Letters From Lawnboro

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OK, so here we are:
welcome,
slip off the shoes, pour some moon coffee
(you define what that is,
whatever makes you glow!)
Here is the first of
Letters from Lawnboro.
I promise not to write in verse style
--most of the time--
But for this first one, let's
relax and loosen up:
wiggle toes;
kick your legs;
shimmy your hips,;
jello thine spine;
roll the neck;
say, “Aaah”;
breathe in your space;
blink your eyes;
better still--
wink your eyes--
run your fingers through your hair!
Poetry!
Poetry is best served at a
slowed down pace.

Read the article in the Boston Globe!

On 12/30/2009, Molly wrote; JANUARY POETRY @ GALLERY 55

JOIN US ON JANUARY 21 FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING OF POETRY, WINE AND MUSIC.

THIS MONTH'S FEATURE IS SALAMANDER MAGAZINE! Founding editor Jenny Barber will read and discuss this 18 year Boston literary forum, along with senior editor Peter Brown, who will read from his up-coming book.

Door opens, corks fly and music begins at 7:00. Features begin at 7:30. Open mic to follow. Come to GALLERY 55, 55 SO. MAIN ST., NATICK, to be part of a warm circle of word lovers.

On 11/11/2009, Molly wrote; Poetry at Gallery 55

Third
Thursday
Poetry Series
at Gallery 55
November 19 features:

Wild Apples
(a journal of nature, art, and inquiry)
editors/artists/poets:
Linda Hoffman
&
Susan Richmond

open mic to follow

Gallery 55
55 So. Main St
Natick, MA 01760
email for poetry events:
bard@lawnboro.com

Doors open at 7:00/reading @7:30
Music by Alex Koure

On 11/5/2007, Molly wrote; paradox

A paradox: two things that shouldn't coexist at the same time, but do.
So here it is -- last time I said I needed to take a few minutes and think about poetry every day; read a poem, let it roll around in my mind. But, in truth, most poems need much more than a few minutes. Poems are short, but to really engage with them, lots of time is required. They are bubble baths. The reader needs to soak up the way the language is used. Today I was reading Marianne Moore. She often writes like Lippazon stallions walk; no, actually her poems read that way, not at a gallop, or even a canter, but at a delicate, beautiful measured pace. Rushing is pointless. Yet, poetry is necessity, not luxury. That is the paradox

On 10/30/2007, Molly wrote; time

When life gets so busy, there is no time for a poem, it is time to slow down or let something go or at least sit still for 15 minutes. Who am I talking to? Myself, of course. Good poetry asks you to read and reread, to articulate the sounds, and think about what the deepest meaning of the words are. Saying poems out loud matters to the reader and the poem. I just read out loud "Tour" by Carol Snow (from POETRY 180). It''''s only four lines, a 30 second read. However, when I read it out loud, I had to stop at the word camellia (which I''''ve never said before) and slowly say the words in the four lines to try and feel the motion. It is about sweeping and thinking about sweeping. I needed to look at the swept path, and imagine the sweeper, as the speaker does. To really understand, I felt the broom in my hand. Did I sweep around the petals, or after they fell? I swept around. For you, it might be different. Two paths, and one makes all the difference...hey, now I am making connections. This is luxury time, and necessary time. You come, too.

On 8/30/2007, Molly wrote; Charles Coe reads! Here's where:

ON THE ROAD Marathon Reading
Wednesday, September 5
Olive That & More
167 Market Street
Lowell, MA

Charles Coe will participate in a celebration of Lowell's most famous literary figure--a marathon reading of Jack Kerouac's seminal work, "On the Road." The event will be held on the 50th anniversary of its publication on Sept. 5, 1957. Forty-three readers will read from one chapter, beginning at 10 am and continuing until it is done, estimated at about 10 pm.

The marathon reading will take place at Olive That & More at 167 Market Street, Lowell, a deli serving sandwiches, baked goods, beer and wine.

Admission is FREE.

(Charles Coe is scheduled to read at approximately 8 pm.)

For more information: Federica Donna, 978-446-7162

WORD ON THE STREET READING SERIES
Thursday, September 6, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Sweet Finnish Bakery
761 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA

Featured poets:
Charlot Lucien, Haitian storyteller and poet
Charles Coe, author, "Picnic on the Moon"

The evening begins with an open mic reading (sign up at 6:00 pm)

For more information: 617-522-5200

FIRESIDE READING SERIES
Tuesday, September 25, 7:00 pm.
Cambridge Co-housing
175 Richdale Avenue, Cambridge, MA

Featured Poets:
Denise Bergman, author or "Seeing Annie Sullivan"
Charles Coe

Refreshments will be served before and after the reading, which starts at 7pm. With an open mic. Suggested donation, $3.

Directions: The Walden St. bridge is under construction. Cambridge Co housing is located just north of Porter Square at 175 Richdale Avenue. From Massachusetts Ave., turn onto Upland Road. Take the first right onto Richdale. Cross Walden Street. and proceed to 175 Richdale Avenue. Cambridge Co housing is a complex of yellow buildings. Walk through the main gate to the Common House.

