Modern Verse

Welcome Poets

2006-12-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome poet friends here, to a gathering online, for conversation and poetry. And just see what happens? This will be by invitation, (or petition) only, and any poet can post and edit their own posts. I wonder what we can create here. I imagine it as a more intimate and serious, though playful gathering, a simple ongoing conversational meeting place, as an evening party of poets at our home might be. It is not meant to replace or duplicate any other poetry site, but to be a small salon where a few friends gather in a relaxed poetic way. The new Blogger has offered this possiblility for multiple authors to post, so I decided to try this out. In the photos you see here are many of the poets I've invited to our "party" here--I will identify them as they show up--and add more photos when surprise featured co-author friends arrive. Is this fun, have a drink and... what do you think?

Welcome Co-Authors

2006-12-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

See poet CaLokie, one of our new co-authors, at Kath's home for "Poet's Night" in Pasadena, California. ************* Co-authors... you can write posts just like I am doing now. I can't wait for one of you to speak up at the party! **********Our first arriving co-author/party guest for the New Year was Deborah P Kolodji, on far right, laughing-- Hi, Debbie, thanks so much! We had a great time at our "poetry night" at our real home in Pasadena as pictured above, now for more great talks, poetry and adventures together! Do our other guests know her? Debbie is a prolific, published local poet, moderator of the Southern California Haiku Study Group at the Pacific Asia Museum, and author of a fascinating and inspiring page on Livejournal, her Poetry Scrapbook and Random Musings. What have you been doing poetically this year in general, co-authors, and what are you looking forward to? Perhaps you could say a bit more about yourselves as I am sure many of our guests would like to know more!

Serving Drinks and Appetizers

2007-01-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

So, the party's at my house, the bells are ringing and I am buzzing people in. So far we can all fit in our actual condo at once. Here comes Leanne Hanson (see her coming out of the greenery on the far left)--how did SHE get here ?...and I am pouring her requested Cabernet-Merlot (she probably wants Australian...will Yellowtail do?). She deserves a toast, as her new poetry book Odd Verse Effects is availabe from Amazon now! So Don Campbell foreground, left, looks like he's here already, but actually he's expected at any moment. He was the first Ephemeral Featured Poet to read live and in person at Kath's. This was a combo-musicicians reception-poetry party after a concert (Don attended too) of Southwest Chamber Music at the local small contemporary Music at the Court series. Our poet friend-percussionist Lynn Vartan (also expected to show at this party) performed. Here's the party underway . Oh, by the way...it's not just Kath's home, it's Rick's too. My husband should be home any minute! He's the current feature on Ephemeral And Rick is pictured in the original "welcome" post on this page, if you scroll down. With his arm up, and welcoming in style. On his left, in that photo and in the one this current post, you can see Lynn Vartan's golden head... Our friend musician-poet Lynn Vartan, is Kath's percussion teacher too. Oh, by the way, in the photo above, to the left of Kath in green and white is good friend Jian Yuan Thum, (Caltech graduate biology) also does ceramics and jewelry. Her beautiful necklaces are featured here on Kath's jewlery page .

2007-01-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say hello and try to post inside the blog rather than comment! Seems like a fun party so far! This is a photo from concert this summer at Boston Court....I think we had a fun party after this one because it was the Duo concert with Miguel! Thanks for always being so supportive and so fun, Kathy!!!

2007 Poetry Calendar

2007-01-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

Don Campbell stopped by to deliver a pile of poetry calendars to our home in Pasadena... you can have one too! You'll love this new 2007 Poetry Wall Calendar that
Don has compiled. It features 36 Southern California poets, 3 poems a page, facing each month of open poetry dates... to order: go to Paypaland send $12. sensitive@earthink.net (includes mailing). Of course you'll find ones by some poets you know!

