Marita's husband Duff reading at Molly's Cafe last year.
Last Saturday, I read with two other poets, Marita and Jake, from my writing group at Molly’s Cafe. Molly is a Canadian who came to Istanbul 12 years ago to teach and direct an English language school. Several years ago, she gave that up and opened a small cafe hear Galata Tower. Whenever you are in the mood for North American comfort food, you go to Molly’s. She sponsors lots of arty and culinary events. For instance, this Friday is Sri Lanka Curry night, and on Saturday evening, Tomas Eagle will provide live music. You can read more about Molly and her cafe on her blog. I particularly like her entry about the journeyman carpenter.
We each read four poems. Since you couldn’t be there, here my playlist.
The Red Table – in honor of International Pi Day and Molly’s Cafe, a poem about a round red table.
The Difference Between That And Which With Complications Of Who – in honor of the English teachers who came out for the reading. There were probably 10 of ‘em.
Nearsight – in honor of the work poets do.
In A Cowslip’s Bell I Lie – in honor of good words and good dictionaries.
Here is the blurb that Molly sent out for the reading.
Marita O’Neill teaches at Robert College and has a chapbook out called Evidence of Lightpublished by moonpiepress.com. She and her husband Duff feel strongly that Molly’s has the best coffee and food in Istanbul!
After teaching in New Mexico for over 20 years, Tamra Hays began to teach in international schools. She now splits her time between Istanbul, Turkey and Mountainair, New Mexico. Her poetry has appeared in New Mexico publications Manzanita Quarterly, Sin Fronteras, Conceptions Southwest, Harwood Anthology, All As One, and the online zine Lunarosity. She has also participated in readings and poets’ diners in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and the Poets and Writers Picnic in Mountainair, New Mexico.
Jake Becker has worked as a free-lance music critic in the States and has played in local underground Istanbul bands Not Since the Illness, Before the Heyday and Up Up and Away. He’ll be reading his poems and lyrics.
Tags: istanbul · Molly's Cafe · Poetry1 Comment
I’ve just caught up with the most recent entries on your blog. They are extraordinarily interesting and delightful. You are truly blessed to be having these rich experiences and we are blessed because you share them with us. Thanks!