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The Mischief Cafe: Basking Ridge, New Jersey

By L.L. Barkat 19 Comments

In a whirl, we recently dreamed up a traveling Mischief Café, and within hours of broaching it simply as a daydream, Michelle Ortega stepped up to host an event, with her friends and Tweetspeak’s L.L. Barkat (me) in attendance. The gathering at Michelle’s on October 29, 2014, at 6:30 p.m., goes down in history as the first of what we hope will be many Mischief Café experiences around the country (and the world).

Mischief Cafe LL Cup

To paraphrase Michelle, “People get together to buy kitchen gadgets and for book clubs. Why not for poetry?” And the emphasis is on people, not on experts or poetry lovers per se, but people. At Michelle’s café, I asked her wonderful guests to tell me about their relationship to poetry up to this point, “Is it something you’ve been scared of? Thought was too hard? Or have you not even considered poetry as part of your life?”

No one at the gathering came as a poetry lover. A few may have left that way, or at least with the possibility of future poetry love. What fun we had. And poignant moments.

One guest has been wishing to go to a poetry reading, but she didn’t know how to enter in or who to ask to go with her (she recently discovered Neruda and suddenly felt a desire for poetry in her life).

Mischief Cafe Tuula and Book

Another guest likes Iron Maiden’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, but hasn’t really had poetry in her life (and she discovered at the gathering that she has a good ability to read poetry aloud and that she’d been familiar with a villanelle, but didn’t know it was a villanelle: “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.”)

Mischief Cafe Mary's Black Feather

A music director and overall witty participant did a wonderful reading of “The Proposal” from The Novelist. Another said, “Girl!” and laughed after reading “Mushrooms” from Love, Etc. (and rather liking it for its mischief).

Mischief Cafe Novelist

Mischief Cafe Love Etc

There was even the important discovery of the delight of a honey server!

Mischief Cafe Honey

A few T. S. Poetry Press titles were given away, after we finally established just what kind of bowl (and what size) might be needed for the job.

Mischief Cafe Colored Bowls

Thanks to our community member Donna Falcone, golden spoons were also in attendance, and one was given to Michelle as both a thank you gift and as a tool for our giveaway choosings (and Sandra Heska King’s sugar bowl poetry poem in The Mischief Café book was suddenly discovered and read by one participant, for the occasion).

Mischief Cafe The First Golden Spoons

Mischief Cafe Bowl and Golden Spoon

As sort of a tradition whenever Michelle and I get together without Darlene, there was the requisite boot showcase and photograph souvenir. This time, biker boots.

Mischief Cafe Biker Boots

Guests had been asked to bring a mischief item, which was apparently a bit of a stymying task. I understood. I, too, wasn’t sure what to bring, and it occurred to me that so much of mischief is born in context. But, in the end, we each decided upon something. And I put the items in a poem that I’ll keep writing, as I tour the U.S. for more Mischief Cafés. Here is the beginning:

Mischief Is

a red ribbon, a wet
whistle,
lipstick on a napkin,
a terracotta sheep.

Red wine in a bottle (causing possible mischief without),
a naughty kitty who needed a new home,
chocolates with liqueur…

Mischief Cafe Lipstick

We had plans we never got to, like maybe making Jealous Poem Stacks. We did, however, read Ulysses and get a little teary-eyed (only to be laughing moments later as the music director humorously—and with a flourish—declared it to be another Dead Poet’s Society special).

In all, the evening was everything great poetry can be: touching, witty, awe-inspiring, mischievous, and never quite finished with possibilities. Like a good poem, I didn’t want to leave the experience. And, also like a good poem, it will stay with me.

Mischief Cafe Michelle Tea Cups and Books

Mischief Cafe Golden Spoon Happiness

Featured photo by Rebecca Siegel, Creative Commons, via Flickr. Teacups on books and golden spoon near happiness photos by Michelle Ortega. Additional photos and post by L.L. Barkat.

Make your own Mischief Café? Bring poetry home (or to the woods).

The Mischief Cafe Book

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L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular 'Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing.' Her poetry has appeared on the BBC and at NPR, VQR, and The Best American Poetry.
L.L. Barkat
Latest posts by L.L. Barkat (see all)
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Filed Under: Blog, Mischief Café, poetry teaching resources

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About L.L. Barkat

L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular 'Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing.' Her poetry has appeared on the BBC and at NPR, VQR, and The Best American Poetry.

