Is there any baccahanal to this conference, like most writers conferences? I've been to one bar in Westchester. It wasn't bad. And please nobody say there are parties in Longwood Gardens, as lovely and steamy as it can be.

--------

Bobby, if things get really rough for you you can always seek cover from our Michael with the Amish on one of their farms near West Chester just the way Harrison Ford hid from the rogue cop.

--------

I sent in the registration, payment and poetry samples in full three days ago. No word yet.

-------

What's the food like at this conference???

Albert,

That's okay, I feel rather safe right here in Port Richmond. I haven't seen Michael around of late, I hope he's doing good. Perhaps if I post another poem he'll pop out of the woodwork.

Bobby

Oh Bobby,

I thought you were going. I'm booked for the conference and I'll be in the meter workshop.

I assumed since you were so close, you would pop in. Was counting on seeing you with the rest of the Erato crowd.

Ahhh gee!

P.S. Looking forward to this conference.

Yolanda, I'll be there - am also in the meter workshop. Look forward to meeting you.
Mary

Yolanda,

I'm an old stick -in-the-mud. I seldom leave the hood. Besides, I can steal whatever people learn there here.

Bobby

Summarising the attendees from this thread:

Susan McLean
Michael Cantor
Steven Schroeder
Michael Juster
Justin Sider
Robin-Kemp
Terese Coe
Yolanda Cruz
Patti McCarty
Albert Geiser
Mary Moore
David Anthony

Have I missed anybody?

When I came two years ago, we arranged to meet up at the opening drinks reception, so I suggest we do the same again. We easily recognise each other, even without the name badges.

David

Additional Powow buddies/Sphereans whom I know will be there:

Robert Crawford
Rhina Espaillat
Don Kimball
Len Krisak
Deborah Warren

Plus Sphere irregulars Alfred Nicol (last year's Richard Wilbur Award winner, and appearing on Len Krisak's First Books panel), Bill Coyle and Midge Goldberg.


[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited May 25, 2005).]

I'll recognize Susan, Michael C., Michael J., Patti, and David assuming they look almost the same, but everyone else? Please introduce yourselves if you ever figure out who I am. (While you're at it, let me know...)

I wear hiking boots most of the time not because I'm sick of looking glamorous but for the ankle support. Would that I could wear high heels and be as tall as Mike...

Consequently my excruciatingly feminine personality has to compensate for the lack of femininity of my feet. :)

Dear David

Sadly, as I remarked above, I shall be at West Chester only in spirit. Perhaps you might collate the names into a single up-dated list, as has been done in the past.

I understand that a number of other Spherians will be there, including some who, while not active on these boards in recent times, have appeared here in the past:

Gregory Dowling
William Thompson
Dick Davis (Staff)
Alicia Stallings (Staff)
Sam Gwynn (Staff)
David Mason (Staff).

Of course there may be others, too.

Have a great time!

Kind regards

Clive

[This message has been edited by Clive Watkins (edited May 25, 2005).]

As it was last year, you’re all invited the nights of June 9, 10, 11 for Mother of Divine Grace Italian Festival on the corner of Cambria and Thompson Street in Philadelphia for good meatballs and fun games.

Bobby


------------------
Visit Bobby's Urban Rage Poetry Page at:

www.prengineers.com/poetry

Thanks

Yes, as Clive says, I'll be there too. Maybe we could all wear hiking boots...

OK, hiking boots it is.

Bobby, that's a courteous invitation, but I fear logistics and the group dynamic may make it difficult. Why don't you come over to West Chester one evening? I for one would dearly love to meet you.

(I'd been hoping to visit the Shenandoah battlefields while over there, but except Gettysburg, which I shall visit, it seems very difficult. Surely Chancellorsville, where Stonewall died, can't count for much less?)

Here's the latest list:

Susan McLean
Michael Cantor
Steven Schroeder
Michael Juster
Justin Sider
Robin-Kemp
Terese Coe
Yolanda Cruz
Patti McCarty
Albert Geiser
Mary Moore
David Anthony
Robert Crawford
Rhina Espaillat
Don Kimball
Len Krisak
Deborah Warren
Gregory Dowling
William Thompson
Dick Davis
Alicia Stallings
Sam Gwynn
David Mason

Last I heard, Clay Stockton was planning to go, though he hasn't posted here in a while either.

