International Women's Day

It's almost over for this year.
A small observance,
this poem by April Rose Brown:

    Baking a Cake on
International Women's Day
           or
  How Far We Have Come


Granny's old bowl...
I mix in
chocolate, beat it
three hundred strokes
by hand
with my mother's
wooden spoon-­
the spoon I used to
lick-- the bowl
I used to
stick my head in,
tongue run wild.  I
used to
swallow
everything.

Counting strokes-­
nothing changes.
Lumps remain, as usual

My stomach churns.
I cannot
lick this bowl.

more by A.R.B

Choice Events March

My choices for the rest of March.

Of course you should check http://poetz.com/longisland.

07 Fri 8pm PeaceSmiths Coffeehouse: Tom Ryan (of Copper Rose);
Tom Karlson, Poet for Peace; The band: Copper Rose (
http://www.copperrosehome.com/ ); Open Mic.
First United Methodist Church, 25 Broadway/Rt. 110 (southmost end near
Merrick Rd./Montauk Highway) in Amityville. A donation of $7 (half
for kids) is suggested to help promote the Coffeehouse series and
towards PeaceSmiths’ ongoing work for peace and justice. PeaceSmiths
hotline (631) 798-0778 or http://www.peacesmiths.org/

08 Sat 2:00 pm poets David Axelrod & Susan Pilewski + open. Babylon Library

08 Sat 8:00 PM Recital - Claudia Schaer, violin SUNY Stony Brook

09 Sun Baroque Sundays at Three, "Plucked Delight", 3:00 pm SUNY Stony Brook

09 Sun 8:00 PM Recital - Adam Meyer, viola, final DMA recital SUNY Stony Brook

10 Mon 7pm Poets George Held & Susannah Simpson + read-around at Cool
Beanz, St James. 25a just East of Lake

11 Tue Piano Project, 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and 8:00 pm SUNY Stony Brook

12 Wed 7pm Japanese Classical Dance: A celebration of the seasons. Northport Library www.ichifuji-kai.org Northport Arts Coalition


13 Thu 7pm LI Poetry Collective Workshop, Huntington Library
Bring 12 copies of your poem.

14 Fri 7:30pm Religion & Spirituality poetry read-around. Barnes &
Noble Huntington Station.

15 Sat 1:30pm Poetry Workshop:Lake Grove at United Methodist Church,
792 Hawkins Ave (At Five corners) Lake Grove. Bring 8 -10 copies of a
poem which needs review.

15 Sat 7:30pm Folk Music Soc of Huntington features Island Songwriters'
Showcase + Open Mic. Congregational Church of Huntington,
30 Washington Drive, Centerport http://fmshny.org/hard.htm

16 Sun 3:00 pm The Way to Nirvana
In connection with Shinjo Ito Exhibit at the Milk Gallery
New York (450 West 15th Street near 10th Ave) (register:
shinjoitoevents@dcinyc.com) http://www.shinjoito.com/exhibition/

18 Tue 7:30pm poet Judy Turek + Open Mike, Solar Cafe, Brentwood

20 Spring!

20 Thu 7pm LI Poetry Collective Workshop, Huntington Library
Bring 12 copies of your poem.

21 Fri 8pm Poetry at Conklin Barn, New York Ave just South of High St,
Huntington

22 Sat 1pm The Poetry Zone workshop/discussion led by Mindy Kronenberg at the Port
Jefferson Library

23 Sun 7pm poet Pat Falk at Mid-Island Y JCC, Plainview
http://www.miyjcc.org/cultural-arts.php

25 Tue 7pm poet Michelle Whittaker + Open reading, Bellmore Library

27 Thu 7pm LI Poetry Collective Workshop, Huntington Library
Bring 12 copies of your poem.

28 Fri 7:30pm poets Michelle Whittaker & Kempton Van Hoff + open reading.
Caffé Portofino, 249 Main St., Northport, opposite the theatre.
http://persistentfool.blogspot.com/2007/11/poets-in-port-march-28-2008.html

29 Sat 2pm Long Island Composers' Alliance Concert, Freeport Library

29 Sat 8 pm Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra Staller Center, Main Stage
SUNY Stony Brook. The premiere of a new work by Dawn Chambers (TBA)
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with Elaine Hou, concerto competition
winner Schumann, Symphony No. 4.

30 Sun 1:30 pm Long Island Poetry Collective hosts an Open Reading at
Walt Whitman Birthplace.

30 Sun 4pm Ridotto Piano Series. Old First (Presbyterian) Church, 25A near
Hecksher Park, Huntington

31 Sat 8:00 pm Colin Carr Presents Beethoven’s Complete Works for Piano
and Cello

Poets in Port, November 28, 2008

Poets in Port will feature Barbara Reiher-Meyers at 7:30 pm on Friday, November 28, 2008 at Caffé Portofino, 249 Main St., Northport, opposite the theatre. There will also be an Open Reading -- the audience is encouraged to bring their poems and music and participate. For more information, contact Steven Schmidt.

Barbara Reiher-Meyers is a Long Island, New York poet, board member of the Long Island Poetry Collective. Barbara also curates a poetry calendar for www.poetz.com/longisland, has coordinated events for the Northport Arts Coalition and Smithtown Township Arts Council, among others. Her poetry has been published in print journals and on line. Barbara facilitates monthly workshops in Ronkonkoma, sends weekly Emails of local poetry events, and has edited several volumes of poetry. "Sounds Familiar" is the title of her first book of poems. Contact reiherbpoet@aol.com Some of Barbara's poetry can be read here, here, here, here, and here and she can be seen reading on Poetry Vlog.


This poem was sung on A Prairie Home Companion March 31st, 2007: (It can be sung to the tune of "Ta Ra Ra Boom- De-Ay" if that's legal. If not, you can thank Barbara & the persistence of a fool for planting the tune in your head, to resound for the next few days.)

Nature Poem

by Barbara Reiher-Meyers of Ronkonkoma, NY

It's poison ivy time;
get out the calamine.
It's not my favorite vine.
See how the blisters shine.

I'm itchy and forlorn.
It grows upon my lawn
from dusk to early dawn.
How I wish it was gone.

Three very shiny leaves
each Spring are my pet peeve.
The presents I receive
just spread and will not leave.

It makes my temper rise
when blisters grow in size.
I fight it as it tries
to creep up on my thighs.