Next Up to The Mic

Hudson Valley Writers Guild

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Performing Arts
Updated Biweekly

Next Up to The Mic is a Hudson Valley Writers Guild podcast featuring readings and performances from the poets, writers, and spoken word artists that have appeared on stages all across the region.

2d ago

Nancy Klepsch at The Olde English Pub

This week on Next Up to the Mic, we’re reaching back into the archives to August 12, 2019, when local poets gathered at the Olde English Pub in Albany for “The Past in Poetry,” a special evening presented in collaboration with Historic Cherry Hill. +++++ Historic Cherry Hill preserves more than two centuries of Albany history through the stories of the generations who called Cherry Hill home. In 2019, the organization joined with local poets for “The Past in Poetry,” an evening that explored some of those same themes—family, memory, place, and our relationship with the past. This week we’ll hear from Capital Region poet Nancy Klepsch. Nancy Klepsch is a local poet and educator. Her poems have been published in Oberon, 13th Moon, Poetry magazine, Salvage, 200 Proof and Chronogram among others. god must be a boogie man was her first book of poetry. She has been reading at featured readings or open mics in the Albany area for over 25 years. Klepsch is the co-host, with Dan Wilcox, of the Second Sunday @ 2 open mic for poetry and prose in Troy, NY. Nancy shared a handful of poems that approach the past from different directions, including the poignant “Home from the War” and “Call Me Ishmael,” a poem invoking the spirit of Herman Melville.
Jul 14

Pierre Joris at The Lark Tavern

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poet, translator, and essayist Pierre Joris. Pierre was the featured poet at the Poets Speak Loud series at The Lark Tavern on September 25, 2006. +++++ Born in Strasbourg, France, and raised in Luxembourg, Pierre Joris spent his life crossing borders—both physical and linguistic. His travels took him across Europe, North Africa, and the United States, experiences that shaped his "nomad poetics," a philosophy that embraced fluidity and rejected rigid boundaries. Over his lifetime, he published more than 50 books, including poetry, essays, anthologies, and translations. His work challenged conventions and opened doors to new literary landscapes. Joris became an integral part of Albany’s literary world when he joined the University at Albany in 1992 as a professor of poetry and poetics, a role he held until 2013. There, he was a mentor who encouraged students to experiment, take risks, and find their voices. He brought that same energy to the wider literary community, participating in readings, workshops, and performances that enriched the cultural fabric of the region. Pierre was the featured poet at the Poets Speak Loud open mic series in downtown Albany in September 2006. Pierre Joris passed away on February 27, 2025. Pierre was not just a poet, a translator, or a teacher—he was a force of creativity who challenged the way we think about language and literature. As we say goodbye, we also celebrate the enduring legacy he leaves behind. His words, his vision, and his generosity will continue to inspire generations to come. To hear Pierre’s entire poem with Mitch Elrod from Poets Speak Loud, go to https://soundcloud.com/hvwritersguild/pierre-joris-at-poets-speak-loud-september-25-2006
Jul 7

Frank Robinson & Therese Broderick at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts

This week, Thom Francis welcomes poets Frank Robinson and Therese Broderick, who both took the stage at the 2024 Word Fest Open Mic at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. +++++ Frank Robinson & Therese Broderick have been a part of the local literary community for decades. They have led workshops, featured at regional events, and written many books over the years. Frank S. Robinson is a 1970 graduate of NYU Law School, and served at the New York Public Service Commission as staff counsel and then administrative law judge until retiring in 1997. He is the author of eight books including Albany’s O’Connell Machine (1973), Children of the Dragon (a novel), and The Case for Rational Optimism (2009). Robinson is a professional coin dealer and is married to the poet Therese Broderick. Together they have a daughter, Elizabeth. Frank's wife, Therese L. Broderick, MFA, has lived the sweet life of a poet for more than two decades. Her poems have been published widely in several formats and have won awards both locally and beyond. She lives in Albany, New York with her optimistic husband, two fat cats, and a disheveled garden. Frank began a segment of married couples reading with their spouses (is the plural of “spouse” “spice”?) & was playful, including rhyming on the word “metaphor.” Therese included a poem to her daughter inspired by a long-saved tuft of her hair.
Jun 30

