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This week, Thom Francis welcomes poets Dan Wilcox, James H Duncan, & Melissa Anderson to the stage for a special “Ghost Poems” event at the Art Associates Gallery in Albany on October 27, 2022. +++++ On October 27, 2022, local poets, writers. and artists gathered at the Art Associates Gallery on Railroad Ave. in Albany to celebrate Fall and Halloween with a special reading event called "Ghost Poems." This week, in the spirit of the season, we are going to hear from three of the poets who shared their work. First up is Dan Wilcox, whose poem, Witches in the Attic,” was only a week or so old. Next up to the mic is James H Duncan with a “true story about the ghost in the guest room closet," and another Halloween tale titled “October 31.” And finally, Melissa Anderson read a piece titled “The Snake, or the Dream of the Werewolf,” a meditation on tragedy.

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poet Carol Graser to the stage. Carol shared her poems at Albany Poets Presents that took place on February 21, 2018 at Restaurant Navona in Albany.  +++++ In the late-2010s I hosted a series at Restaurant Navona on New Scotland Ave in Albany. At these readings a poet would share their work and then they would answers questions from me and the audience. On February 21, 2018, the great Carol Graser was the featured poet.  Carol Graser is the author of the poetry collections Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain (Kelsay Books, 2025) and The Wild Twist of Their Stems (Foothills Publishing, 2007). She hosts the fourth Tuesday of the month open mic poetry reading at Caffe Lena, a series that she initiated in 2003. For the reading part of the evening, Carol began with “Poem Read in a Dream,” then on to a wedding poem for her son “Dissolving the Distance Between You.” A couple poems from when she worked at a bookstore, the first in the “persona” of a haiku, and then a poem about eating lunch in Congress Park. Ending with “Ghost of Ambitions.”   Carol will be reading this Sunday afternoon st Saratoga Arts as part of the weekend-long Saratoga Book Festival.

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poet, writer, and long time local open mic host  R.M. Engelhardt, who read his poems, with accompaniment by Will Nivens, at The Linda on August 8, 2021.  +++++ In the summer of 2021, as venues were re-opening to in-person performances post pandemic, poets and spoken word artists were invited to share their work and the stage with some of the area’s best musicians at The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Center, in Albany. On August 8, poet R.M. Engelhardt kicked off an amazing evening of poetry and music headlined by The Dust Bowl Faeries. Engelhardt read is poetry with accompaniment by guitarist Will Nivens.  R.M. Engelhardt is an American poet, writer, and author who lives in Upstate NY. His work often explores themes of love, loss, and social commentary, and he has published several collections of poetry and short stories. Engelhardt's writing style is known for its lyricism, intensity, and emotional depth, and he has been praised for his unique voice and perspective.  He has also been involved in various artistic collaborations and performances, and has read his work at numerous venues and events. His work has been published by such journals as Retort, Red Fez, Rusty Truck, Sure! The Charles Bukowski Newsletter, Thunder Sandwich, Fashion For Collapse, 2nd Avenue, The Angry Poet, Black Noise, Winedrunk Sidewalk, Full of Crow, The Outlaw Poetry Network, The Rye Whiskey Review, Fishbowl Poetry Press, The Black Shamrock, Trailer Park Quarterly, Spillwords, Dumpster Fire Press, Punk Noir Magazine & in many others.

