Transgressions in Transubstantiation: The Mantras of Jameson Bayles

It might have started with either the countless hours I spent as a child watching Sesame Street or staring at the W.B. Mason sign in left field at Yankee Stadium whenever the Bronx bombers were on TV, or the early Martin Scorsese films I used to be obsessed over, but I have always had a fascination with the Big Apple. For me as a poet, New York City is the Mecca for poetry readings and performances. Yes, there are other metropolitan areas with poetry scenes, but if you get a shot at reading in NY, you better take it, and you better bring your A game.

My first reading in The City So Nice They Named It Twice, was in September of 2017. Originally, I was offered a 30-minute set at a joint on the Lower East Side. I had my flight already booked from Kansas City, transportation plans figured out, as well as lodging. A move to Pittsburgh later on in life changed the flight, lodging, and transpo plans. In a moment of beneficence, I gave up 15 minutes of my set before hand to a poet from KC and invited two other poets from Pittsburgh to read at the end during the open mic segment.

In hindsight, I never should have done that. It was my time, and “My Time” should be just that. My time in The Empire City.

Lesson learned.

In 2017, we drove up from Pittsburgh, (the KC poet flew out), did a reading in NJ, then headed to The White Horse Tavern for a meetup with a couple of NY writers and some drinks. A pint of Guinness was $9. I don’t remember how many I had. The KC writer wore a suit jacket, I wore a decent pork pie hat, white shirt, black tie and a vest. The Pittsburgh poets dressed as if they had a side gig hauling used refrigerators out of Camden, NJ.

In my opinion, if you are reading in The City That Never Sleeps, you damn well better respect the Mecca, respect the craft, and dress the part.

Lesson learned.

I paid $40 for a $9 bottle of Mark West Pinot Noir at the 2017 establishment. Even shared a glass or two from that bottle.

I did 15 minutes of my greatest hits at the time during my set.

Flash forward to May 20, 2023.

Reading at a house show in Manhattan, NY, a gnat’s eyelash away from Central Park, a 30 minute set for each poet reading for the event, full bar, catered event with a chef on hand, and the house wine of the evening: Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reservee 2015.

I didn’t share shit.

Lesson learned.

After a brief discussion, we decided that Dana Cheung would start the reading off first, followed by Dan Altimus, the I read some old stuff as well as some new stuff that I’ve recently finalized. Everyone was dressed to the nines. The Soulfly Tangerines even wore suit jackets and did a few bits with me at the end of my set.

Ok, so maybe I did share something that evening.

Hell of a way to spend an evening in Gotham.

Lesson learned.