------------------
Steve Schroeder

David,

If you guys can decide on a meeting place, I'd make the trip up to West Chester.

I'd love a copy of your latest book David, however, I'd want to pay, or trade you a copy of my first chapbook "Philadelphia River Rat Words", printed by Symbiosis Press way back in 2000. My second chapbook "Butch and Wawa" is available on the Internet at http://scars.tv/chapbooks.htm. That one is coming up on its first anniversary, June 14, 2004.

I also want you to sign my copy of your last book, "Words to Say".

If nothing can be organized, PM me your address in West Chester, and I'll come visit.

Bobby

------------------
Visit Bobby's Urban Rage Poetry Page at:

www.prengineers.com/poetry

Thanks

[This message has been edited by Robert E. Jordan (edited May 25, 2005).]

May I express a little hatred and resentment?
.....
Actually I do wish I could be there and I wish you all the very best time possible. You lucky so and sos.
Janet

David-

To make it worth a trip you should plan on at least a half day at Gettysburg. And it takes at minimum of two hours to get there from West Chester. During the conference you'd be better off visiting Brandywine Battlefield, which is very close and a favorite picnic spot in the area, and Valley Forge, which is also close.

Whereabouts in Brandywine in relation to the conference? That's only one of the three I haven't had a chance to see yet.

I'm surprised no one wants to visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Of course, I suppose everyone has been there.

Bobby

Bobby,

Hope I get to see you at the Conference. Would be great to finally meet you.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else too.

Mary,

See you in meter.

P.S. Errr.....do I need to bring my laptop? Would hate too. It's such a clunker. The battery life is low too so I would have to bring the adapter. Extra weight I don't want really.

Oh, How's the food? Should I bring my emergency rations, slim fast bars?

I'll be there.

If anyone wants to hear my latest theory on the three things a poet should never do, just ask.

Or maybe the three elements that make a magical line.

Then again, if all you want is a ride back to the hotel, let me know, I'll have a car there.

TJ

Actually I would be very interested to hear your take on the conference and the workshops you attend. It does seem like a golden opportunity to gather the tips and wisdom of so many potential lariats, even if only by proxy.

Have a good time and bring lots of extra money with you--people tell me the bookstore is A Welcome Temptation.

Tom

Tom,

Is your theory too long to explain here or PM? I may not meet up with you or other things may come up. Would be interested in knowing what are the "three things a poet should never do." http://www.ablemuse.com/erato/ubbhtml/biggrin.gif

Tom,

Is there a time when a poet should not drink coffee? I ask this for a friend of mine.

David, if you're going to do Civil War battlefields, you might consider Antietam as well as Gettysburg. Gettysburg is pretty well commercialized (the town and major highway bisect the battlefield) while Antietam is preserved in pristine condition.

Poets should never get drunk and read their poetry out loud in the middle of tourists on Civil War battlefields.

albert,

Less the coffee the better, I think. I recently gave up coffee, and my energy and clear thinking went way up.
Whenever one wants to write poetry, I think it is not the time to drink coffee. Your body is a temple and treat it so.

Yolanda,

Check later for a PM. I'd rather not take this thread to expound, but NONE of the three is don't drink, don't take drugs, don't jump out of airplanes, stuff like that, nothing pertaining to politics, religion, morals, sex, cultural views, or career advancement.

But all three would enrage a number of people.

TJ

Tom-

I stopped drinking coffee a year ago. I think I wrote better when I did but then the poetry I write now turns out no worse, different, less frantic, but probably better in the long run. I just have no control with caffeine, and I need to hang around people who soak up coffee, the vapors of their coffee drinks, and the vicarious experience.