Party favors: A Collector's Edition of VROOM

2007-01-19T00:16:00.000-08:00

Remember when "Vroom" vroomed into Pasadena??? You can now order a new copy of "Vroom", the unofficial publication of poetrydmv, as edited and presented by member poet and "Pasadena poetry guru" (and party host) Don Campbell, in April, 2006, as a Poetry Month celebration. The re-issue contains poems by forty member poets. This collector's edition is a tribute to the poetic community that developed and to the ideals that the poets who belonged held in common. Thankfully, we have our party continuing here at Modern Verse, and many of the poets who found that international poetic community a treasure, continue those friendships and share their work on pathetic.org and shakespearesmonkeys.com To see audio clips and readings from Vroom, see the original Vroom Publishing Party, April 2006 To order your collectors copy, go to Paypal and direct $12. to sensitive@earthlink.net

Vrooming into a new Poet's Night Tradition

2007-02-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

We're celebrating Vroom and starting a new Wednesday Night Tradition at Kath's. This Wednesday we'll show off ModernVerse co-author Michael Dunn's new book "Beyond Door's Threshold Light". See his new feature on Ephemeral Poetry You can see he's virtually present in the photo on the left, we've wishfully included him at one of our poet's night gatherings. On the right is artist, harpsichord builder, and collector of antique hurdy gurdy's Curtis Berak entertaining poets Don Campbell and Peggy Castro with his wonderful playing. Above you'll see Rick, Kath, and co-author Laurie Blume together at our Vroom reading in Chicago. See our visit with Laurie in Chicago and her reading her poem published in Vroom there last year. Our new traditional Wednesday meetings will follow Don's Wednesday afternoon poetry critique 4 tp 5:30 pm at Allure cafe on the corner of Sierra Madre Blvd and Colorado Blvd in Pasadena. We'll have 6:30 p.m. dinner snacks, poetry, conversation and entertainment at Kath's. Each evening will feature a musical or artistic contribution. This week Rick Wilson, collector and player of historical flutes will present a short flute demonstration and recital focused on the nineteenth century "pathetic air on Roselin Castle" by Charles Nicholson, along with other poetic and artistic references. We'll also have copies of Don's new chapbook "A Poet's Allusions" on hand. This one with a beautiful cover print by Alexei Jawlensky, "Solitude". You can order Don Kingfisher Campbell's new chapbook by going to PayPal and sending $6 (includes postage) to sensitive@earthlink.net

Wednesday Night Poetry Party (Feb.7, 2007)

2007-02-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

Our Poetry Party was a great success this week. See Our Poetry Party Page for photos and details. Starting next Wednesday we'll be hosting the Wednesday Evening Critique Workshop, moderated by Don Campbella and Mary
Torregrossa. Poets bring 10 copies of a new poem for discussion. Dinner snacks this included a "Vegetable Stew" by our friend and gourmet cook Harry Bower, from San Francisco, especially prepared and defrosted for the occasion. Also chocolate chip cookies and macaroons by Kath were among the many delicacies. Rick Wilson presented a short recital of the 19th century "pathetic air" Roselin Castle for the evening, and showed a few samples from his collection of 150 antique flutes. See the page link above for more details. Each party event will include an evening's entertainment. Next week (Wed. Feb 14) we will present Steven Radice singing a love-song medley with his own ukulele and guitar accompaniment.

Poets in Love: 2/14/07 Wednesday Evening Poetry

2007-02-18T22:01:00.000-08:00

It was an unusual night, see the Valentines Poetry Party, newly hosting the 6:30 Wednesday Evening Critique at Kath and Rick's. Among the readers were Debbie Kolodji, second from left in photo (see her interesting and poetic livejournal .) Debbie moderates the Southern California Haiku Study Group once a month at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. Kath and Peggy Cramer, who also read, attended the haiku workshop last Saturday. Mira Mataric (front left in the photo above, who also hosts wonderful poetry events in the area and in 2005 won the Literary Award Arsenie Charnoevich, from the govenment of Serbia read one of her poems. Jack Chansler, front right in photo, read a beautiful sonnet. Friendly and animated poetic discussions followed. Kath read her "Couplets in Bed" published in Don Campbell's San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly #32. Go to Paypal and send $7 to sensitive@earthlink.org to order your copy of the "Rhyming Issue". As accompaniment to her poem, each guest received a "pink gel marker" (part of the poetic fantasy) which, which she explained... could not begin to measure up to the one in her poem. But still, nice party favors! (We still have some left for next time.) Dinner snacks were Kath's Maltese Minestra (a hearty traditional soup) spicy black lentils, curried corn and homemade cookies. The musical entertainment was a lovesong medley by our friend composer and musician Steven Radice. Rick accompanied on historical flute, and Kathy with voice and Vietnamese DanMo! (You'll see photos on the web page link above.) We made a recording and will post when ready.) Coming this week: appetizers and Wednesday Evening Critique at 6:30 pm, dinner snacks and entertainment at 8. This week will feature "Renaissance Duets" with Asuncion Ojeda and Rick Wilson, a short introduction to the renaissance flute and recital. Please come visit and write Kath for directions!

