New Audio Poem, "Easter," Is Up

On November 27th, 2007, thanks to an invite by Simone Beaubien, I had the pleasure of being the feature poet at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge. The night before my reading, I had gone back home to see my father in the intensive care unit of Milford Hospital. I was in a serious state of denial about my Dad's ultimate fate. I previously had a feature in April of that year at the Out of The Blue's Open Bark poetry night with a set list that included poems specifically written for him, hoping he and Mom would be in the audience, despite the fact that he had been the hospital for most of the month. Like I say: denial.

Needless to say, he couldn't make it to hear that performance either, and for some reason, my parents never got a DVD copy of that show from me. I was determined to come out of the Cantab feature with a CD of my work that included at least one of the poems for my Dad on it that he could listen to, not just read.

I was a wreck before and after my performance, but I was fairly confident that my father would live to hear what I wrote. He passed away less than a week later, on December 4th.

The night of my Cantab reading, I was doubly blessed to have DJ Muse record the majority of my set. I was so damn nervous. Today, I wince when I play back some of those tracks and hear myself ramble segues and mumble poems. Still, I can't thank Simone or Muse enough for the opportunity to feature (something I always wanted to do but never thought would be possible) and the ability to post a clip from that night.

"Easter" is far from my best poem, but it falls in the categories of poems I had to write during certain stages of my life. My plan to post it in January fell on the wayside, so I am putting it up now to help give me the motivation to write more work that I'll be able to read for my Witch City feature in Salem. My Mom will be in the audience, and I plan to be ready.

You can hear "Easter" now on my MySpace home page. I did get something out writing it and other poems during the last year of my father's life. Hope you get something out of hearing it.

Another tip of that hat to DJ Muse. You can click here to find out more about her.