Beat and Blessed

2 Sept 2018 at the National Beat Poetry Festival
Beekley Community Library, New Hartford, CT
[photo by Gertrude Nilsson Björklund]

I almost didn't go to the National Beat Poetry Festival over Labor Day weekend in Connecticut. I was spent from trips to Athens, Chicago, Buffalo and Erie as well as putting out two Crisis Chronicles Press books and so much more just in August. I had a lot more work to do that I am way behind on. I missed my doggy. I've been nervous about my upcoming EGD procedure (which is tomorrow). And I knew I'd have to miss the first day of three even if I did go to the festival. But I went and I am so glad I did. I saw old friends, met new ones, heard great music and a wide array of killer poetry by writers from Sweden, Dominican Republic and across the United States. There was much-needed beauty woven through it all. And though Facebook won't let me tag everyone here - and I'll surely miss someone great anyway - I wanna give special shouts out to organizers Debbie T Kilday and Colin Haskins, as well as to Tony Vacca, Donna Gentile (happy birthday!), Bengt O Björklund, Gertrude Nilsson Björklund, Jael Uribe, Chris Vannoy, William F. DeVault, Prince A McNally, Sandra Feen, Paul Richmond, Carlo Parcelli, Rosalie Gancie, Ngoma Hill, Lori Desrosiers, Viviana Duncan, Jessica Brooke Miller, Tchalla Williams, James Paul Wagner, Darlene Asmarah Fernandez, Shaw Israel Izikson, David K. Leff, John Emmons, Jon Wesick, Mike L Kilday, Rayn Roberts, Richard Wayne Horton and more (in some unnamed cases I can see your faces and hear your poems in my head but names are getting mixed up) - and to Local Gems Press for publishing the Festival's 10-year anniversary anthology (and including me in it) - and last but certainly not least to James and Dianne Borsenik for taking care of Leda while I was away. Now I have a lot of catching up to do. :) My next reading is September 18th, the day after my birthday, at Art on Madison in Lakewood, Ohio: Poetry Plus Featuring John Burroughs. Cheers and deep gratitude!