Poetry Reading Clips & Chats
American Girl
February 24, 2022
Read by the inimitable Steve Arvey and members of his blues band, Stumpy Joe and Deacon Gibson. This reading of my poem "American Girl" may well be his best ever! Thank you to Steve and his bandmates for so often featuring my poems during their performances. Really well done!
Bookstore1 Zoom PoetryMic
February 6, 2022
Poem of the Week
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“Your words - and your reading of the words - filled my heart and stopped me in the moment. I’m so grateful to have heard you!”
“I heard some of the poems read by Michael Maul. I’d like to know how the author finds words (and sews them together) liked that. His works really get right into the marrow.”
https://www.facebook.com/429141337692248/videos/632657744216293
Here’s a pre Covid-19 video clip shot inside a packed club. This performance reading of the title poem of my chapbook, Birds Who Eat French Fries, reminds me that poetry was made to be read aloud. People love it. Not stuffy or morose. Just a fun and magic night.
https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Maul-Poetry-429141337692248/videos/2600494030181074
While performing outside during a standing Monday evening gig at Harry’s on Anna Maria Island, Florida-based blues guitarist and songwriter Steve Arvey launches into another spontaneous poetry reading of a Michael Maul poem. This time he reads “Selling an Old Couch on Craigslist” to the accompaniment of Stumpy Joe on washtub bass, and popular blues harmonica player Deacon Gibson.
One night inside a pre-Covid-19 bar across the street from the Gulf of Mexico, Steve Arvey and harmonica sideman Deacon Gibson surprised an international audience of blues-loving diners with the Michael Maul poem, “Dust”. (The poet’s spouse gave him the choice of either helping to dust their home, or else write a poem about dust. He chose to write a dust poem. Good choice.)
While at the Everglades Blues Festival, guitarist Steve Arvey reads a poem from the chapbook Birds Who Eat French Fries by Michael Maul. He calls a young woman named Jesse from the audience to help him hold the book. But Jesse carves out a larger role for herself and things quickly begin spiraling out of hand.
https://www.facebook.com/429141337692248/videos/923977374725525
Here I am reading a poem I admire by American poet and cab driver Mather Schneider. The title is “Poem for Miss Ross”, from his collection The Small Hearts of Ants.
Spoken Label Podcast Interview & Reading Four Poems
https://spokenlabel.bandcamp.com/album/michael-maul-spoken-label-may-2020
Spoken Label produces weekly or bi weekly Podcasts from Manchester, UK featuring chats with writers, artists and musicians. In this installment writer, experimental musician and host “Andy N” interviews Michael Maul about the process of writing poetry, followed by a reading of four works. These are: 1) “Anniversary Poem”, 2) “Germantown”, 3) “Love Song for Melanie Harris”, and 4) “Husbands Lost in Florida”.