Jack Powers, 1937-2010

The Boston Globe's Obituary by Bryan Marquard.

Tribute to Jack Powers: A Part of Something


It was a bad weekend for me. My ex had just told me that it was definitely over between us, and then I heard that Ginsberg had died. I didn't know which news made me feel the worse.

I needed something to keep my nights occupied so I wouldn't be sitting around the house thinking. I looked through the activities section of The Phoenix to see what the city had to offer, with it in mind to find something to do, somewhere to go, every night of the week.

The weekend was easy. Then I found something for Tuesday. Brother Blue's Storytelling in Porter Square sounded fun for Wednesday. Squawk open mike sounded promising. Johnny D's had live jazz on Fridays with a five dollar cover.

Then I came across Stone Soup Poets at TT & the Bear's Place (the events and venues were listed in alphabetical order). They had a phone number listed so I gave them a call. Jack answered, deep clear voice like a radio dj. He told me what Stone Soup was all about with such warmth and compassion and energy. He talked about poetry with such enthusiasm.

He told me where TT & the Bear's place was in Central Square and made me promise to be there that night, he wouldn't hang up the phone until I promised. He asked me to bring along some poems to read to the group. I told him I'd be more comfortable just listening. But he said bring the poems anyway, and we'd see.

I found the place easilly enough, paid the cover and walked in. At the opposite end of the bar was a tall skinny man with bushy greying hair clasping hands with everyone at the bar in turn and when he saw me, he came hurrying over and threw his arms around me in a bear hug. I knew who he was by the sound of his voice, and he called me by name before I ever spoke. And I hadn't described myself when we'd talked on the phone, he just knew.

He asked me if I'd brought any poems with me, and I said that I had, showed him my notebook. He said that he'd put me down to read, then, and he went to writing my name on the list he had on the clipboard he was carrying, before I had time to object.

"Oh. Well. No, I think I'll just listen tonight," I said shyly,but not wanting to hurt his feelings, I added, "I'll get a feel of how things are here, and maybe I'll read next week..."

He wasn't going for it though. "I'll put your name on the list, toward the end of the first set," he said, like he hadn't heard me at all, and unclasped my hands and walked off. I took a seat near the back, where it was dark and I could blend in.

I'd forgotten what Jack said about putting my name down, so it took a moment to register when I heard it called.

"We are honored to have with us... first time reading at Stone Soup..."

I could listen to Jack's voice all night. I was mezmerized by it.

"Let's give a warm welcome for..." hands clasped in reverence, "mister Erik Tate."

The silence brought me around, and then I noticed that Jack was extending his arm in my direction, faces were turning to see. I didn't even think about it, I got up and headed for the mike.

There have been many decisions that have been made for me in my life, instances where events carried me forward while I let them happen like a spectator and waited for the outcome. This was one of those times, as I measured my steps, climbed onto the stage, and stiffly adjusted the mike at the podium.

A good many of the people in the audience seemed to be fans of the Beat poets, and versed in their literature and lore, so I was feeling easier anyway. I chose three poems that I had done about Ginsberg's death over the weekend. One poem. Then the next poem. I was feeling my momentum like a boulder down a hill and by the end of the third poem I didn't want to stop, but I figured I'd better not press my luck on the first outing.

As I stepped down from the stage to return to my seat, Jack motioned me over, cleared off a seat next to him in the front row and had me sit there. He put his arm around me. Cathy Salmons sat in the chair on the other side of him. He leaned towards her and spoke so that I could hear.

"You see? You see?" he looked at me, and turned back to Cathy, "I told you we were in the presence of greatness!" Jack had that way of making one feel their importance, while letting them know that they were a part of something bigger. A part of something. I saw it time and again in the years that followed as he welcomed the new faces with declarations of "poetry without prejudice".

Weekends had always been difficult, even before the split with my ex, what with the break in the daily routine, differing sleeping patterns and the abscence of a definite purpose with a clear goal to work toward. I didn't know how to handle my freedom, and the depression set in.

With the discovery of Stone Soup, I had something to look forward to on Mondays, and it gave me something to do on the weekends, coming up with more material with which to impress Jack.

And Stone Soup was videotaped, and broadcast on local cable access. I could write poems about my ex and read them every week, air our dirty laundry and hope that she got wind of it. Healing would be sweet.