Randee Renzi at The Low Beat

Thom Francis introduces us to Randee Renzi who performed her poems "Reach Out to Me", "Beautiful Brown Baby Boy", and "Peace" at the Brass Tacks poetry and spoken word open mic on September 18, 2018 at The Low Beat in Albany, NY. +++++ The power of storytelling within poetry is the ability to bring out emotions using few, well-chosen words. The poet is able to take readers into a world of vivid color and feelings. The storytelling of poetry can bring together cultural and personal divides, making it easier for different groups to understand varying points of view and experiences. Poets use rhythm, rhyme, and metaphor to develop themes of love, loss, and identity. This week, our poet, Randee Renzi, uses her words to tell the story of being a human, a woman, and a mother. Randee took the Low Beat Stage on September 18, 2018 shared three poems. She started out with a work-in-progress, "Reach Out to Me." Then, from memory, Randee recited a poem of the love and fears of being a white mother to a black son, "Beautiful Brown Baby Boy." She finished her set with a simple piece titled, appropriately enough, "Peace."
Jun 23

Melody Davis at McGeary’s

Thom Francis welcomes poet, author, and educator Melody Davis to the Poets Speak Loud stage at McGeary's in downtown Albany, NY. She was the featured poet at the long-running open mic series on April 30, 2018. +++++ On April 30, 2018, Davis was the featured poet at the long-running series hosted by Mary Panza. She began her reading with work from her book One Ground Beetle: A Year in Haiku (Bad Cat Press, 2017), with prints by Harold Lohner. It was "Show & Tell" with Melody reading a haiku or two, then holding up the book to show the colorful print on the facing page. The haiku were on trees, clouds, birds, round stones, Albany, and work meetings. She then read from her collection of poems Holding the Curve (Broadstone Books), “Caillebotte’s Laundry” and “Walter, the Lawyer.” Melody Davis, a writer and art historian, is the author of three poetry collections, including a special edition artists’ book, One Ground Beetle, with Harold Lohner; and Holding the Curve. Her work in the history of photography has been published widely. In 2015, she published Women’s Views: The Narrative Stereograph in Nineteenth-Century America with the University Press of New Hampshire. Davis has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Henry Luce Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, MetroArts (PA), and she was a finalist in the National Poetry Series. She holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and was an Associate Professor of Art History at the Sage College of Albany. Listen to the whole 25 minute reading here - https://soundcloud.com/hvwritersguild/melody-davis-at-poets-speak-loud
Jun 16

Mike Jurkovic at McGeary’s

This week on the Next Up to The Mic podcast, Thom Francis welcomes Ulster County Poet Laureate Mike Jurkovic. Mike was the featured reader, promoting his chapbook Eve’s Venom, at Poets Speak Loud on Monday, October 27, 2014. +++++ Poets Speak Loud was a poetry open mic series hosted by Mary Panza that began at The Lark Tavern in January 31, 2005 - the same night that that legendary local poet, environmentalist, activist, and “grandfather of the Albany poetry scene” Tom Nattell passed away. In 2010, a fire destroyed the longtime Albany establishment, forcing the open mic to find a new home. Not long after, Poets Speak Loud rose from the ashes and began its run at McGeary’s in downtown Albany until COVID-19 brought the series to its end. Over the years many poets and spoken word artists from the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and beyond were featured at Poets Speak Loud. On October 27, 2014, poet and writer Mike Jurkovic took the stage. Mike Jurkovic was named 2025 and 2026 Ulster County Poet Laureate. He has published poetry, prose, and music reviews globally with little reportable income. Jurkovic’s 5 full-length poetry collections include Buckshot Reckoning (Luchador Press, 2023), mooncussers (Luchador Press, 2022) AmericanMental (Luchador Press, 2020); haiku collections Monet’s Bamboo (CAPS Press, 2025), and Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018). He is the president of Calling All Poets reading series, which is celebrating 26 years in the Hudson Valley. You can find his reviews online at All About Jazz and lightwoodpress.com. He hosts NuJazzXcursions every Monday night at 9:00 am on WVKR-91.3FM Vassar College. Local poet Dan Wilcox posted on his blog about MIke’s reading: "Mike Jurkovic has been reading around a lot lately, promoting his new chapbook Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014), which I’d already bought, but it is always fun to hear Mike read. He began with some poems not in the book with minimal introduction, because his poems often tell a story, cynically pondering the world around him, such as a poems about being stopped at a traffic light next to “the dwarf Morpheus,” or “Crows Gathering at the Grey Sky,” or “Andy Martin’s American Letter.” Then to poems from Eve’s Venom, some read without the titles, …the hysterical “Bio-Hazard,” “Yearbook,” … In the past Mike would wander the room performing his poems, tonight he stuck pretty close to the mic, his poems doing the wandering."
Jun 9