Comments

  1. Laura Brown says

    October 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    Honey-sweet! I was hoping we’d get to read about it soon.

    Reply
    • L. L. Barkat says

      October 30, 2014 at 6:11 pm

      And we can’t wait to read about yours 😉

      I think it’s going to be fun to see how different all these are.

      Reply
  2. SimplyDarlene says

    October 30, 2014 at 6:00 pm

    Ah! WhatFun.

    Boots AND The Writer’s Journey <– nice touch!

    Your mischief loot is hysterical.

    Reply
    • L. L. Barkat says

      October 30, 2014 at 6:12 pm

      Here at Tweetspeak, we customize the experiences, as you know. 🙂

      Reply
  3. SimplyDarlene says

    October 30, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    gluten-free, vegan bread suitable for thick cut toast is but a dream for me…

    instead
    i’ll push my tongue
    through the toast until
    cinnamon glue globs
    stick – then i’ll
    blame the now
    defunct, severely licked
    toast on
    someone’s naughty kitten

    Reply
  4. Ann Kroeker says

    October 30, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Wonderful! You bring spoons, poems, books, tea, and your amazing self, awakening love, etc., in everyone. I’m glad it was a success!

    Reply
    • L. L. Barkat says

      October 30, 2014 at 6:11 pm

      There was definitely a good share of “etc” here 😉

      It was very fun. I felt such a deep sense of wellbeing on the long drive home.

      Reply
      • michelle ortega says

        October 30, 2014 at 7:02 pm

        Haha, LOTS of “etc.” with this group, for sure.

        I have been glowing all day. Magic definitely happened at THIS cafe’!

        So looking forward to reading about the others to come. 🙂

        Reply
  5. Sandra Heska King says

    October 30, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    Oh, I wish I’d been here. Although reading your description of it is delightful! I love the photo of the gentleman with the honey server–rather mischievous.

    I see the naughty kitten got a little mischievous with the scratching post, too.

    Reply
    • michelle ortega says

      October 30, 2014 at 7:21 pm

      Would have loved to have you here, too!

      Yes, but this kitty keeps her naughty mostly to that post…and the corner of my bed. The one you can’t see when you walk in the room. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Maureen Doallas says

    October 30, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Ah, the boots!

    What great pics, and it’s clear that a wonderful time was had by all. (It’s so funny the only face to appear is a man’s. Mischief… mischief….)

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth Marshall says

    October 30, 2014 at 10:03 pm

    Wow.You guys are so awesomesauce.
    I can’t wait for you to come by way. I’m currently living vicariously rough this until we meet in the flesh. This brings me so much joy!!

    Reply
  8. Jody Lee Collins says

    October 30, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    Laura the fun has begun! The teacups are so lovely… Looking forward to next week in Seattle. Darlene, I’ll wear my boots in your absence and document such….who knows, maybe the next WA state Mischief Cafe could be on your side of the mountains??

    Reply
  9. lynn__ says

    November 3, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Thanks for sharing. Sounds like so much poetic fun! Would you like to come to Iowa?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Poetry at Home—With Mischief, Toast, and Tea - says:
    October 31, 2014 at 10:38 am

    […] Check out the very first Mischief Café, that took place in Basking Ridge, New Jersey! […]

    Reply
  2. What's Wrong With Your Poem (It Has No Mischief!) - GANGUPON says:
    November 4, 2014 at 10:07 am

    […] I believe in making poetry more accessible, I recently traveled to Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with black feathers in my bag. I also toted a box that contained a ladybug teapot, a […]

    Reply
  3. Piloting Friendship, Starting at Mooyah - says:
    June 22, 2018 at 11:47 am

    […] one podcast, mischief cafe (live via Zoom), or podclub a […]

    Reply
  4. Poet Laura: Goodbye—and Hello! - Tweetspeak Poetry says:
    October 4, 2023 at 5:01 am

    […] As a quiet child and angst-y teen, Michelle loved to read and write. When poetry found her again about fifteen years ago, the Tweetspeak community brought her multiple resources on her journey, from content to courses to in-person meetups. She also hosted Tweetspeak’s very first Mischief Cafe! […]

    Reply
  5. Poet Laura: Tea Journey - Tweetspeak Poetry says:
    November 2, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    […] but I know it became more intentional when I started hanging around here at Tweetspeak, making poetry mischief. I’ve met some of my very favorite tea lovers here! I’ve made introductions, dipped my spoon (of […]

    Reply

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