Wednesday Evening Critique February 21, 2007

2007-02-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

Our lively (all are welcome!) Wednesday evening Critique was hosted at the Wilson's and began at 6:30 with poets presenting new work, copies passed to all, and engaging commentary, challenging and friendly, enjoyed. Pictured here, left to right are poets Justin Kibbe and CaLokie, as well as Don Campbell, and Mary Torregossa (co-hosts of the Critiques). Kath provided the atmosphere with an Asian Indian themed meal and Rick and friend Asuncion Ojeda gave an inspiring entertainment later in the evening,with a recital of rennaissance flute duets. See our poetry party for details on the evening! coming this Wednesday, February 28, 2007: poets meet if possible in front of the workshop location at 5:45 to hear Kath and the Caltech Glee Club (at Dabney Lounge at Caltech) sing three poetic songs in a final rehearsal for performance. Workshop and dinner snacks as usual at the Wilson's at 6:30 p.m. This weeks theme is Chinese New Year. Kath is making Chinese dinner snacks, and Rick will play Chinese music on flutes from his collection. Kath's Shanghai journals, albums and poems will be available for browsing. Thanks to Debbie Kolodji for her beautiful "valentine" see the post below!
Don Campbell's new issue of the San Gabriel Valley Quartely (God Issue) is ready now. To order send $7. through Paypal to sensitive@earthlink.net

Wednesday Critique and Poetry Party Tomorrow

2007-03-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

Welcome poets, to our poetry party and critique tomorrow. You can see a bit of last week's festivities Wednesday Evening Critique and Chinese New Year celebration Feb. 28, 2007 at Kath and Rick's. Rick presented his collection of Chinese flutes and gave a short recital. Kath made a Chinese meal, homemade rice crackers, mock duck rolls with plum sauce, hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, and homemade fortune cookies... (after so many requests) she's promised to post some recipes soon. Tomorrow night we'll start promptly at 6:30 with the Critique, followed by an introduction to Elizabthan music and the viola da gamba, by our friend musician Phil Schlosberg, accompanied by Rick on flute. Plan to stay for the music and dinner snacks to be served throughout. So much fun we poets have together!

WORKSHOP NIGHT CHANGED TO THURSDAYS

2007-03-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

We've changed our workshop night to Thursdays! You'll love our report on Elizabethan Night at the Evening Critique Workshop, March 7, 2007 at Kath and Rick's! Look there for details and directions. This Thursday we'll be having an Irish Night, Kath will cook some favorites from THE JOYCE OF COOKING and we'll feature Celtic Music with Rick Wilson and Steven Radice.

Thursday Evening Poetry on Irish Night --(March 15, 2007)

2007-03-18T22:07:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, this was the best. How could it be otherwise, with the luck of the Irish. See the story of the night a wonderful workshop and celebration ("oh my Guinness"...as Michael Dunnn would say!)

Thursday Night Poetry meets the French Musette

2007-03-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Thursday, March 22, 2007 will be French Night at the Thursday Evening Poetry Workshop and Critique. Workshop starts ar 6:30 PM, Music at 8 PM, dinner snacks throughout. Our guests will be Bruce Teter (see him performing at a concert) who will play the musette, pictured above, and also recorder; his wife Marishka will play our harpsichord. Our friend Bruce is also a professor at UCLA, specializing in brain research. Please come as early as possible, and stay for the music, as our guests have prepared a special program! We are so lucky to have them visit. They will come early to tune the harpsichord and are also looking forward to the poetry!

French Festival at Thursday Night Poetry, March 22, 2007

2007-03-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

No one wanted to leave, this was a favorite night so far. Great poetry, and poet friends, French baroque music on a rare and beautiful instrument, and three French soufflés! See our French Night at Thursday Night Poetry Workshop report. Bruce Teter and Marishka Hopcroftprovided music by Couperin and Chedeville on harpsichord, musette de coeur, and recorder. Poets participating were CaLokie, Toti O'Brien, Justin Kibbe, Sharon Hawley, Albert Kung, Debbie Kolodji, Mira Mitaric and Kath. Musician friends attend the workshop as well as making music--Bruce and Marishka, as well as oboist Paul Sherman (who is planning a future program for one of our evenings), his wife Asuncion Ojeda, and Rick Wilson.