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poet Alina Pleskova, who shared her work at a spoken word event sponsored by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, Trailer Park Quarterly, and Hobo Camp Review at The Linda on August 5, 2023. +++++ Alina Pleskova is a poet, editor, and Moscow-born immigrant turned proud Philadelphian. Her first full-length collection, Toska, is now available from Deep Vellum. She co-edits bedfellows magazine and is a 2020 and 2022 Leeway Foundation grant awardee, as well as the author of the chapbook, What Urge Will Save Us (Spooky Girlfriend Press, 2017). Her writing has appeared in American Poetry Review, swamp pink, Peach Mag, the tiny, and elsewhere. On August 5, 2023, Alina was one of the poets who, along with Rebecca Schumejda, Kenning JP Garcia, Erren Geraud Kelly, and Victorio Reyes Asili, shared their work at The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, as part of a night of poetry and spoken word presented by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild and online literary journals Hobo Camp Review, and Trailer Park Quarterly.  That night, Alina read from her recent collection of poetry, Toska. According to Deep Vellum, her publisher's website, the title of the book derives from “the Russian word which denotes a melancholic longing without a singular cause, longing for a better world than the late-stage capitalist hell we live in,”.  Local poet Dan Wilcox wrote on his blog about the reading, "She is clearly the center of her poems, but in the sense of a person surrounded by images in the world, as opposed to some self-absorbed philosophical ponderings; an example would be her poem “I Forgot What I Returned For” about being in an airport on her birthday. I particularly liked this line from one of her poems: “I want the class war to start, but everyone is too tired.”" To learn more about this year's reading featuring poets from the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, Trailer Park Quarterly, and Hobo Camp Review, visit hvwg.org.

This week, Thom Francis introduces us to three local poets - BradQuan Copeland, Gripp, and S.L. Maurice - who took the stage and shared their work at the Poetic License Poetry Reading & Open Mic last September at the Fish Market in Troy. That event was just the first of two readings that are part of Poetic License 2025, a joint project of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild and the Upstate Artists Guild.  +++++ It was a beautiful early-fall evening in Troy when poets and writers gathered at the Fish Market for a special evening of poetry and spoken word. Local poet and photographer Dan Wilcox hosted the Poetic License Poetry Reading & Open Mic, welcoming some of the writers whose work inspired the art lining the walls of the North Central Troy art space. While not in the exhibit themselves, poets BradQuan Copeland, Gripp, and S.L. Maurice took part in the open mic portion of the night and were warmly received by the audience.   First up to the mic is a relative newcomer to the local open mic community, BradQuan Copeland, who read two poems, ““Phantom Vision,” from his new book “Rebirth,” and “Blood of Tender Flame.” The next poet up is Slam Quphoria’s very own Gripp. They shared two pieces, “Azinam” and “Still Sleep.” And finally, the great S.L. Maurice stepped to the mic with two poems of his own, “Vibrant Sounds, Colors, and Motion,” the title poem from his new book, followed by “Spins on Change.”  For more information on Poetic License and this year's deadlines and events, go to poeticlicensealbany.com. And while you are there, you can read the poems and view the art that is featured in previous shows.

This week, Thom Francis introduces us to poet Nancy Byrne Iannucci, who was one of the featured readers at the Eight Poets event at The Fish Market on Saturday, October 11, 2025.  That day, Nancy was joined by poets from the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, online zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review, and Paper Moon. +++++ The Hudson Valley Writers Guild, Paper Moon, and online zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review joined forces to present Eight Poets, an afternoon of poetry and spoken word at the Fish Market in Troy, NY on Saturday, October 11, 2025. One of the poets who shared their work on that beautiful fall afternoon was poet Nancy Byrne Iannucci. Nancy read her poems “Freedom,” “Granddad’s Garden,” Just as They Were About to Bloom,” “Taking Back Eden,” and “We Tried to Fly” and discussed the inspiration behind them. Nancy Byrne Iannucci is a poet and librarian living with her cats, Nash and Emily Dickinson. Her work appears in journals such as THRUSH, Hobo Camp Review, San Pedro River Review, and Hole in the Head Review. She’s the author of four chapbooks and is currently working on two new collections of poetry. Hobo Camp Review editor James H Duncan introduced Nancy to the audience.