For more information: Molly Lynn Watt, 617-354-8242, or Jenise Aminoff, 617-576-2004

On 7/29/2007, Molly wrote; Attention Massachusetts Poets

This was sent to me by Charles Coe, and I am passing it on to all of you!

Greetings to Massachusetts Poets:

Would you like to be listed on a state-wide database of Massachusetts
poets? Such a database is being compiled as the first step in the
Massachusetts Poetry Outreach Project (MassPOP). The purpose of MassPOP
is to create resources to help support and promote poets and poetry
throughout the commonwealth. The project is a partnership of the
Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Massachusetts Foundation for the
Humanities, the Commonwealth Foundation and several private funders.

Eventually, the information in the database will be posted online, with
the goals being to help poets network across the state and provide
poetry presenters with information about which poets are available to
offer readings and workshops.

If you'd like to be listed, please send an email that includes:

Name
Mailing address
Phone number/s
Email address
Website address
Any poetry books published (and please indicate if they were
self-published)
Any classes or workshops you teach
What poetry genre/s you work in

Please send your email to masspop@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Coe, Massachusetts Cultural Council Director, MassPOP

On 7/23/2007, Molly wrote; RIP

Rest in Peace:
Mr. Butch, poet/musician of the streets, Allston, MA:
1951-2007

On 7/18/2007, Molly wrote; finding summer

Oh, I know, life gets busy. This summer has been too busy. Today I got out of work and went to Wellesley booksmith, asked for some poetry. The woman took me over, offered suggestions and got me a chair. I sat, and refound my slow. What a gift! She was wonderful. Then, an artist I knew came in, full of tired but accomplishment. We chatted; I made a connection. It was just this great little [oxymoron] connection of moments. Enough to come home and clean my computer table, my roll top desk, and my space. I got two poetry books and was inspired by the combination. It was only half an hour, but what an soul filling half an hour!

On 7/11/2007, Molly wrote; What does it take?

The Live Earth concerts were reported to have two billion viewers worldwide, making this event the biggest event of its kind ever. What a thrill! All around the globe people were hearing fantastic music from bands they loved and from bands they had never heard of before. I spent the day flipping from country to country, continent to continent:

"Now I'm in Japan, listening and watching some wild punk band, now Brazil for Enrique Igleisis, now Australia,now Germany, Sarah Brightman in China, now the U.K. with Duran Duran!" Come on! Come on! What a field day for anyone who likes music. And, I felt like people were getting the message. Ludicras told us to unplug cell phone chargers when not in use. Madonna said to spend some energy jumping up and down ("motherf--ers!") The little films weren't preachy; they were informative.

Art was spreading the word in a peaceful, powerful and joyful way.

Come Monday, back at work, I couldn't find anyone of any age who had watched the concerts for more than a few minutes, if at all. Did you watch them? Are you turning off lights, walking to the store, hanging your wet clothes out to dry?

I am back to the question, does art make a difference?

On 6/27/2007, Molly wrote; Should news be art? Does it help?

Hi! Welcome, relax. Pour yourself some moon coffee.
Now, let us think this through.

Yesterday I received a book of poetry called Long Way Home by Pat Schneider. (a 1993 Amherst Writers & Artitst Press publication). A friend thought I would appreciate the work, and, indeed, I love it. The poems tell about moments in the lives of several generations. People need to tell their stories. Readers need to connect to them. I sure did. But, where I most connected was with a poem called, "Lucia Theresa". The poem Pat Schneider wrote tells about a woman who is raped by eight soldiers in Nicaragua in 1985. My poem for the "angst" theme is about a woman raped in Darfur in 2005. We both retold the story because we did not know what else to do with the information.

What if everyone retold a horror story of war that they knew about, read about, heard on the news? Would it matter? Would it be enough? Twenty years later I told almost the same story as Pat Schneider, ( without knowing about her poem), but the newer poem was about a different woman, in a diffferent war, on a different continent. Do these words make a difference?

Is art too slow or, is it, along with comedians, a powerful force for the truth? What do YOU think?

On 6/24/2007, Molly wrote; In the beginning..

Who am I? What do I have to say? How do I feel about it?

These are paraphrases of Robert Penn Warren's questions about poetry. Those are questions for you to ask yourself. I read on Jim Berhle's blog, that blogging is all about the blogger, even if I talk about other people.

I don't know; yet; I'm pretty new to all this. Sharing my thoughts on the questions from above:

I'm a woman. That is a very defining part of who I am. I wear high heels a lot; I write poems about women's stuff—everything from rape in Darfur to book clubs and husbandcide (or what -cide is it when you do in your male mate? Black widows, care to fill in the missing word?) I feel like talk is good, action works better - sometimes. But, this is a place to start. Read some poems; share some poems, comment! How DO YOU feel about it? Stir the pot!

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