Ross Hattaway
Our first open mic of the new year and proceedings were opened by Ross Hattaway with ‘Churched’, ‘Maybe’, ‘Paua Tanka’, and as his gift ‘Flowers that press in on you within the silence in the thicket’by Bernadette Hall (Life and Customs, Victoria University Press, 2013). followed by Anne Tannam in a tribute to her late mother and Roger Hudson reading from the second novel in his series on crime detection in ancient Greece. Next up was Ruairi Conneely reading ‘Sweet Nadine’ which was published in the first edition of The Pickled Body followed by ‘Barbarian aspect.
Anamaria Crowe Serrano
Steve Conway
Anne Tannam
After a short break it was the turn of Steve Conway on the 6th anniversary of open mic and Lasy Wednesday-ness reading about reading at an open mic – and Ms Murphy – and that damned law and its malice and an open fly. Next up was Alma Brayden, about her dream man – sort of. Her next poem was digging at Carrickmines ‘resonance’; and then ‘stones’ about a belief that those who die all get a white stone with their name – from a wall in Connemara. She ended with a poem about a woman who was born blind and regained her sight – with a painters view of her guide dog. And finally from a photo of Nelson Mandela looking into his cell ‘robin island revisited’ and ending with an homage – ish to Irish people and our weather – ‘weather people’. After Alma it was the turn of Anamaria Crowe Serrano. Anamaria going with something older – about her Spanish grandfather, written shortly after he died. Followed by some transations from Italian – ‘The Foot’. (Daniella romundi), followed by a translated poem about memory and loss and everything changed and the same. She ended with a translation from a Mexican poet Elsa Cruz – Tattoos. After Anamaria it was the turn of Liz McSkeane reading from her current collection – starting with ‘Arguing with Arithmetic’, followed by Moscow’ and yearning for something you’ve never had and an Amsterdam poem, and a flock of cranes (feathered) and ending with ‘So Long Calypso’.
David Murphy
Phil Lynch
After a short break it was the turn of Phil Lynch- reading a new short poem in honour of his youngest granddaughter – from Flower into Flame, followed by a revamped version of ‘on the rocks’. He followed with a latest edit of Changing Light about the coming of electric light to his childhood home. Then ‘The Generation Game’ about families, generations, and possibly death . . . He ended with ‘Smoke without Fire’ reminiscing about the fire you wanted to light but never got around to it. And next it was the turn of sci-fi writer David Murphy wearing his poetry hat with Hobart about emigration; and then two poems about the camino (el Camino real) poem 1 called ‘The Royal Way’, and then Finistere also about the Camino he ended with N25 – the road from Tralee to Rosslare which will be published in the SHop later in the year.
Martin A Egan
And bringing us to a close is Martin Egan reading from his new book Sea-Journey and other stuff. Starting with a song ‘weird sleep’, followed by a the second part of a poem about living a solitary life in flat in Rathmines – cold and with lots plugs and lots of tea! And ending with ‘I was jealous of the Sea, from the buke.
The Frozen Mic 