This week on Next Up to the Mic, we’re returning to August 12, 2019, to hear Dan Wilcox read two poems at “The Past in Poetry” reading held at the Olde English Pub in Albany in collaboration with Historic Cherry Hill. +++++ Historic Cherry Hill preserves more than two centuries of Albany history, using family papers, photographs, personal belongings, and the stories of the people who lived and worked there to connect the present with the past. “The Past in Poetry” invited local poets to do something similar—exploring history through memory, imagination, family, and place. For this episode, we’re featuring Albany poet Dan Wilcox. Dan has been a fixture in the Capital Region poetry community for decades. He hosts the Third Thursday Poetry Night at the Social Justice Center in Albany and is a member of the poetry performance group 3 Guys from Albany. He’s also a photographer and longtime documentarian of the local poetry scene, joking that he has "the world’s largest collection of photographs of unknown poets." His work has appeared in Chronogram, Poetica, Post Traumatic Press, and numerous small-press journals and anthologies. He also publishes poetry through his own A.P.D. imprint, and his chapbook boundless abodes of Albany reflects his longstanding connection to the city and its people. At “The Past in Poetry,” Dan approached history from two different directions. In “Therese’s Balcony,” he blends an imagined past with fantasy. Then, in “Where Were the Professors,” he turns his attention to a history he knows firsthand—the early days of Albany’s poetry scene. Dan hasn’t simply written about Albany’s poetry community. For decades, he has been part of it, photographed it, published it, hosted it, and helped preserve its history.

This week on Next Up to the Mic, we’re reaching back into the archives to August 12, 2019, when local poets gathered at the Olde English Pub in Albany for “The Past in Poetry,” a special evening presented in collaboration with Historic Cherry Hill. +++++ Historic Cherry Hill preserves more than two centuries of Albany history through the stories of the generations who called Cherry Hill home. In 2019, the organization joined with local poets for “The Past in Poetry,” an evening that explored some of those same themes—family, memory, place, and our relationship with the past. This week we’ll hear from Capital Region poet Nancy Klepsch. Nancy Klepsch is a local poet and educator. Her poems have been published in Oberon, 13th Moon, Poetry magazine, Salvage, 200 Proof  and Chronogram among others.  god must be a boogie man was her first book of poetry. She has been reading at featured readings or open mics in the Albany area for over 25 years.  Klepsch is the co-host, with Dan Wilcox, of the Second Sunday @ 2 open mic for poetry and prose in Troy, NY. Nancy shared a handful of poems that approach the past from different directions, including the poignant “Home from the War” and “Call Me Ishmael,” a poem invoking the spirit of Herman Melville.

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poet, translator, and essayist Pierre Joris. Pierre was the featured poet at the Poets Speak Loud series at The Lark Tavern on September 25, 2006. +++++ Born in Strasbourg, France, and raised in Luxembourg, Pierre Joris spent his life crossing borders—both physical and linguistic. His travels took him across Europe, North Africa, and the United States, experiences that shaped his "nomad poetics," a philosophy that embraced fluidity and rejected rigid boundaries. Over his lifetime, he published more than 50 books, including poetry, essays, anthologies, and translations. His work challenged conventions and opened doors to new literary landscapes. Joris became an integral part of Albany’s literary world when he joined the University at Albany in 1992 as a professor of poetry and poetics, a role he held until 2013. There, he was a mentor who encouraged students to experiment, take risks, and find their voices. He brought that same energy to the wider literary community, participating in readings, workshops, and performances that enriched the cultural fabric of the region. Pierre was the featured poet at the Poets Speak Loud open mic series in downtown Albany in September 2006. Pierre Joris passed away on February 27, 2025. Pierre was not just a poet, a translator, or a teacher—he was a force of creativity who challenged the way we think about language and literature. As we say goodbye, we also celebrate the enduring legacy he leaves behind. His words, his vision, and his generosity will continue to inspire generations to come. To hear Pierre’s entire poem with Mitch Elrod from Poets Speak Loud, go to https://soundcloud.com/hvwritersguild/pierre-joris-at-poets-speak-loud-september-25-2006