Tomorrow's Gyspy Night at the Poetry Workshop

2007-04-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well no, that's not the poetry workshop, it's Toti O'Brien (one of our poets, in forground with accordion) and friends. We'll be having our usual poetry workshop tomorrow night, April 5, 2007 at Rick and Kath's with a big vegetable stew and all the trimmings as you all get of your caravans and join us. Workshop at 6:30, Toti playing accordion and telling some stories of her heritage at 8 or so. Can't wait to see you all again. I am working on a report of our last event, will post later, so check back for great photos and a story!

Bellydancing your Poems Away

2007-04-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Oh my, well, again, those are not the poets at the poetry workshop! One of them is (Kath in back row, second from left). Come watch us dance Friday and Saturday at the Caltech Dance Show, Ramo Auditorium and Gitani Restaurant, 7 PM in Burbank. (Write to Kath if you need more details!) Poetry Workshop this Thursday as usual at Kath and Rick's! Soup's made and cornbread baked, cookies ready. Rick and Steven have prepared a great entertainment on the theme of Stephen Foster, America's first great songwriter, with historical flute, guitar and banjo ukulele. Kath will be at rehearsal for the dance show, but is hoping it will be a full house otherwise. As soon as this weekend is over, full reports of the last two wonderful workshops will be posted, Hurdy Gurdy Night with Curtis Berak, and Gypsy Music and Dance with Toti O'Brien.

Belly Dance the Night Away at the Poetry Workshop Tomorrow

2007-04-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Bellydance Night at the Poetry Workshop. We'll expect to start poetry workshop and Critique at 6:30 PM along with a rich middle eastern lentil soup Kath is making for poetry dinner, with some hummus and pita pockets, and after that, at 8, Kath will attempt a solo version of our dance show program from this last weekend (unless any friend bellydancers come to rescue her, and join the entertainment). After that we can relax and watch the "real thing" Rick's film on dvd of the Friday night performance, and have some of Kath's specialty... pumpkin cheesecake...in progress as I write. Rick will show another favorite from the Dance Show, one of our more experienced members, Christy Canaria dancing with a sword on her head, and our guest (leaving tomorrow early), fabulous dancer Kristina Cañizares doing her act at Gitani Restaurant in Burbank on Sunday. In fact, Kath's new poem, to be read tomorrow is a tribute to her and her dancing, so you'll see what I'm talking about!

Thursday Night Poetry Hosted from Puerto Rico, April 26, 2007

2007-04-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here are Kath and Rick hosting the Pasadena Thursday Night Poetry Workshop from under a Mango Tree in the Botanic Gardens in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (See those mangoes in the upper left of the photo?)Rick was invited by Herealal Janwa, at the University of Puerto Rico, a former post doc and collaborator of Rick's at Caltech, to work on some projects together here. Kath always comes along for the adventure. We're assuming the poetry workshop is going on right now in our home, as planned, under the loving care of our friends Steven and Gail and with poets serving the soup and cookies Kath made for poets nights while we are gone. More reports on the last few poet's nights and also on our trip to follow. Meanwhile...here's Kath's first poem of the trip,
Simulations from the Tropics

Poetry Workshop this Thursday May 3, 2007 at the Wilsons! Please Attend!

2007-05-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday Night Poetry will be in full poetic swing at Kath and Rick's again this week, even though (thanks to the man on the left) they are hosting from San Juan Puerto Rico! Professor Herealal Janwa, our host, invited Rick to work on mathematical collaborations here at the University, and so Kath is along, having her poetry influenced by the rainforests. Please follow our adventures at our Puerto Rico Trip Page. We are posting regular updates, including links to Kath's poetry written during our stay. She'd love it if someone read their favorite so far! Dinner was made for Thursday before we left, and it will be defrosted for serving on Thursday. Steven Radice will present an unusual entertainment singing favorites on guitar and ukulele after the workshop. We're hoping everyone will come and keep our house warm and full of poetry while we are gone. Kath is looking forward to interesting reportd and poems when she comes home!

