Talking with Poets National Poetry Month Special: 3 Guys from Albany
April is National Poetry Month, a celebration of the art which takes place each April that was introduced in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the US.
To kick off the month, I wanted to share the work of the trio of poets who laid the groundwork for much of the vibrant literary community that we have now in the region – 3 Guys from Albany
3 Guys from Albany (Tom Nattell, Charlie Rossiter, and Dan Wilcox), is a poetry performance group whose goal is to read their poetry in each of the Albanys in the U.S., are friends who share the idea that poetry should be a part of society rather than apart from it — relevant, communicative and, above all, honest. Their poems address social issues such as the homeless, peace and war, and the environment, as well as joyful celebrations of art, love, and life. They have toured the United States since 1993 and so far they have read in 12 of the 18 Albanys in the USA. Although Tom Nattell died in January 2005, Charlie & Dan are continuing the project, along with the ever-present nudging from the spirit of Tom.
In this segment, we will hear poems from all three members starting off with the great Tom Nattell’s “On Constitution Avenue” that he read at the QE2 in Albany on February 24, 1995.
