wine, coffee, and a variety of food (not just pastries and sandwiches). The place is two blocks from Golden Gate Park, just on the other side of the Panhandle from Haight Street. Leave time for a picturesque walk before you come to the reading!

Details at http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/6...