--Erik Tate

Jack Powers

Yesterday Jack Powers died. Jack was the host of the first open mic series I'd ever attended in the late eighties at I time that I hadn't written anything. My girlfriend at the time was a poet and Jack was the leader of the scene. He was an original beat poet, knew or met Ginsberg, Bukowski, Lyn Lifshin and Ferlinghetti to name a few. Basically I was in awe at the command he had at his events but also his acceptance of all poetry. He was the ring leader amongst a large group of Cambridge poets. Nothing ever "sucked", he found value in everything, encouraged the novice (especially if they were women---boy did he have a long list). He'd have his famous friends feature at Stone Soup back when it was held at a few different bars and also feature the local regulars. It was pretty intimidating.

Jack started recognizing me and he read some of my work, quoting some of it back by memory. We became friends the way colleagues or co-workers became friends. I felt validated as a poet to have won his acceptance. We shared beers at reading or should I say, I gave him some of mine.

Jack at home in 1987 ("randomness creates neurosis")There are a lot of Jack Talking videos from the eighties.

Jack reading

Jack basically drank himself to death starting in the 70's. He worked at a church in the North End and brought poetry to people at Nursing Homes in that area. His behavior later became erratic. He went to AA at times and had a strong relationship with God. He had to move to a one room studio. People would avoid him if he drank, embrace him sober. He had two personalities. His brain slowed down in the nineties and he perhaps had Korsakoff's syndrome. At his seventieth birthday party I saw him and he was losing his ability to speak--he could only sqawk out words that were scrambled, difficult to understand in timbre or meaning . He continued to slow , his brain damage more pronounced...not the vibrant man I first met.

A few years ago he lost his ability to speak. He'd show up occasionally to readings flipping through books and asking people to read poems for him.

At this point he stopped recognizing me, maybe he did recognize me but he didn't know me anymore. His last few years he lived in the same Nursing Home he brought his poems and poetry to. Everyone on staff knew him, even though he may have forgotten himself who he was. He had a few strokes in the past months, finally yesterday God took him.

--Tim Gager

NEWS FLASH..STONE SOUP, CAMBRIDGE POETRY, LOSES AN ORIGINAL..


Cambridge says Farewell to an original,
a man who sustained an artists outlet,
Poets, Painters, Singers, Musicians of all stripes,
creator & host of long running open mic
that began in a gallery
jazz records spinning to readings,
moved to bars & parks & malls,
VHS tapes, CD's, cable,
a loyal group enjoying
Poetry...

Stone Soup Poetry,
thirty some odd years going
every Monday for eternity!

Jack Powers,
Godfather of Cambridge Poetry scene
has passed on to that
great gig in the sky,
joining Brother Blue
in an
Improvisation!

Jack Powers,
open mic MC,
loved, hated, cheered, jeered,
he brought international Poets
to Massachusetts
introduced generations to Beats,
Yeats, Dickinson, et al,
& local voices were raised
are rising
around the republic
from Slam to Jam
to Squawking Folks,
to the streets of NYC!
Stone brewing a stew
out of blue
return to roots,
overflowing,
gather 'round!

Jack Powers,
showed a poor white boy from suburbia
what it meant to be a Poet,
and you know I have know idea
how one achieves such status
without apparatus...

Jack Powers,
& in his court we sang
raising glasses high,
pool cues, beef stews,
words without limit,
it was a ruckus!

Jack,
so long,
have a great journey
fly with Bird,
ride with Neil,
drink with Jack, Jack,
Charles glaring from the corner,
wine on his breath;
carry on.

Jack Powers.

July, 1991. two crazed boys, high on pot & colas,
roared down to Cambridge town & T. T. the Bears
for some Stone Soup.

They signed up, but, did not read,
the night got late, they split & roared up the dark highway.

November, 1991, one crazed boy roars down to Stone Soup,
this night, he reads, & it is glorious, & he is hooked,
an addiction,
& the rest is history.

Peace Out, Jack.

Your Poetry Pal,
D. A. Boucher,
aka, Da Butcha, Short Attention Span King of Poetry
Arthur Hiberious Fluffington, "Art Fluff",

Short Attantion Span Poet

R.I.P. Jack Powers



Jack Powers, the founder of Stone Soup, passed away earlier today. No other information is available at this time.

We send our sympathies to his family and our appreciation to Margaret Nairn, James Van Looy, and Deb Priestly and others who dutifully visited Jack in the last months of his life.

Jack Powers Stone Soup Savor Poetry Prize to be Awarded Monday, October 18th

The Jack Powers prize is to be awarded annually to a poet who has made a distinguished contribution to stone soup Poets, through their commitment to the art of poetry, and the power, subtlety and quality of their work. The identity of the poet will be announced and awarded on October 18th.

No publication is necessary; nor is submission of any written text required. Simple presence at Stone Soup, together with dedicated recitation, are the criteria.