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poets Frank Robinson and Therese Broderick, who both took the stage at the 2024 Word Fest Open Mic at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. +++++ Frank Robinson & Therese Broderick have been a part of the local literary community for decades. They have led workshops, featured at regional events, and written many books over the years.  Frank S. Robinson is a 1970 graduate of NYU Law School, and served at the New York Public Service Commission as staff counsel and then administrative law judge until retiring in 1997. He is the author of eight books including Albany’s O’Connell Machine (1973), Children of the Dragon (a novel), and The Case for Rational Optimism (2009). Robinson is a professional coin dealer and is married to the poet Therese Broderick. Together they have a daughter, Elizabeth.  Frank's wife, Therese L. Broderick, MFA, has lived the sweet life  of a poet for more than two decades. Her poems have been published  widely in several formats and have won awards both locally and beyond.  She lives in Albany, New York with her optimistic husband, two fat cats,  and a disheveled garden. Frank began a segment of married couples reading with their spouses (is the plural of “spouse” “spice”?) & was playful, including rhyming on the word “metaphor.”  Therese included a poem to her daughter inspired by a long-saved tuft of her hair.

Thom Francis introduces us to Randee Renzi who performed her poems "Reach Out to Me", "Beautiful Brown Baby Boy", and "Peace" at the Brass Tacks poetry and spoken word open mic on September 18, 2018 at The Low Beat in Albany, NY. +++++ The power of storytelling within poetry is the ability to bring out emotions using few, well-chosen words. The poet is able to take readers into a world of vivid color and feelings. The storytelling of poetry can bring together cultural and personal divides, making it easier for different groups to understand varying points of view and experiences. Poets use rhythm, rhyme, and metaphor to develop themes of love, loss, and identity.  This week, our poet, Randee Renzi, uses her words to tell the story of being a human, a woman, and a mother.  Randee took the Low Beat Stage on September 18, 2018 shared three poems. She started out with a work-in-progress, "Reach Out to Me." Then, from memory, Randee recited a poem of the love and fears of being a white mother to a black son, "Beautiful Brown Baby Boy." She finished her set with a simple piece titled, appropriately enough, "Peace."

Thom Francis welcomes poet, author, and educator Melody Davis to the Poets Speak Loud stage at McGeary's in downtown Albany, NY. She was the featured poet at the long-running open mic series on April 30, 2018. +++++ On April 30, 2018, Davis was the featured poet at the long-running series hosted by Mary Panza. She began her reading with work from her book One Ground Beetle: A Year in Haiku (Bad Cat Press, 2017), with prints by Harold Lohner. It was "Show & Tell" with Melody reading a haiku or two, then holding up the book to show the colorful print on the facing page. The haiku were on trees, clouds, birds, round stones, Albany, and work meetings. She then read from her collection of poems Holding the Curve (Broadstone Books), “Caillebotte’s Laundry” and “Walter, the Lawyer.” Melody Davis, a writer and art historian, is the author of three poetry collections, including a special edition artists’ book, One Ground Beetle, with Harold Lohner; and Holding the Curve. Her work in the history of photography has been published widely.  In 2015, she published Women’s Views:  The Narrative Stereograph in Nineteenth-Century America with the University Press of New Hampshire. Davis has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Henry Luce Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, MetroArts (PA), and she was a finalist in the National Poetry Series.  She holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and was an Associate Professor of Art History at the Sage College of Albany.   Listen to the whole 25 minute reading here - https://soundcloud.com/hvwritersguild/melody-davis-at-poets-speak-loud

