You couldn’t do better. The birds of May flutter amongst tight-flowered vines adorning the big palm tree in the middle of the Bisbee Courtyard. The weather is perfect and the people are cheerful. A choice selection of poets and musicians are prepared to deliver on the evening’s promise to a perfectly-sized, attentive crowd.
The Courtyard is named for its intimate outdoor space hugged on three sides by Brewery Gulch’s historic architecture. Inside is a welcoming parlor fitted with a small bar serving beer and wine; behind the outdoor space are the “Sweet Spot” and the “Bungalow,” lodging options put to good use in this picturesque wedding venue.
But this evening we’re gathered for Howl Chirp Squeak and Roar, a staple Courtyard event. Over the last year Howl Chirp Squeak and Roar has featured a variety of musicians, poets, and other creative types. Most but not all of these are Bisbee folks. Tonight we’ve got local talent blended with the voices of Tucson poets and songsters.
Host Allie Stewart opens the evening with a hearty welcome, whereupon Maybelle McLoed takes the stage with her father, Timothy Dick of Auld Lang Syne. He accompanies Maybelle on keyboard and guitar while she accompanies herself with a trumpet. Maybelle is a teen but her voice is that of an “old soul” sounding easily thrice her age. The combination of her voice and plaintive lyrics with her father’s piano is almost too much to bear. When Kathy Dick joins them on stage the power-duo that is Auld Lang Syne is complete. Now singing harmony with her parents, the duo becomes a trio. Maybelle’s voice makes this formidable act that much stronger.
Tucson Poet Kelsi Vanada then opens the poetry portion of the evening with works from her new book Optional Saint. Kelsi tells us this evening she’s reading publicly from the book for the first time, and it’s beautiful. Some of the subject matter is heavy, but her verse and her voice are both playful—there’s a lightness in spite of the weight. She commands our attention, and the audience nods, cocks their heads as if to signify they are indeed listening closely.
Not far into Kelsi’s set the birds of May make a melodious entrance into an Italian cypress overhead. She takes the interruption in stride and thanks them for the accompaniment. Nestled in the embrace of this garden space, the birds are turning in for the night, joining the audience from their nest. The sun is far out of sight. By degrees, dusk is coming.
But the poets are just getting warmed up. Tucson slam poet Niko Walker grabs the mic next and proceeds to spit fire. His cadence is as fast as it is precise. His love for science fiction, the Sonoran desert and the Borderlands are all evident in his rhymes. A rapper without the backup beat, Niko’s evocative, provocative lyrics has the audience squirming with delight in their seats.
Allie calls a brief intermission, and dusk arrives at last. Now it’s time to observe the Howl Chirp Squeak and Roar tradition. “It’s time to howl,” she says, ““let everyone know we’re here,” whereupon the assembly erupts in series of howls, hoots and hollers.
And it’s Sharon Strachan’s turn. A well known member of the Bisbee community from way back, Sharon is a veteran of the old theater troupe Bisbee Obscure Productions. Many in the audience are here to hear her read. Sharon delivers with a series of poems spiced with wry humor and commentary on war, getting older, homelessness, capped with a closing piece of biting theodicy. Now daylight has given up and strings of lightbulbs illuminate the Courtyard as we bend our ears to Sharon’s wise words.
Timothy Dick now returns for the final act. His unassuming and humble affect on stage belies his power as a singer and composer– as a songwriter and singer, Timothy is a master of his craft. Kathy and Maybelle join him by turns, bringing the full measure of Auld Lang Syne’s sentimental magic rushing back in lush harmonies. A grateful audience has their hearts filled to bursting with these songs.
Howl Chirp Squeak and Roar is taking a break to make way for the monsoon. But the magic will be back late summer. When Brewery Gulch still flows with Zacatecas Canyon water, when Bisbee is still full in its greenery and sweet scents, and when dusk—the hour of the howl—comes a little earlier each day.
Howl Chirp & Squeak 2
