Tuesday, May 23, 2017

CLOUDBURST COUNCIL 2017 Marge Merrill In Summation

Cloudburst 2017  —  In Summation

A nine hour closing ceremony? 
 Oscar India   Victor Echo Yankee !

Somewhere between two coasts
god is throwing a party
there is fuck you in the air
and sweet wine in the snow.

The white queen gossips
about valley girls waking up alone.

The beats shotgunning beer
argue there is no future only an infinity of options.
Squirming facts eavesdrops.
My poems are not poems
it was the shadow we thought shouldn't be.
Mark Twain interrupts, is there take out from Mockba?

Clark, Dorn, Henry Miller and other shades
speak of
letting go
making the way.

And the white queen, who is also a former social worker,
talks about children playing in the Trinotite sand,
little girls with soiled bandages
other children who dare in Anatolia.
And the marmalade acolyte shouts, Dear Lord,
don't call Social Services about this!

The Gunslinger takes a long pull from the bottle of Jameson's
and gestures wildly about the room with his 44,
settles his glare upon Horse asks, What do you think?
Whale …..............(drags out the word for a full minute and the Dahlai Lama joins in) finally says
there is a conspiracy of dust and pissed off elephants.
Women are the first environment
honor the sacred directions
always
sisters
even as just another American woman walking alone.

Charles Olsen asks, can I hunger for protein and justice?
You guys are nothing but slaves of appearances savages the acolyte
everyone in this country is a sort of Johnny Carson!

Are there any more Pacman Pistachios?
I'm married to the flywheels and gears.
Coyote always gets into trouble,
gambols with the dogs of the house.

The Muses have emerged from the dark
from the chaos
yeah, in a
big
god
damned
car.

Erotic sweet potatoes.  Who knew?
It is all balder and dash
ancient like Langston Hughes.
Oh, Shiva, my darling, which super hero are you?

Somebody feed the snakes!
The more ways out the harder to plan your escape
Take the beaten path to old man Slates still.
Fox, coyote, elk, buffalo and the Lakota elder
pay no attention to the stoned deer.

Franco likes Ike
something the color of puma in Minnesota
the righteous dude
with the attitude
tries the limits of sarcasm, delights cartoonists,
Joe recites warm underbellies
chickens, shit,
and make your own scratch.

The shades toast dead ed with coffee cups; happy birthday!
We may gain the secrets
what are your favorite things?
In my hand a snack I'd never seen.

Chief Wahoo opines
everyone looks better in a daisy necklace.
Take those selfies naked.



Marge Merrill

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Program for Cloudburst Council 2017

PROGRAM CLOUDBURST 2017 

Fri. May 19, 2017
noon-2:00     Early Bird Registration (enjoy the site)
2:00-2:10      Opening Ceremony (meet at entrance to lodge): Alan Casline
2:15-3:00      Nature Walk: haiku moments: Michael Czarnecki
                       (an outdoor ramble of roadside, fields and woods at Gell Center)
3:00-6:00       Registration ongoing in Main Lodge
3:30-4:30       Beginning Poetry Circle (one poem from each poet)
4:30-4:40       Poetry reading: Martha Treichler
4:40-4:50       Poetry reading: Therese Broderick 
5:00-6:30       Light Dinner Served (pasta, bread, green salad)
6:30-6:40       Poetry reading: Kathy Tussing
6:40-6:50       Poetry reading: Adam Tedesco
6:50-7:00       Poetry reading: Michael Czarnecki
7:00-7:10       Poetry reading: John Roche   
7:10-8:10       Panel: Conflict of Interest: (Nick Eckerson, Paulette Swartzfager, Dwain Wilder))           
8:10-8:30      Cloudburst thoughts and evening wrap-up: Stephen Lewandowski
8:30-8:40       Friday Night Closing Ceremony: Charlie Rossiter
8:40                Party 

 Sat. May 20, 2017

 8:30 Breakfast Served (cereal, fruit, bagels, eggs, etc.)
           Breakfast will be continuously served.
9:20-9:30          Saturday Opening Ceremony: Alifair Skebe
9:30-10:30        Remembering Friends, Heroes, Legends (Poetry Round-Robin)
                          Sharing poetry of departed friends, admired and historic poets.
                          Bring some poems of beforementioned to share.
10:30-10:40       Poetry Reading: Nick Eckerson
10:40-10:50       Poetry Reading: Tom Nicotera
10:50-11:00       Poetry Reading: Ashley Messer
11:00-11:10       Poetry Reading: Anna Kreienberg
11:10-11:20       Poetry Reading:  Jane Sadowski  
11:20-12:00        Break
12:00-12:30       Panel: Ed Dorn: (Alan Casline, Michael Peters, Alifair Skebe)
12:30-12:40       Poetry Reading: Steve Tills            
12:40-12:50       Poetry Reading: Charlie Rossiter
12:50 -1:00        Poetry Reading: Pat Tansey

 1:00 Lunch Served (cold sandwiches bag lunch)
 Open Time 1:00 – 3:45

Tour in Finger Lakes Watershed with Steve Lewandowski (optional)
Steven Lewandowski will lead an expedition to Canadice Lake or a place closer depending on weather

Workshop: For those not on exploration in the same time slot workshop in the main lodge (optional)
                    Therese Broderick will be doing a Workshop on different ways to create handbound books
                    Materials will be supplied. Martin Willitts, Jr. will also show his way of bookbinding.

Keeping Still: Find a spot and stop. Sit still for at least 15 min. but do not check the time (optional)

4:00-4:10        Poetry Reading:  ryki zuckerman
4:10-4:20        Poetry Reading: Martin Willitts,Jr.
4:20-4:30        Poetry Reading: Linda Griggs
4:30-4:40        Poetry Reading: Bob McDonough
4:40-5:00        Poetry Reading: Dwain Wilder
5:00 -5:50       Panel – Darkness: (David Landrey, Stephen Baraban, John Roche)
5:50-6:00        Poetry Reading: Paulette Swartzfager
6:00-7:00        Dinner        
7:00-7:10           Poetry Reading: Marge Merrill
7:10-7:20           Poetry Reading: Stephen Baraban
7:20-7:30            Poetry Reading: Mark O’Brien
7:30-7:40            Poetry Reading:  Maril Nowak
7:40-7:50            Poetry Reading:  Alifair Skebe
7:50-8:00            Poetry Reading:  Michael Peters

 8:00-10:00         Open Mic hosted by John Roche (by sign-up )
                            Bring a poem about conflict to read as part of your open mic presentation
10-10:10             Wrap-up John Roche
10:15                   Saturday Closing Ceremony: Therese Broderick
 10:20- 12:00       Campfire Party
12:00-?                 Midnight open mic until we run out of poems

 Sunday May 21, 2017

9:30-11:00          Brunch (like Saturday Breakfast )
10:15                   Sunday Opening Ceremony: Mark O’Brien and Gail Allen O’Brien         
9:30-11.00          Trade Fair and Free Fair
10:30-10:40        Poetry Reading:  Alan Casline
10:40-10:50        Poetry Reading:  Stephen Lewandowski
10:50-11:00        Poetry Reading:   David Landrey
11:10-12:40        Looking Outward   Maril Nowak (activity facilitator)
12:40–1:00         Further Round-Robin of Poetry.  Each poet read one poem
1:00-10:10          Closing Ceremony: Marge Merrill