Jeff Taylor missed last week's Stone Soup open mic. This was not unusual as his work hours could include evenings (though he often signed in just to listen). I didn't think much of it or the fact that the Contro-Verse Open Mic he co-organized didn't have any info posted for this Monday. The last gathering had been cancelled due to multiple illnesses. Not too surprising given the flu going around on top of the quademic.
I got the word by phone on Saturday that Jeff Taylor was found dead. It still doesn't make sense to me. I waited for the news to hit online. Then I just watched the reactions as I looked for the reason why.
I've given up. Maybe I'll be told, but there's no answer that would be acceptable.
The Jeff Taylor I got to know was during the pandemic. He was generous and tireless with his writing, publishing and promoting. His Garage Poets Zoom open mic was another important benchmark where many of us met for the first time or met again after some time apart.
He treated me like a friend and wanted to support Stone Soup Poetry. The Garage Poets feature in 2022 performing alongside Anna Geoffrey and Ethan Mackler was a high point during Stone Soup's ill-fated return to live shows. My attempt at recording a hybrid feature was disastrous. His own recording of the event was much superior, which I am grateful for.
The dumpster fire of the last five years never seemed to slow him down. Always writing, always publishing and reading new works as well as promoting poets both new and gone.
It's up to us to carry his torch.
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