The prize is named in honor of Stone Soup’s founder, Jack Powers who served the Boston and Cambridge communities as a mentor and champion of new, aspiring, and developing poets since 1971, which service, rendered unflaggingly and humbly, has helped define Boston’s identity as a poetry town for four decades.

November 15: Bert Stern Features



Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On November 1st, we welcome the lauded poet, Bert Stern.

Bert Stern is Milligan Professor Emeritus at Wabash College, and has also taught at the University of Thessaloniki and at Peking University. At present, with his wife, Tamlin Neville, he edits Off the Grid Press. Bert also teaches in an alternative sentencing program called Changing Lives through Literature.

Stern's poems have appeared in Poetry, Hunger Mountain, The American Poetry Review, Beloit Poetry Review, Ibbetson Street, and in many other journals and anthologies. In 1998 Red Dust published Silk/The Ragpicker’s Grandson. Steerage, his recent poetry collection, is on the “Must Read” list selected by the Massachusetts Book Award. He has been nominated four times for a Pushcart Prize, and is the recipient of an Artist’s Grant from the Somerville Arts Council.

November 1st: Jane Ormerod Features


Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On October 1st, we continue as one of the longest weekly poetry venues in New England with new visiting feature, Jane Ormerod.

Jane Ormerod is the author of the full-length poetry collection, Recreational Vehicles on Fire (Three Rooms Press, 2009), the chapbook 11 Films (Modern Metrics, 2008), and the spoken word CD Nashville Invades Manhattan. Born on the south coast of England, she now lives in New York City.

A regular on the New York poetry and spoken word circuit, readings have included The Knitting Factory, The Bowery Poetry Club, The Cornelia Street Cafe, Galapagos Art Space, and The Stone where Jane has taken part in performances and readings of Gertrude Stein's Pink Melon Joy, and the work of Blaise Cendrars and Walt Whitman. She also performs extensively across the United States and beyond - San Francisco to Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Salt Lake City, Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands to name just a few places.

She is host of the reading series Emotional Rescue at The Cornelia Street Café, and is a founding editor at Uphook Press.

"Her's is not just poetry to mull over. On the page or in live performance, it is what happens when language is taken by surprise. Jane Ormerod is a member of that venerable assembly of wordshakers that first made their appearance in the paleolithic caves and who still carry on in our day."

- Alex Caldiero, Sonosopher & Artist in Residence at Utah Valley University

October 18: Gordon Marshall Features

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On October 18th, we celebrate Gordon Marshall's return. Marshall will feature his new book and also be on hand to present the Jack Powers Stone Soup Savor Poetry Prize.

Gordon Marshall has been writing poetry for 30 years. His ninth volume, Stoplights, will be coming out this month. He tutors writing at Jewish Vocational Services. In addition, he writes for AllAboutJazz.com and All About Jazz—New York. He lives in Boston.

October 11th: Susan Deer Cloud Returns

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On October 11th, we celebrate the return of Susan Deer Cloud.

Susan Deer Cloud is a Métis Catskill Native of Mohawk/Blackfoot and some Seneca lineage. She has received various awards and fellowships, including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, a New York State Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, a Chenango County Council for the Arts Literature Grant, First Prize in Allen Ginsberg Poetry Competition (twice), Prairie Schooner’s Readers’ Choice Award, and Native American Wordcraft Circle Editor’s Award for her multicultural anthology Confluence.

Deer Cloud’s poems and stories have been published in numerous journals and anthologies (Sister Nations: an Anthology of Native Women Writers on Community, Unsettling America & Identity Lessons multicultural anthologies, American Indian Culture & Research Journal, Yellow Medicine Review, To Topos (Poetry International), Mid-American Review, Poet Lore, Spoonful, Ms. Magazine, Prairie Schooner, Many Mountains Moving, North Dakota Quarterly, Quarterly West, Earth’s Daughters, Shenandoah, Exquisite Corpse, Pembroke Magazine, Stone Canoe, Paterson Literary Review, Helicon Nine, etc.).

She has edited multicultural Confluence and Native anthology I Was Indian (Before Being Indian Was Cool), plus the 2008 Spring Issue of Yellow Medicine, a Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art & Thought (she is now an adviser to Yellow Medicine). Currently she is editing the Re-Matriation Chapbook Series of Native Poetry being brought out by FootHills.

Deer Cloud’s most recent books are The Last Ceremony and Car Stealer (FootHills Publishing) and her collection of poems, Braiding Starlight, is forthcoming from Split Oak Press. Her Persian cat with a Chinese name, Wu Wei, purrs when Susan reads her Indian poetry in the middle of the starry nights.

