#35 / 2004 Tour 3: Austin

ENJOYING AUSTIN POETRY VENUES

#35

Well we finally arrived in Austin after spending a few days with Mary’s daughter Laura. We settled in her small apartment in Round Rock, just a few miles from Austin, and watched it rain and rain and rain. She had little kittens and lots of videos for entertainment. During a break in the weather we headed into Austin.

Austin is a great music and poetry town, lots of good venues every night. Travis County, in which it was located, voted blue, making it the last bastion for Democrats surrounded by a band of red Republican counties in the last election. Joe called Travis County "freedom's last stand" just like the Alamo.

It's the kind of town Nashville used to be before Music Row went Hollywood. Then Mayor Phil Bredesen finished the job off when he sold downtown out to Hollywood restaurateurs and the Houston Oilers. But Austin reminds me of the good old days back when Windows on the Cumberland and poetry was a new thing.

You can’t mention poetry in Austin without calling out the name Thom the World Poet. I never knew his last name, never saw him have any viable means of income, but he lives with a beautiful, good wife amid stacks of office supplies, canned goods, and clothing he has solicited for the hungry and homeless poets he encounters. He is Australian, says he isn’t religious, but never turns away anyone in need. I have never been to his home when he wasn’t sheltering someone having hard times. His wife Wendy says taking in the homeless is “entertaining angels.” 

Thom has embraced poetry the way some men take to drink - all night every night. Seven nights a week he hits every reading. Sometimes two or more a night. It is unfathomable where he gets his energy. When he isn’t attending a reading he is at his desk composing poetry, sending out emails every day, lists and lists of emails. His chapbooks scatter around the world like leaves in a whirlwind.

We stayed for four days. Thom took us to four venues in four nights, and like the postman neither rain, sleet nor snow stopped us. We needed shelter from all that rain. In his care Thom will not only put you up, he takes responsibility to see that you are feed morning, noon, and night. Wendy’s table groans with homemade bread, cookies, brownies, pies. I said, “Thom, you are feeding us like field hands.”

And the best part of all was Thom asked a neighbor to look at our taillights. Captain Willy figured out all I needed was to change out the bulbs! I was certain the problem couldn't be that easy to fix, so I didn't even try. Shame on me. The Captain checked out a few more wires and within ten minutes the problem was solved - Hallelujah!

So when we left Austin we were back in compliance with the Texas Rangers and loaded down with food, jewelry, clothing - a superb black leather jacket Thom gave Joe - magazines, CDs, chapbooks. Their generosity was boundless to the point of being humbling to us. These are two more good people to brag on. And, oh yeah, I gave Captain Willy some of our food and ten bucks!