Last night's Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza was one of the best ever.  Thanks to featured poets Lou Suarez, Phil Metres and Monica Igras — as well as to my co-host Dianne Borsenik, her husband James, the fantastic open mic poets (who came from as far as Erie, Detroit and Loudonville), and to the many friends (the categories overlap) and family who've helped make my early 44th birthday celebration most memorable.  I am immensely grateful for each kind thought, wish, and gesture.

I'm feeling somewhat under the weather today — with headache, nausea, aches, and fatigue.   Our granddaughter Jada was diagnosed with strep throat this afternoon.  Hope I wasn't contagious....

I mentioned several forthcoming publications of my work in a recent blog entry.  I can now report two more.

A newly revised version of a poem I wrote around 1996 at Marion Correctional Institution ("Prison Scene") will be published in George Wallace's column "Walt's Corner" in a future issue of the Long Islander newspaper.  And two poems ("A Wrinkle in Time" and "Way Erred Scenes inside a Jazz Mine") will appear in a soon to be published Pudding House anthology edited by Sammy Greenspan and entitled What I Knew Before I Knew.  I'm thrilled and honored.

Lots of upcoming events (but here are just a couple):

Sunday 9/19/2010 at 1:30 p.m. — I'll be on the internet radio program Sunday Brunch Invasion, hosted by Angelheart and Frankie Metro.  Other featured guests include the editors of Virgogray Press (Austin, TX) and the Modus Operandi zine (Portland, OR), as well as poets Justin Blackburn (Greer, SC) and Lara Konesky (Columbus, OH).  The show will also include an open mic, and I encourage you to call in and participate at (347) 857-3647.  Tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/highdrasyndicate/2010/09/19/sunday-brunch-invasion-with-angelheart-and-frankie-metro

Friday 9/24/2010 from 11:45 p.m. to 1 a.m. — I'll be one of several Cleveland poets reading from the Span Stage under the Detroit Superior bridge in Cleveland during IngenuityFest 2010.  The other featured poets will be Michael Salinger, Miles Budimir, Eric Alleman, Dianne Borsenik, Claire McMahon, T.M. Göttl, Eric Anderson, and Ray McNiece.  Free admission!  [For a listing of other poery events happening during IngenuityFest 2010, click here.]

More news (including what I think are some big surprises) soon....

Thanks for your friendship and support!
Peace, love and poetry,
John