October 4: Mary Alexandra Agner Features

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On October 4th, widely published poet Mary Alexandra Agner makes her first visit to our venue.

Mary Alexandra Agner writes of dead women, telescopes, and secrets.

She is the author of The Doors of the Body (Mayapple Press 2009) and The Scientific Method (Parallel Press 2011). Her poems have appeared in North American Review, Boxcar Poetry Review, Isotope, and other magazines.

She was born in a United State made for lovers and currently lives outside Boston. Her family tree bears Parson Brown oranges. Her advanced degrees include Earth & planetary science and creative writing. She’s blessed to have a paying job that utilizes both of them.

All her life she’s observed the universe and written about it.

September 27: Gloria Mindock Features



Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On September 27th, we celebrate the return of poet, editor, performer and publisher Gloria Mindock.

Gloria Mindock is the author of La Portile Raiului (Ars Longa Press, 2010, Romania), Nothing Divine Here (U Soku Stampa, 2010, Montenegro), and Blood Soaked Dresses (Ibbetson Street Press, 2007).

She is the editor of Cervena Barva Press, the Istanbul Literary Review, an online journal based in Istanbul, Turkey, and co-editor of X-Peri. She has had numerous publications including Poet Lore, River Styx, Phoebe, Blackbox, Poesia, Bogg, Ibbetson, WHLR, UNU: Revista de Cultura, Citadela, Aurora, and Arabesques. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, a St. Botolph Award, and was awarded a fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council distributed by the Somerville Arts Council. Gloria’s press, Cervena Barva Press, was just awared a SUR Translation Program Award from Buenos Aires, Argentina to publish a book by Luis Raul Calvo with translation by Flavia Cosma.

September 20: Zeke Russell Features

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On September 20th, we debut local up and comer Zeke Russell, who debuts his brand new chapbook at our venue.

Zeke Russell Is a third generation poet who has been writing since the age of 10. He was a contributor to the Lowell based performance/art magazine Outlet. He was the organizer for the Sultan Of Lowell Presents open mic series. He is currently a regular at the Mill City open mic and slam and was a semifinalist for that venue’s 2010 National Poetry Slam competition team. You can often find him at the Cantab Lounge on a Wednesday night, explaining over a glass of beer, why Lowell is superior to Cambridge. He also serves as the Master of Ceremonies for In Spite of Life players’ annual Fourth of July Parade and Satire play. He has recently self published a chapbook Short Poems about Dead People, through Sergeant Press.

September 13: Diana Saenz and Marshall Harvey at Stone Soup

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On September 13th, Stone Soup welcomes the return of poets Diana Saenz and Marshall Harvey.



Diana Sáenz is a native of Los Angeles California, and has been writing poetry since the age of 15. Her plays have been produced around the country, and she is has three books of poetry presently for sale: An Ordindary Life Discussed, The Book of Eve, and Just This side of the 3rd Millenium. Diana and her husband, Marshall Harvey, whom she met in 1995 at Stone Soup Poetry when it was at TT The Bears, are the editors of Boston Poet Publication.

Her plays have been produced across the U.S. Her poetry has been staged in co-productions in theater and dance. She is on the Board of Directors of The National Boston Poetry Festival, and the founding editor of Boston Poet Magazine, and present editor of bostonpoet.com.




Marshall Harvey has been published in numerous journals and is the the author of Painted Light, published in 1994. He has also written a novel (The Psychic Lover) and an acclaimed study on iambic pentamet ("Iambic Pentameter from Shakespeare to Browning"). He is currently working on a theory on art.

September 6th: Tom Daley Features



Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On September 6th, poet and instructor Tom Daley makes one of his all-too infrequent visits to the venue--a night not to be missed.

Tom Daley serves on the faculty of the Online School of Poetry (http://onlineschoolofpoetry.org/) and teaches poetry and memoir writing in the greater Boston area. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Harvard Review, Fence, Barrow Street, Diagram, Rio Grande Review and elsewhere. He is the author of a play, Every Broom and Bridget—Emily Dickinson and Her Servants, which he has adapted into a one-man show.

August 30: Susan Chandel Features

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On August 30th, past Stone Soup visitor Susan Chandel returns to the venue.] to promote her new collection.

Susan Chandel was first published in Seventeen Magazine in July 1974. Writing and drawing have been her passions since she was a young child growing up on Cape Cod. Her work has also appeared in The Café Review and the online collection iPeace:15,000 stories. Susan received a B.A. in English from the University of Massachusetts, and promptly traveled North America in search of a reason not to settle down. She returned to New England, raised three children and has worked as an advocate in mental health, rape crisis and domestic violence for over 20 years.
Currently, Susan lives with her ornery Chihuahua Cisco in her tree house in mid coast Maine.