This week on the Next Up to The Mic podcast, Thom Francis welcomes Ulster County Poet Laureate Mike Jurkovic. Mike was the featured reader, promoting his chapbook Eve’s Venom, at Poets Speak Loud on Monday, October 27, 2014.  +++++ Poets Speak Loud was a poetry open mic series hosted by Mary Panza that began at The Lark Tavern in January 31, 2005 - the same night that that legendary local poet, environmentalist, activist, and “grandfather of the Albany poetry scene” Tom Nattell passed away. In 2010, a fire destroyed the longtime Albany establishment, forcing the open mic to find a new home. Not long after, Poets Speak Loud rose from the ashes and began its run at McGeary’s in downtown Albany until COVID-19 brought the series to its end.  Over the years many poets and spoken word artists from the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and beyond were featured at Poets Speak Loud. On October 27, 2014, poet and writer Mike Jurkovic took the stage.  Mike Jurkovic was named 2025 and 2026 Ulster County Poet Laureate. He has published poetry, prose, and music reviews globally with little reportable income. Jurkovic’s 5 full-length poetry collections include Buckshot Reckoning (Luchador Press, 2023), mooncussers (Luchador Press, 2022) AmericanMental (Luchador Press, 2020); haiku collections Monet’s Bamboo (CAPS Press, 2025), and Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018). He is the president of Calling All Poets reading series, which is celebrating 26 years in the Hudson Valley. You can find his reviews online at All About Jazz and lightwoodpress.com. He hosts NuJazzXcursions every Monday night at 9:00 am on WVKR-91.3FM Vassar College.  Local poet Dan Wilcox posted on his blog about MIke’s reading:   "Mike Jurkovic has been reading around a lot lately, promoting his new chapbook Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014), which I’d already bought, but it is always fun to hear Mike read. He began with some poems not in the book with minimal introduction, because his poems often tell a story, cynically pondering the world around him, such as a poems about being stopped at a traffic light next to “the dwarf Morpheus,” or “Crows Gathering at the Grey Sky,” or “Andy Martin’s American Letter.” Then to poems from Eve’s Venom, some read without the titles, …the hysterical “Bio-Hazard,” “Yearbook,” … In the past Mike would wander the room performing his poems, tonight he stuck pretty close to the mic, his poems doing the wandering."

Thom Francis welcomes poet Don Levy who shared his work at the 2024 Word Fest Open Mic at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts on April 27, 2024. +++++ The Word Fest first took shape in 2001 as a one-day open mic in Thatcher Park, bringing together poets from across the region to share their work. Over the years, it has expanded into a week-long celebration of poetry and spoken word, incorporating workshops, poetry slams, performances, and its signature open mic event. After a break since 2019, the Word Fest Open Mic made its highly anticipated return on Saturday, April 27, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. The evening showcased powerful performances from featured spoken word artists and a dynamic lineup of open mic participants. In today's episode, we are thrilled to highlight Don Levy, a long-time area poet and former host of many open mics in the 90s and early-2000s,  At the event, Don read a new piece, “My Queerness,” and some old time favorites such as the once-televised “Lobsters at the Grand Union.”

Thom Francis welcomes poet, author, and artist Elizabeth Gordon who shared her work at the Year in Review event at The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Center in Albany on December 17, 2022. +++++ Since 2021, the Hudson Valley Writers Guild has hosted the Year in Review poetry event to highlight the poets and writers in the area while looking back at the year that was.  In 2022, I was joined on stage by five other local writers for the second annual Year in Review at the Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio.  Today we are going to hear from one of those writers - poet, author, educator, and artist Elizabeth Gordon.  Elizabeth K. Gordon is a college literature instructor based in Cohoes, New York, and the author of two books: Love Cohoes and Walk with Us. A pioneer in the local poetry scene, she was a member of the Capital District’s first slam team, the Nitty Gritty Slam, representing them at the National Poetry Slam and the Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS). Later, she competed at WOWPS on behalf of New York City’s Urbana Slam. Beyond performing, Elizabeth has served as a writing coach and mentor, most recently guiding Troy’s Café Euphoria slam team. In addition to her literary work, she is also a painter specializing in abstract art. Local poet Dan Wilcox wrote on his blog about the reading: “Elizabeth Gordon, otherwise known on the Slam circuit as Elizag, not surprisingly brought the performance level up a few more notches with her pieces of radical social engagement, such as her opening piece beginning “It was the Summer tuna cost less than cat food…” & a meditation on shopping with her younger self. She too had a poem about her cellphone, & another an “Ode to My Painting Pants,” followed by the linking alliteration of a poem on Putin. She ended with a poem from memory in her best Slam performance style, “A Hiding Place,” on the shooting at a gay bar in Orlando.”