One of my favorite poets/people, Kim Addonizio, writes this week about her musical ambitions. They ring a bell for me. I'm well known as a poet, also have mad librarian skillz, but at home I find myself practicing songs I could do at open mikes with a friend playing guitar, or sitting in just for one song with my local jazz band. (some of the songs: Suzanne Vega's "Caramel", Bob Dylan's "Up to me", Richard Thompson's "Persusion", though I'd have to fix the key into something singable.)

I've sung a fair amount in public, from chorus and performing ensembles from 5th grade on, all-girl punk bands when I was in junior high, with various folk singer songwriter friends, and with the Immoral Girls in the late 90's. When I arrived in San Francisco, Joe Todaro and I played one memorable open reading at Yakety-Yak's where I performed Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere."

But, like Kim, I really am a poet and don't want a band or to cut a CD. I just want my musical part to show a bit more, to be able to share it, participate when I can.