Don Levy at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts

Thom Francis welcomes poet Don Levy who shared his work at the 2024 Word Fest Open Mic at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts on April 27, 2024. +++++ The Word Fest first took shape in 2001 as a one-day open mic in Thatcher Park, bringing together poets from across the region to share their work. Over the years, it has expanded into a week-long celebration of poetry and spoken word, incorporating workshops, poetry slams, performances, and its signature open mic event. After a break since 2019, the Word Fest Open Mic made its highly anticipated return on Saturday, April 27, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. The evening showcased powerful performances from featured spoken word artists and a dynamic lineup of open mic participants. In today's episode, we are thrilled to highlight Don Levy, a long-time area poet and former host of many open mics in the 90s and early-2000s, At the event, Don read a new piece, “My Queerness,” and some old time favorites such as the once-televised “Lobsters at the Grand Union.”
Jun 2

Elizabeth Gordon at The Linda

Thom Francis welcomes poet, author, and artist Elizabeth Gordon who shared her work at the Year in Review event at The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Center in Albany on December 17, 2022. +++++ Since 2021, the Hudson Valley Writers Guild has hosted the Year in Review poetry event to highlight the poets and writers in the area while looking back at the year that was. In 2022, I was joined on stage by five other local writers for the second annual Year in Review at the Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio. Today we are going to hear from one of those writers - poet, author, educator, and artist Elizabeth Gordon. Elizabeth K. Gordon is a college literature instructor based in Cohoes, New York, and the author of two books: Love Cohoes and Walk with Us. A pioneer in the local poetry scene, she was a member of the Capital District’s first slam team, the Nitty Gritty Slam, representing them at the National Poetry Slam and the Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS). Later, she competed at WOWPS on behalf of New York City’s Urbana Slam. Beyond performing, Elizabeth has served as a writing coach and mentor, most recently guiding Troy’s Café Euphoria slam team. In addition to her literary work, she is also a painter specializing in abstract art. Local poet Dan Wilcox wrote on his blog about the reading: “Elizabeth Gordon, otherwise known on the Slam circuit as Elizag, not surprisingly brought the performance level up a few more notches with her pieces of radical social engagement, such as her opening piece beginning “It was the Summer tuna cost less than cat food…” & a meditation on shopping with her younger self. She too had a poem about her cellphone, & another an “Ode to My Painting Pants,” followed by the linking alliteration of a poem on Putin. She ended with a poem from memory in her best Slam performance style, “A Hiding Place,” on the shooting at a gay bar in Orlando.”

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Next Up to The Mic is a Hudson Valley Writers Guild podcast featuring readings and performances from the poets, writers, and spoken word artists that have appeared on stages all across the region.

Creator

Hudson Valley Writers Guild
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

77
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Next Up to The Mic

Next Up to The Mic

Episodes

Nancy Klepsch at The Olde English Pub

Pierre Joris at The Lark Tavern

Frank Robinson & Therese Broderick at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts

Randee Renzi at The Low Beat

Melody Davis at McGeary’s

Mike Jurkovic at McGeary’s

Don Levy at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts

Elizabeth Gordon at The Linda

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