February 21, 2009

podcast updates...

I'll be working on some new podcast episodes very soon.  My mouth injury is mostly healed, and should be fully healed by Monday or Tuesday.  I'll probably release a "double feature" or two, two episodes back to back, to get caught up.  The next episode will conclude Dianne Borsenik's feature reading from December 6th at the Phoenix, then we will begin hearing readings from January's Angel Falls show and last weekend's Phoenix Coffee show.

WE NEED MUSIC!  I'll come right out and say it.  The big delay in getting new podcast episodes out the past two months has been that the music submissions stopped coming in.  Spread the word!  This podcast has over 700 subscribers, and that number goes up with each new episode.  This podcast's audience is varied and diverse.  Your music won't be heard by just one type of music fan.  If you're interested in getting you or your band's music featured in upcoming episodes, send me an e-mail!

Don't forget our next gig, March 21 at Insights Coffee & More in Brunswick featuring poetry by Jason Floyd Williams and music by Ramona Stone!  This will be an ALL-AGES/MODERATED show, meaning language must be kept PG-13 but you can bring your kids / sibs / evil minions / etc.  Remember, The Poet's Haven is open to writers of ALL ages (though any writer under 13 years of age will require a parent or guardian's signature on the podcast recording release form).

February 14, 2009

Another Smashing Success!!!

Tonight's Saturday Night With The Poet's Haven event was another smashing success!

I am considering starting future shows an hour earlier, at 7 PM instead of 8 PM, to give us more time for poetry.  Any feedback?

Again, THANK YOU to tonight's featured poets, Jeff Kosiba and Carmen Tracey!  THANK YOU to Neal, Mark, Josh, and Rich from Dear Holden for playing a great set.  These guys came all the way up from Dover/New Philly!  THANK YOU to new voices (at least at a Poet's Haven show) Marlana-Patrice, Robert O'Lexa, Michele McBride, Jeremy R. Himmelright, Suzanne Savickas, and Peter Hessman (who runs an open-mic at Arabica in Canton on the first Tuesday of every month)!  THANK YOU to returning poets Jen Pezzo, 'Bert Paliwoda, Dianne Borsenik, and Christopher Franke!  THANK YOU to the many faces I recognized in the crowd who did not read tonight, including Wendy Schaffer, Steve Goldberg, Rob Rosin, and Jacob and Carla (who run the open-mic and Slam at April 2nd Gallery in Canton on the first Friday every month).  THANK YOU to the Phoenix for hosting us.  And THANK YOU to Joe Sabatino (whom will be my brother-in-law come October) for filling in on MC duties.

Our next show will be an ALL-AGES/MODERATED event at Insights Coffee & More in Brunswick, Ohio on March 21st featuring singer/songwriter Ramona Stone and poet Jason Floyd Williams!  Don't miss it!

Sincerely,

Vertigo Xavier
publisher, The Poet's Haven
http://www.PoetsHaven.com

February 7, 2009

Updates...

I've got a million things going on lately.

I'm checking out poems in the submission queue whenever I have a few moments.  No promises as to when the queue will be cleared, but I'm picking them off one at a time.

New CD:  You can't get this on Amazon (yet, I hope).  The Dreaming, featuring Christopher Hall from Stabbing Westward, have been selling a special disc at shows, and are now selling it on their MySpace page.  It contains some "b-sides," covers, and remixes.  Last year's "Etched in Blood" doesn't go more than week without finding itself back in my CD player, and I'm delighted to have this "pre-op" disc to mix into my playlist.  It includes a cover of The Cure's "Lets Go to Bed" that simply must be heard.  It also has their version of "Send Me an Angel," which if you bought "Etched in Blood" off of Amazon MP3 or iTunes, you might've missed.  (It was a hidden track on the CD.)
http://www.myspace.com/thedreaming

PODCASTS:  We have enough poetry for the next five episodes, but we need music for those episodes!  If you're interested in getting a song or two featured in upcoming episodes, please send me a message.

SHOW UPDATES:

See the flier for March's show below!

April 25 at Visible Voice Books in Cleveland will feature poet Lisa Vicious from Detroit!!!
May 23 at Phoenix Coffee in South Euclid will feature C. Allen Rearick!!!

As soon as the second features for these shows are confirmed, I'll have fliers ready.

March 21 at Insights Coffee & More in Brunswick, OH features singer/songwriter Ramona Stone and poet Jason Floyd Williams!!!


Don't forget, this Saturday, Valentine's Day, we are at the Phoenix in South Euclid, featuring Jeff Kosiba and Carmen Tracey!

Kitchen Stand-Off...

This started out as a Facebook status update, but ran too long.  This really happened.  :-)

There is a stand-off in the kitchen. The human is fixing sesame teriyaki noodles and meatballs. To his right: the dog - "Meatball? I smell meatball? Give me meatball? Meatball? I smell meatball?" To his left: the cat - "I don't care what you are making, but you will be giving it to me. I'm waiting. If you do not give me what you are making, I will be forced to use my claws." The human reaches for the minced onion. The cat head-buts him in the kneecap and digs a claw into his ankle. The dog smells meatball and takes a step forward. The cat jumps off the human's foot and claws the dog's face. Both creatures land in their original positions. The stand-off resumes. Cat: "You aren't planning on eating that, are you? It will be mine." Dog: "Meatball? Meatball? Meatball?" The human removes the meatballs from the microwave and starts to drop them in the noodles. "MEATBALL!" The dog tries to knock the human over so the last meatball falls to the floor. The cat moves faster and knocks the falling beefsphere under the baby-gate that keeps the dog out of the basement. The cat is certain to twitch her tail in the dog's face as she crawls under the gate to claim her prize. Taking note, the human removes two slices of American cheese from the refrigerator. As he opens the wrappers, the cat runs back into the kitchen, her meatball forgotten. "CHEESE IS MINE! CHEESE IS MINE!" Turns out, the dog likes cheese too, and is delighted to wolf down two slices, sharing none with the cat. The human then transfers the noodles from the saucepan into a bowl, gets a pair of chopsticks from the drawer, and retires with his lunch to the computer room.