By Lori Cassels
The fireplace was blazing on a chilly rainy night in the Jack London Sq. pub Slainte, located in Oakland. As usual, they welcomed all IAW&A’s February salon participants. Slainte serves a small and delicious menu that brings in a loyal following.
The salon kicked off with Robert Anderson on guitar and Heather on cajon to share thoughtful originals; The Beauty All Around Me and Are You Asleep? Along with a rousing and fun cover of the Beatles I’m Looking Through You.
Next, new to our salon was Maureen Duffy, poet, lawyer and world traveler who shared her poems on love. Next, Kono Doko’s sensitive and evocative work, I Light a Candle that had an engaging refrain; “I’m not a mother but I take care of you”. And concluded with “I Changed My Name Today”.
Alison Hart, an author, musician, dancer and music educator whose first novel, Mostly White was praised by National Book award winner, Isabel Allende: “ So compelling it gave me goosebumps from the first line”. Hart is a mixed-race Passamaquoddy Native American, Irish, Scottish and English woman of color. Alison read from her upcoming second novel, The In-Between Sky, to be released September 2025. Of note in her reading was the story of her parents 1960’s dating in Boston, where an inter-racial couple could only meet/date in a church. If they walked in Boston streets they were vilified. Her reading enthralled all and when she asked if her time was up, there was a cry from the salon “Don’t Stop”. Quite emotional.
Patti Cary, a film maker, poet, writer, who now divides her time between Alameda, CA and Wexford, Ireland shared a new poem, Eowyn that was inspired by the wicked weather Ireland had this January. It was a participatory poem that the audience was invited to share sound effects such as knocking and scary sounds. It was at first haunting but ended very funny.
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Lori Cassels, host, ended the evening sharing the sad news about the passing of IAWS&A’s president and his support for our west coast salon. She described the Jazz service and procession from the church to the reception in the Ellington. Lori read her tribute for Brendan….
For Brendan
In hours before the final good-bye,
In the midnight dark to sleepless morn
A prayer for Brendan.
Yes, the ones we say by rote from our childhoods
The “hails” for Mary and “ours’ for the Father.
But also, the lyrics from a punk rock band Thin Lizzy
Lyncott’s “If you got nothing but your sense of humor you’ll survive”
And Brendan possessed great humor
And the quotes from the humble Irish bards
You came to love.
Becketts “We are all born crazy, some of us stay that way” or
“The day you die is like any other only shorter”
Yes, and ‘All poetry is prayer’
Even our recent Bard, Malachy McCourt said:
“Live every day as if it’s your last, for one day you will be right.”
St. Brendan was believed to have sailed the Atlantic
In a tiny currach, that reached warm sunny islands,
Either Azores or Jamaica. No one’s quite sure which.
Known for his navigation and his safe return home, Ireland.
Now Our Brendan who navigated us all so very ably,
will now do it from above.
And finally, As Joyce said:
“You lived you laughed you loved you left”,
But you left too soon.
The evening ended with Lori reminding everyone about next month’s salon on March 12th at Slainte where we will celebrate Marwein Succet day. After noting the perplexed responses, she explained…. “ Did you think he was born with the name Saint Patrick?”