R.M. Engelhardt started sharing his poetry at local open mics in the early-90s and has since been a driving force in keeping the poetry and spoken word alive and well in the area. He has hosted a number of readings and events over the years and continues to welcome writers new and old to the stage.In this clip, Engelhardt reads “DeGeneration” at the Borders Open Mic on January 25, 1995. This poem was recorded for the CD, “Volume: A Compilation of Poets, Live”, produced by Mary Panza and Steve Clark chronicling the poetry scene at the time at such venues as the QE2, Margarita’s, and Borders.We talk about political poetry, what the arts community looks like in a post-pandemic world, and how he landed at Lark Hall for his monthly open mic.
Yes, and in fact, there’s a HUGE Poetry Scene and a Poetry Open Mic happening almost everywhere in the 518, Capital District area and that scene unknown to many has been going on for quite a few years. Decades in fact. This area’s writing and poetry scene is rich in its history & legacy and unless you’ve actually ever been to a local poetry open mic or event then you are missing out on something truly great which is area poets & writers sharing their words, voices, and work with others …
OF SPIRIT, ASH & BONE Is the New Book By Author, Poet & Writer R.M. Engelhardt is something entirely different & new that has been written in the poetic form & style of Sermons & Southern Gothic*Biblical Religious texts as well as in other verse styles. Unlike his previous poems and works over the last some 25 years Engelhardt uses these old forms to take on the problems and issues of today, now the 21st Century like War, Poverty, Racism & The Earth’s Present State of Oppression & Global Warming. Still a strong proponent and supporter of unique, experimental literary forms and Pagan Poetics R.M. Engelhardt has created a book which thus transcends, returns us all to a lost forgotten language of old and of the pure school of “Damnation, Fire & Brimstone” in the context of reaching a new generation with the warnings and poetic prophecies of change before it’s far too late.
2021 was not the best of year’s for many of us with covid still rampant as well as for many of us still stuck working from home. But for me there were a few bright spots. Jai & I were able to create many new books for Poets & Authors at DeadMansPressInk & create a brand new open mic at The Fuzebox. One of the best moments for me was an interview with Jim Gilbert & Nippertown about my latest book ” We Rise Like Smoke Poems Psalms & Incantations Published by DeadMansPressInk. Dedicated to our girl, our cat Cordelia we lost in April. Life isn’t the same without her.
Best to you & yours in the coming New Year.
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An interview with Jim Gilbert of Nippertown with poet R.M. Engelhardt about the Upstate New York Poetry Scene and about his new book ” We Rise Like Smoke Poems Psalms & Incantations” Published by DeadMansPressInk Now Available on Amazon 2021.
In the late 1990s & into the early part of this century I created and ran a spoken word poetry open mic called THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT at Valentine’s as well as at a few other locations afterwards in Albany, NY. The open mic was always extremely crowded and popular and we did alot of themed nights also such as Beat Generation Night, Poe Halloween Benefits Bukowski Night and some other cool evenings before alot of these ideas took hold in other places. But as all good things my SON had a predecessor. The original group of poets in the time of Marlowe, Raleigh & Shakespeare.
Who knows?
Whenever history needs inspiration it might just return again .
Just received the great news that I will be reading/performing some of the poems from my new book ” We Rise Like Smoke Poems Psalms Incantations” and opening for the band ” THE DUST BOWL FAIRIES” On THURSDAY, AUGUST 19TH 8PM AT THE LINDA WAMC
*Tickets can be purchased thru Eventbrite*
I’m looking forward to seeing all of you there and I hope that you can make it.
DUST BOWL FAERIES is a dark-carnival band from the New York Hudson Valley. Their eclectic repertoire of songs draw inspiration from circus, post-punk and Eastern European folk music. Accordion, singing saw, ukulele, lap-steel, acoustic guitar and percussion combine to create the Dust Bowl Faeries otherworldly sound. The band was founded by Ryder Cooley (faerie queen) and her taxidermy spirit animal Hazel the Ram. Ryder and Hazel are joined by Jon B. Woodin (rocket faerie), Rubi LaRue (feisty faerie), Liz LoGiudice (river faerie) & Andrew Stein (time faerie). Dust Bowl Faeries released a new album, The Plague Garden, in 2020. Previously, they released two EP’s, Beloved Monster and The Dark Ride Mixes, as well as their self titled debut album, produced by music critic Seth Rogovoy, featuring Tommy Stinson (Replacements) & Melora Creager (Rasputina).
R.M. ENGELHARDT is an American poet, writer & author who over the last 25 years has published several books of poetry including “Where There Is No Vision, Coffee Ass Blues & Other Poems”, “The Last Cigarette: The Collected Poems of R.M. Engelhardt”, “The Resurrection Waltz”, “Dark Lands” and others. Through his ideas and visions he has helped to create a large amount of the Upstate/Albany, NY spoken word~poetry scene and is the former host of the long running “School of Night” An Open Forum-Mic For All Poets. Co-founder of the group Albany Poets and the creator of the annual poetry event The Albany WordFest. He currently lives in Albany, NY.
We Rise Like Smoke Poems Psalms Incantations by R.M. Engelhardt
*His new book of poetry is entitled “We Rise Like Smoke” Poems, Psalms & Incantations 2021 now available on Amazon.com through DeadMansPressInk.
R.M. ENGELHARDT 