Improbable Poetry at the Roller Palace

This past Wednesday evening, I read my new poem, "The Fever Dream of the Driving Instructor," at the most recent Improbable Places Poetry Tour stop: The Roller Palace in Beverly, Massachusetts.  The theme for the evening was "moving in circles."  While the theme and the venue inspired me to write a poem of which I am very proud, I cannot say that either did anything for my roller skating skills.

I came to the Roller Palace straight from work, so I was still dressed in my business attire: dress shoes, slacks, button-up shirt, and an argyle sweater.  Not exactly roller skating gear.  I wisely refrained from donning skates during the readings, but was convinced by a very beautiful woman (my wife) to lace up during the free skate afterwards.

I was able, through sheer force of will, to stay upright, avoiding a calamitous, and possibly hilarious, tumble, while dredging up long-forgotten memories of roller skating excursions in middle school.  I even managed to skate several feet forward at a time without hugging the wall.  Eventually, the effort involved defeated me, and I blissfully removed the skates, and invited my beaming bride out of a late dinner.

As for the poetry, it was a very successful evening.  My wife read a poem, which is really good.  It was her first time ever reading her poetry in public.  For those of you who know her, that may come as a surprise.  Several of the other poets were really good.  I have a personal preference to hear poems with a comedic tone, which is may surprise anyone who has read my more serious poems on this blog, as well as poems which have a lot of concrete imagery, since it is easier for me to visualize what the poet intended.

Professional poet & college professor January O'Neil closed the evening with a new work, which you can find in this post in her blog, Poet Mom, along with several pictures and her commentary on the evening.  I encourage you to follow her blog, as it is a favorite of mine.  She is also the director of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival, which will be in Salem, April 20-22.  May be I'll see you there, or at the next stop on the Tour.