Celebrate Good Times…Come On!

(left to right)  Kirsten Wise/Curator, Cayuga Museum; Ron VanNostrand /Publisher, Olive Trees; Donny Alger / featured Poet; Eileen McHugh/Executive Director, Cayuga Museum; and bill berry, Jr., CEO/Publisher, aaduna  (photo credit:  Lisa Brennan)

There was a party going on last night as the Cayuga Museum of History and Art, Olive Trees and aaduna kicked off its 2018 second season of “word, revisited” a bi-monthly literary series extolling the power of words in all its diverse and compelling forms. 

Donny Alger, featured poet, "word, revisited," March 8 2018 (photo credit: Lisa Brennan)

Donny Alger, a highly regarded Auburn-based musician, writer and self-defined poetaster (don’t believe that hype of inferiority!) mesmerized a packed house of poetry fans, writers and supporters with his eloquent and touching interplay between and among words, comedic wit, bittersweet remembrances, plethora of biting political and social commentary, and commanding yet self-effacing presence. 

Donny Alger, featured poet, "word, revisited," March 8 2018 (photo credit: Lisa Brennan)

Alger told tales and read words from his extensive collection of poems; reciprocated appreciative glances from the audience with tongue-in-cheek innuendos that easily glided into the next piece that he read. For forty-five minutes that seemed far too fast for his captivated audience, Donny then graciously accepted the rousing applause for his tour de force reading.

As the featured speaker for the 2018 season opening of “word, revisited,” Donny Alger was a testament to the power of poetry and words to “rock the house.”  After a brief Q&A and intermission for the audience to mingle with each other and engage Donny in informal conversation, the celebration resumed.

A major supplement of this literary series is the open mic session where readers are accorded a safe, nurturing and embracing atmosphere regardless of prior experience.  The season opening attracted a record number of fourteen readers whose work ran the gamut of themes and presentation styles.

This is what you missed:

Hands as knowing oneself, despair and hope, reflections on a trucker’s experiences, intriguing alien commentary, sensuous romanticism, a historical tale as poetry and sung lyrics, intricacies of profound love; poignancy of finding a new country and home, New Orleans and its ambiance to discover a telling future, homage to Maya Angelou via a caged woman, clipped wings and tired feet.

And then there was more...

The dynamics of Ellis Island, voice of a century past female elder, the impact of losing a loved one, understanding conformity is not one size fits all, homage and response to the poignancy of a Langston Hughes poem and the impact of a wintry photograph, the mysteries of Xanadu, revisited. 

Open mic words swirled, drifted, softly fell, churned, exploded, ricocheted, and gently prodded. 

          

Thank you Joe Sarnicola, Jim Spencer, Karen Faris, Jennifer Maloney, Dan Cleveland, Debra Brillati, Bobbie D. Panek, Jan Graham, Pat D'Agostino, Rachael Ikins, Laura French, Raymond Remu, Heidi Nightengale, and Ron Newman

Ron Van Nostrand & Kirsten Wise opened the "word, revisited" evening

Kirsten Wise, curator at the Cayuga Museum, and Ron Van Nostrand, publisher of Olive Trees welcomed the audience.  Ron emceed the evening, and will coordinate the 2018 second season.

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word, revisited convenes on the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of each month thru to June at the Carriage House Theater located behind the museum in Auburn.  The evening commences at 6 PM (sign-up for open mic starts at 5:30.) Admission is $3pp, and beverage service (wine, beer, soft drinks, water) and snacks are available for purchase. All proceeds benefit the museum and its Mission. 

Cayuga Museum of History of Art, Olive Trees, and aaduna take pride in being the exclusive sponsors of an ongoing regional literary event, which features a prominent speaker supplemented by open mic in the City of Auburn.

"word, revisited" is not associated with any other sponsoring entity

in its bi-monthly literary series.

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