Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Gail Clark reads her poetry at Cafe Rouge in Los Gatos.

Poetry contributes to ambiance

By Shari Kaplan

When Farhad Proshani opened Cafe Rouge on Elm Street last September, he planned that the cozy shop would be distinguished as much for its ambiance as for its selection of coffees, herbal teas and snacks.

Art exhibits that change monthly and shelves stocked with books provide the visual aspect of that ambiance, although Proshani is equally excited about the aural attraction of poetry readings.

Proshani used to own Cafe Matisse in San Jose, well-known among creative circles for its readings. Because he thought Los Gatos needed a similar venue, Cafe Rouge began hosting monthly readings in October 1995, about a month after it opened.

"The whole concept of Cafe Rouge is to promote art and literature," Proshani said. "It's a very good sign that we see so much interest in poetry here; it shows a true interest in the arts."

Poet Bea Garth used to organize readings in Eugene, Ore., before she came to live in San Jose, and has found a niche again at Cafe Rouge.

"I figured since I already know how to do this, I'd help organize it here," Garth said, explaining how she asks around for references for possible "featured poets" and sometimes interviews them. "And I like open mic because it gives an opportunity for new voices and new poems to be heard. What I'm trying to do is create more of a community for poets."

The first featured poet at the March 5 reading was Los Gatan Auriel Yost, whose work has appeared in several publications, including Across the Generations, an anthology by Vista Community College.

Using predominantly free verse, Yost shared poems on a triad of themes dealing with family ("First Born," "Tied Together") fantasy ("The Juggler," "The Wife, the Husband and the Lover") and reality, the latter a stirring series written during and after her battle with cancer.

"Poetry is very cathartic. You're being creative while spilling out your guts," Yost said after the reading. She added that for her more humorous pieces, she often thinks of "killer punchlines" and works backwards to complete the poems.

Gail Clark of Sunnyvale read next, warning the packed audience that she would not tell them if poems were fantasy or reality. She has been writing poetry since age 11 and was one of only 120 poets chosen for publication in a recent anthology, The Unitarian Universalist Poets.

Some of the poems she read that night dealt with family, ranging from worries about her children to her husband's death from cancer. "The Weight of the Past," a reminiscence of her Southern childhood, contained piquant images of sassafras tea, dirt roads before the rain and metal dippers in cold well water. Others dealt with interpersonal relationships, society and even "cybersex," in which a female carries on relationships with men via a computer and modem.

"I write in a form when I'm dealing with a difficult topic that needs to be 'corralled.' Sometimes that's where I start, and then it breaks into free verse," she said later of her poetry.

Clark has undergraduate degrees in speech, drama and journalism and a master's degree in psychology and education. Her love of writing and people led her to establish the Clark Poetry Seminars, which she holds as weekend retreats.

Following Yost and Clark, more than a dozen audience members stood before the microphone to share poems on myriad topics. One man even played guitar.

The next reading is April 2 at 7:30 p.m. Call 395-1599 for information.