Poetry Congress (aka PoJam) at Paul Baker’s House in Madison WI

Kevin Ducey and Bridget B. were in town and along with Madison residents Matthew Stolte and Paul Baker- and Ohio duo John M. Bennett and me – We were a six-fold congress on Dec.23rd, hosted by Paul in his basement den. Paul read some of his mash-ups made from a wide range of source materials. John read his poetry from some of Luna Bisonte Prods’ recent publications, from which Bridget chose to read Greg Evason’s Plowing Down the Cut, and both Kevin and Paul provided improvised music on the bass and mandolin. Matthew Stolte had come prepared with art supplies so we all collaborated at intervals with Matthew in between word spasms. Just before we drove up from Ohio, The OSU Avant Writing Collection (which John started as part of Rare Books and Manuscripts) recieved a second installment gift from Davi Det Hompson’s widow, Nancy. And with her consent we created a few copies of a couple of visual poems Davi Det had printed around 1970. Among the six of us, we recited them in various combinations as Be Blank Consort scores (with varying success – it was fun though, and HERE IS THE LINK to Paul’s recordings from that night). Here is an example of one of Davi Det Hompson’s vispo:

As evening caught up with our afternoon, the final activity was the passing of pen&paper to collaborate on cinquains. These collabs were written by five of us rather then six. Matthew waited until the end to participate this time (as he was busy with paint-stencils-stamping & collage materials — which included some great B+W original photo material by Paul Baker). Matthew wrote the very last cinquain on his own…. which I’ll follow up with a scan or two of some the vispo that resulted. Matthew’s mailart contacts might find one of the many postcard size pieces in their mailboxes next year!

Palate

of the new gnomes

on the first example

whispered torsion formaldehyde

swelling

 

Crusting

in the sink hole

the Tiktaclik emerged

of man’s first disobedience and

oh, wait.

 

Portion

of sloppy head

Let’s throw in whatever

dish is near, hey what about

spindle.

 

Bust strap.

Meat bicycle

folded in your throat pool

shelves of face, fingers, feet, and eyes

flash wide

 

think fast

Floating globules

Occam’s putty feet seen

fetal sandwich swimming coldly

left right

 

John M. Bennett, Bridget B., Kevin Ducey, Paul Baker, C. Mehrl Bennett

 

– – – and finally this cinquain by Matthew Stolte:

no no

yes yes yes yes

ah um jagvire simple

grover elmo seasane street

ladle