August 23rd: The Highway Poets Return

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On August 23rd, Stone Soup celebrates Biker Poetry Month with the return of The Highway Poets.



K.Peddlar Bridges is the co-founder of the Biker Poets & Writers Association and founder of the ROADPOET online magazine. He also serves as a columnist for CT Cruise News and motorcyclegoodies.com. An occasional writing workshop teacher, his work has appeared in numerous publications and has made many radio and television appearances.



Gypsypashn publishes in print and on the web regularly, she is well-known for her monthly column... in New England's Motorcyclist Post. She and Colorado's Gypsyrose produce 'Biker Bits,' a daily Biker Rights e-zine. In 2004, Gypsypashn published A Samplng of Soul, a collection of poetry.



Marc D. Goldfinger has been published by Ibbetson Street Press, The Aurorean, Pegasus, The Boston Poet, Clamor magazine, Earth First! and the Crooked River Press among others. He is currently the poetry editor of Spare Change News, a paper put out for the benefit of homeless people. He is a counselor for people with Substance Use Disorders and some of his work has been used to augment courses at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. His newest works include Essays On Major Mental Illness with a Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder or What Came First: The Chicken or The White Horse.

August 16th: Brian Young Features



Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On August 16th, we are visited by poet and playwright Brian Young.

Born in Atlanta, Ga., he gained a B. A. in Philosophy from the University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.; he also, Minored in Drama: studied Acting with the Alliance Theatre Company’s Theatre School of Atlanta, Ga. – also with Jean Shelton’s Actors Lab in San Francisco, CA. ; he has engaged in varied, limited productions, from community theatre in Atlanta, Ga. - to progressive modern-experimental theatre in Los Los Angeles, CA.

He developed and engaged in special partial, limited performances of his own first play, On The Frontier: The President and Mrs. Lincoln, presented tonight (copyright 2004), along with full readings of the play: while, also, participating in extensive poetry readings in group sessions - all in the bay area, San Francisco & Berkeley, CA.

Spending the greater portion of his years and life in Los Angeles, CA., he was formerly an Asst. Calendar/Staff Editor with the LA. WEEKLY, (some years ago); he is a poet with limited publication in group anthologies. From his poetry - came his first play on President Kennedy. He now lives in Boston, MA.; and has just launched a new Blog: wwwyoungexpedition.blogspot.com

August 9th: January Gill O'Neil Features



Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On August 9th, we welcome poet on the rise January Gill O'Neil.

January Gill O’Neil is the author of Underlife (CavanKerry Press, December 2009). Her poems and articles have appeared in The MOM Egg, Crab Creek Review, Ouroboros Review, Drunken Boat, Crab Orchard Review, Callaloo, Literary Mama, Field, Seattle Review, and Cave Canem anthologies II and IV, among others. Underlife, is a finalist for ForWard Review Book of the Year Award, and the 2010 Paterson Poetry Prize. In 2009, January was awarded a Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund grant. She was featured in Poets & Writers magazine’s January/February 2010 Inspiration issue as one of their 12 debut poets. A Cave Canem fellow, she is a senior writer/editor at Babson College, runs a popular blog called Poet Mom, and lives with her two children in Beverly, MA.

Visit January Gill O'Neil's blog.

August 2nd: Frank and Erin Reardon

Stone Soup Poetry meets from 8-10 p.m. every Monday at the Out of The Blue Art Gallery at 106 Prospect Street with an open mike sign-up at 7:30 p.m. On August 2nd, we celebrate a poetry reunion with blood relatives and literary comrades Frank and Erin Reardon.



Frank Reardon was born in 1974 in Boston, Ma. He's lived all over the United States and currently lives in North Dakota. Frank has published poetry collections such as Cancer Face, Exorcism Of The Con-Artist, Rival Tongues and his new entitled Interstate Chokehold. Frank also has published in such magazines and webzines as New York Quarterly, Quillbillies, Black Listed, Epic Rites, Denver Syntax, Up The Staircase, New Mexico Review and Kill Poet. Frank is currently locked away in the Badlands working on his first novel.



Erin Reardon is a poet. She has been published at Silenced Press, Hecale, the Neo-Lampshadian Outpost, Spoonful, Parasitic, Zygote in My Coffee, Words Dance, Beat the Dust, Heroin Love Songs, Epic Rites and Gutter Eloquence Magazine. She has featured three times at Stone Soup and has performed several open mics there and at The Cantab and The Lizard Lounge.