This Thursday Poetry Workshop and Glass Flute show and play: tomorrow, May 17, 2007

2007-05-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Thursday Evening Poetry Workshop carried on in style while we were in Puerto Rico (here's the group waving to us on one of the days we were gone...from our own living room!) This week the workshop will begin promptly at 6:30, dinner snacks served and poetry started immediately. Afterwards, Rick will provide the entertainment, a presentation of his rare crystal glass flute, made in France by Claude Laurent in 1834. He'll play one set of Variations by Jean Louis Tulou which is music of the time, and would have been played on such a flute. Announcement: Look see our CaLokie is the new featured poet on Kath's Ephemeral Poetry Blog. It was such a delight to be able to do this... and I am not finished. More photos and some sound files to come. This week Thursday workshop, at 7:30 Kath has to leave go to an important choral rehearsal, for the Glee Club Concert at Caltech. (It's free and all opera, very entertaining. It's 8 P.M. on Friday and Saturday nights on the Caltech campus. Friday at Dabney Lounge, Saturday at Ramo Auditorium. The locations are right across from one another, near the center of campus and very close to our house. Park there. Here's the Caltech map More reports will follow here...I am planning to make links to ur past Thursdays, with all ur traveling I have not shown you glimpses of the past few weeks and they were wonderful! More soon, and see you Thursday!

A Poetic Night at the Opera: Thursday Poetry Workshop May 24, 2007

2007-05-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday Night Poetry continues tomorrow night, each poet brings a new poem for critique and discussion. Photo from last week's workshop, Kath read "Meet Me There". To her right in photo, is Debbie Kolodji, who read her poem "Cruising San Francisco Bay". Justin Kibbe read "That is Not Super Woman" and Marvin Dorsey read "Shadow Boxing". A rousing 3 part "Not the Brother John Round" written by CaLokie, (far right, enjoying Kath's Puerto Rican style plantain soup and empanadas) was read by him, Kath and Marvin, most riotously to everyone's delight. Dinner snacks this week will be Italian (lasagne and eggplant parmagian) in honor of the Caltech recent opera chorus concert. For our entertainment we'll show excerpts from Rick's film of last weekend's shows, with Kath in the alto section.

Tomorrow Night It's Mexican Night at the poetry Workshop

2007-05-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Above see Lynn Vartan, extraordinary percussionist back from her Mexican tour with stories, photos and a Mexican feast. Last week's workshop was a great one, here see Don Campbell, in center, Debbie Kolodji at left, CaLokie between them, and the great Marvin Dorsey on the right, all immersed in poetic thought. Tomorrow Night we'll have our regular poetry workshop followed by a special presentation by Lynn Vartan and Dorian about their recent trip to Mexico. Lynn was on tour as guest percussionist with the Tambuco Ensemble in Mexico City. She and Dorian are guest chief chefs in Kath's Kitchen--we'll all prepare some especially loved dishes from their trip.

Poetry at the Wilsons Continues This Week: Thursday, June 21, 2007 : Workshop Ongoing even from Japan and Canada

2007-06-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we welcomed poet friends for a fantastic workshop just 3 hours after we returned from Japan. We all enjoyed Japanese snacks we brought home, and Rick show slides and film from Kyoto, Yokohama and Kamakura, Japan. See http://www.oldflutes.com/Kathy&Rick
for photo essays. This week, Thursday June 21, Gail and Steven host while Kath and Rick are at the University of Waterloo, in Canada. Above, see last week-- Rick playing his gagaku flute purchased during our trip to Japan, and Kath (on far right) playing her new (accordian-like) Japanee percussion instrument. Our wonderful substitute-hosts Steven and Gail welcome us home.

Thursday Night Poetry July 5, 2007

2007-07-05T02:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone is expected at Thursday Night Poetry tomorrow, Don Kingfisher Campbell will welcome you all at the Wilson's as usual even though we're in Bratislava right now at another math conference. You can follow our adventures at our home page Last week's entertainment at Thursday Night Poetry was one of our favorites. A fascinating and unusual presentation of bt Asuncion Ojeda and her niece, Sarah Kimbrough of kulintang music, a traditional music from Mindanao island in the southern Philippines. Asuncion and Sarah are students/performing members of the Reseda-based World Kulintang Institute, which was founded by master teacher Eleanor Academia. Philippine kulintang represents only one of the many gong-chime traditions found in southeast Asia, and it is an art which is, unfortunately, in danger of extinction. The music, which dates back to the 3rd century, A.D., presents an organic interaction between melody and rhythmic modes. More photos of that evening soon. For July 5th's meeting, Kath made a rich curried vegetable stew, which will be served, and Rick left a slide show of our Canadian and NY trips of two weeks ago.