Sam, yes, I think Sharpsburg was as close as Stonewall ever came to getting beat, and that was not close at all.
Ideally I'd like to follow the Shenandoah campaigns, but I know I cannot in the time available.
Which is the best day, I wonder, to bunk off from the poetry conference for valid historical purposes?
Best regards,
David

Does anyone know if there's a swimming pool available to us at the conference?

Good point. I thoght I read somewhere on the website that the Univ. had a swimming pool but whether or not it would be open to us is another story.

But Tom, an academic friend of mine sincerely believes that the poetry of "wit" in the 18th C. was entirely the product of the rage for coffee houses.

Without coffee we wouldn't have this passage from Pope's The Rape of the Lock:

For lo! the board with cups and spoons is crowned
The berries crackle, and the mill turns round;
On shining altars of Japan they raise
The silver lamp; the fiery spirits blaze:
From silver spouts the grateful liquors glide,
While China's earth receives the smoking tide:
At once they gratify their scent and taste,
And frequent cups prolong the rich repast.
Straight hover round the fair her airy band;
Some, as she sipped, the fuming liquor fanned,
Some o'er her lap their careful plumes displayed,
Trembling, and conscious of the rich brocade.
Coffee (which makes the politician wise,
And see through all things with his half-shut eyes)
Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain
New stratagems, the radiant lock to gain.

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. Yup, guess that explains the other Tom's lifelong look of dyspepsia. Imagine how well he would have written if he hadn't poisoned his system with all those triple lattes. Jesus, Tom (Jardine, that is), this is even battier than some of your language theories.

Does it portend no more absinthe at West Chester? I'll buy you a de-caf, anyway, but must be clear about one thing: my body is not a temple. At its best - in my prime - it was maybe a one-room shul, up a flight, over a delicatessen in the Bronx, with the smell of pickled herring distracting morning worshippers. Now it's just a paper bag full of donuts.



[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited May 26, 2005).]

Sheesh Michael, seriously, that is a great image. You should consider becoming a prose poet.

I agree with Claudia. Went for the first time last year and also took Dave Mason's class; it was great. I regret that due to grad ceremony conflicts, I won't be repeating this year. The only thing I won't miss is the gaahhhdawful humidity.

The weather's been phenomenally cool and dry here. One of the coolest Mays on record. Since the conference is only a week and a half this cool dry weather might continue, and what a lucky break that would be.

Does the mushroom farm smell get in the air there in West Chester? I'm only 20 minutes away. I assume it does because West Chester is so close to Kennet Square. Many participants might not realize that weird stink in the air is from mushroom farms. That should only be really bad in humid weather with the wind coming from southwest or west.

[This message has been edited by albert geiser (edited May 27, 2005).]

Gregory & David

The time is ripe to buy a new pair of hiking boots. Ecco is my favorite lately, but it will be tough to find the right ones in this season. This will take some hunting. May the weather be cool and the auditorium be warm (enough)!

More news: I haven't confirmed this with Jennifer Reeser, but the Word Press newsletter says she will be attending as well! This should be fun. I look forward to meeting lots of new people there; so far I've only met 13 people on the list!

I'm starting to feel inhibited already. Too many new people at once and I'll be tongue-tied. Sigh.


[This message has been edited by Terese Coe (edited May 27, 2005).]

I hope to see you all there too.

(remainder of post edited out)

Cheers,
Claudia




[This message has been edited by Claudia Gary Annis (edited June 01, 2005).]

Terese and others,

Speaking of ankle support, how about ice skates? There seems to be a rink in West Chester that has open sessions at 1 p.m. on weekdays. What better way to collect your thoughts? Works for me.

Besides, has anyone seen Rita Dove's website lately? Rita Dove dancing

C



[This message has been edited by Claudia Gary Annis (edited June 01, 2005).]

I cannot believe that web site! Not just the dancing - which is ludicrous - but the entirety of it, particularly all the photos. Until now, I did not believe it was possible for anybody to be that self-involved without fusioning into an explosion that would wipe out all life, as we know it, on this planet. And I'm still worried.

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited June 01, 2005).]

Michael,

You're right.

TJ

[This message has been edited by Tom Jardine (edited June 01, 2005).]