On, In and Around Mondays: City of Words

"What the hell is going on here?"

Those are not my words. They are painted on the window of the Bowery Poetry Club. And somehow make me smile.

Imagine, a club in New York City that makes its way by sharing words. Verses spoken, barely breathed, or belted out. Verses sung. Poetry in notes, drum beats, guitar strums, the ache of voices rising, falling.

On Friday night, I became part of "what is going on here." I tried to give poetic voice to grief, love, beauty, laughter. Maxidus answered me with his own poems. We built a rhythm of words. Me, then him. Me, then him. A conversation in verse.

As we came to our last poems, musicians moved to their places one by one, and added their sound to our words. Cello, drums, bass. It felt deep, moving, inexplicably spiritual. We finished speaking. Crossed paths with singers. And a different kind of poetry took our place...



When I wasn't reading poetry, I was looking at walls. Walls of paper sculpture. Walls of mirror, artful graffiti. All of part of "what is going on here."



In the bathroom, I found a self-portrait opportunity. A way to merge with the walls, and this city of words.



Who made this night possible? The Village Church. And a city where a Club has fashioned walls to embrace words.



Bowery Poetry Club photos, by L.L. Barkat.

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On, In and Around Mondays (which partly means you can post any day and still add a link) is an invitation to write from where you are. Tell us what is on, in, around (over, under, near, by...) you. Feel free to write any which way... compose a tight poem or just ramble for a few paragraphs. But we should feel a sense of place.

Would you like to try? Write something 'in place' and add your link below. If you could kindly link back here when you post, it will create a central meeting place. :)