My latest book, “Live At The Freight House” is now available on Amazon in both paperback (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692105255/) and Kindle (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C6XKPB7/) formats. It contains the poems that I read when I was the “Featured Poet” on February 21, 2018 in the “Poetry at the Old Put” series held at Mahopac, NY’s historic Freight House Cafe as well as the poems read by other poets at the “Open Mic” section: Carole Amato, Vincent Bell, “LC”, Terry M. Dugan, John Kaprielian, Tony Pena, and Bob Zaslow.
The following is the Introduction to the book:
— — — — — — — — Introduction — — — — — — —
On February 21, 2018, I was honored to be the fourth Featured Poet at “Poetry At The Old Put,” a monthly series conceived by a young poet, Christopher “Pinky” Gazeent, and hosted at the historic Freight House Café, located in Mahopac, New York.
The Freight House Café (thefreighthousecafe.com), owned by Donna Massaro is set in the actual building of the freight house at the Mahopac station of the long-defunct Putnam Railroad line. It offers wonderful coffee, tea, hot chocolate, food, beer, wine, and martinis.
I had a rather dauting task as the fourth Featured Poet due to the talent and credentials of the first three:
· Robert Milby — Poet Laureate of Orange County and a well-known presence in the Hudson Valley
· Tony Pena — Poet Laureate of Beacon, New York
· Bill Buschell — Storyteller, poet, radio personality, and master of ceremonies at the Hudson Valley Writers Center’s monthly Open Mic session.
The following collection contains the poems that I laid out to read (time considerations caused me to leave out a few), my notes on a few poems, the poems read by others at the Open Mic session that followed, their bios and a few pictures.
I extend heartfelt thanks to Donna and her staff for their hospitality, the audience which “packed the joint” for the event, “Pinky” for his foresight in envisioning the series, and, of course, Barbara McMullen for her support for the event, the production of this book, and in all other things.
Copyright John F. McMullen 2018
