Music & Poetry at the Cabaret at the Connoisseur Room

Indiana Poet Laureate Norbert Krapf and the Cabaret at the Connoisseur Room, 127 E. Ohio St., Indianapolis, has announced a schedule for the Music & Poetry series.

The series showcases a variety of musical genres and performers intermixed with some of the best poets from across Indiana. This series demonstrates The Cabaret’s commitment to the original spirit of cabaret by bringing together music and original poetry to the same stage. http://www.thecabaret.org/American_Cabaret_Theatre/SCHEDULE_SHOWS.html

Tickets: $25 , $15 for seats along the bar

Saturday, July 18: 8:30 p.m. A Tribute to Hoosier Songwriters



Pianist/Composer/Jazz Educator, Monika Herzig, and Singer/Songwriter,


Tom Roznowski, join Indiana Poet Laureate Norbert Krapf in paying tribute in songs and poems to the great Indiana songwriters and ragtime composers such as May Aufderheide, Julia Niebergall, Albert Von Tilzer, Paul Dresser, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, and other Indiana Avenue greats!




Friday, September 11: 7:30 p.m. Sweet Sister Moon: A Tribute to Women Singers & Composers (Book Release Show and Signing)


Indiana Poet Laureate Norbert Krapf, backed by jazz pianist-composer Monika Herzig, will recite poems from his new collection Sweet Sister Moon, a book of original poetry paying tribute to such blues and jazz singers as Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, the Hampton Sisters, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, and Monika. Jazz vocalists Shannon Forsell and Brenda Williams will sing songs by some of these great women of song that inspired Norbert’s poems. The show will be followed by a book signing with Norbert.


Friday, October 16, 7:30 p.m.Poetry’s Got the Blues

Blues man Gordon Bonham and Indiana’s Poet Laureate Norbert Krapf join forces to present an evening of Gordon’s acoustic blues standards and originals and Norbert’s blues poems.





For more information about Norbert click here www.krapfpoetry.com

Robert Frost in Steve Coverly's "Speed Bump" comic panel

The May 22 panel of Speed Bump, by Steve Coverly, is titled "Morning at the Frosy Household." To see what Coverly's warped mind has Frost saying, click here

John Steinbeck on poetry in "East of Eden"

My first creative writing teacher, Diane Comstock, at Tech High School, told the class that in order to write, we would need leisure time. I never understood that comment until my four daughters moved away from home, and suddenly, I had time to write poetry.

Thirty-six years later, I'm reading John Steinbeck's East of Eden, when hard-working farmers had very little leisure time, and a man's worth was measured by the produce of the land in the Salinas Valley. In Chapter 23, I stumbled upon this passage:

"Tom wrote secret poetry, and in those days it was only sensible to keep it
secret. The poets were pale emasculates, and Western men held them in contempt.
Poetry was a sympton of weakness, of degeneracy and decay. To read it was to
court catcalls. To write it was to suspected and ostracized. Poetry was a secret
vice, and properly so. No one knew whether Tom's poetry was any good or not, for
he showed it to only one person, and before he died he burned every word. From
the ashes in the stove there must have been a great deal of it."

Even today, I occasionally run across secret poets who tell me they indulge in this shameful vice. When I ask why, they usually say no one among family and friends would understand.

G. Simone's is open in Zionsville

UPDATE: Barry Harris reports that G. Simone's is up and running, and Poetry on Brick Street will settle into the new Zionsville digs, beginning tonight (Thursday, May 7).

PREVIOUS POST: Barry Harris reports that G. Simone's Cafe, the Zionsville sandwich shop that originally was supposed to be the home of the Poetry on Brick Street series, appears to be open. (Barry took the photo that you see here.) The series had been held next door at Plum's Upper Room, a site suited for expensive, romantic dinners, but not so suitable for poetry readings. Plum's food, while delicious, also played havoc to the thin purses and wallets of poets. If it's true that G. Simone's is open, then the next reading -- featuring Bonnie Maurer -- will be Thursday, May 7 at 120 S. Main St. For confirmation, call Barry at 317-733-1811 or Susan Miller at 317-587-1438, or send an email to poetryonbrickstreet@cyberroad.com.

May calendar is up

Check out the May calendar of events, listed in the upper left-hand corner of this page.

Now, I know there must be public poetry events going on that I know nothing about. Clue me in, folks.

And for those of you who are associated with events that I've listed, check your event this month and let me know if it's been discontinued or needs an update (say, a new host or a listing of upcoming guests).

You can e-mail me at jl.kato@sbcglobal.net.

Rebecca Kai Dotlich's words of wisdom

Children's author and poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich recently led a youth poetry workshop in Kenosha, Wis., and dropped these gems on the children:

“Poets don’t make much money, and that’s the truth. I do it because I love it.”

and

“Someday, when you’re older, boys, you’re going to get girlfriends that way — trust me.”

The complete story here.

Reservoir Dogwoods in New Albany

The News and Tribune article (May 2): Poets coming to speak their minds in New Albany