Star spangled madness continues at the Lit Café poetry extravaganza this Thursday, July 10 at 9:30pm. Never have bigger patriots been swarming around the Literary Café in anticipation of these great Americans. Yes, I speak of prophets from far West and not-so-far South. I speak of David Smith and Theresa Gottl.

<img align="left" width="200" height="150" src="http://b1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01523/16/96/1523956961_l.jpg" alt="" title="" />Dave’s holy name in Mecca is Handsome Duke Deal and flying in on his magic carpet from the enigmatic city of Los Angeles, he feints humility by pouring Singapore Slings that will make your mother weep with joy. However, he gives away his true identity when he trumpets the first of many Truths that he is the best bartender you will ever know. Andy and Linda will reserve judgment. I, however, am a true believer ever since we met two years ago at the d. a. Levy fest, Rabbits over Clevyland, two years ago. There, he impressed me with his forceful readings and thought provoking words as well as charmed the hell out of me like any good bartender can. I should have left him a tip.

When Dave is not stirring and mixing the adult beverages that make people happy, he has written books that make peope happy such as Closer to Jesus, and co-authored with Scott Wannberg, Rocket’s Redglare the Handsome Duke Deal and Kid Mingo Letters. A limited edition broadside collaboration with visuals by S.A. Griffin of his poem, Genocide Sutra, has become something of a classic. He is most proud of his recent inclusion in the five-man anthology The Feedbag, written with S.A. Griffin, John Dorsey, Jason Neese and Jacob Johanson, released by Off Beat Pulp and Kill Poet. His next book, White Time, will be released by Off-Beat Pulp. In the 1980’s he was publisher and editor of Ouija Madness Press and Ouija Madness Magazine. Now he helps push words collaborating with Rose of Sharon Press.

<img align="right" width="200" height="298" src="http://www.buffalozef.net/artists/tmgottl/images/promo_web.jpg" alt="" title="" />T.M. Gottl (how do you get that umlaut?), which is the top secret probation name of Theresa Gottl, is a new poetic force to be reckoned with in Northeast Ohio. The first time I heard her read, my socks fell, my boxers got twisted, and my tongue rolled out to the floor. She pens some of the most beautiful and poignant verse I’ve heard in a long time and she know exactly how to recite them, without pretense nor over performance. Trust me folks, don’t be surprised if she’s the U.S. poet laureate in 30 years.

Hailing from Brunswick, the arts have always been important to T.M. Göttl, and she started writing stories almost as soon as she learned to hold a pencil. By high school, Göttl started filling notebooks with poems and journaling on any scrap of paper she could find. College graduation brought partial unemployment and a great big question mark about the future. But either by chance or fate, she eventually found herself among some inspiring people. She is a winner in the poetry category for the 2007 Wayne College Regional Writing Awards. The 2002-2003 edition of the literary magazine, The Mill, published some of her work, and she has performed at readings such as Wayne College’s Annual Poetry, Prose, and Acoustical Jam, the Erewhon Poetry Society, Deep Cleveland Poetry, and Gallery 324. Theresa’s first full-length collection is STRETCHING THE WINDOW! and is available for purchase. BRING MONEY!

In the middle of all things American, Tremont of the smoking melting pot, where the best and finest mingle with the not-so-good and sometimes ratty, we will pledge our allegiance to our country that still allows us to pay exorbitant prices for the privilege to pollute our air. Lead by two of the finest Americans to have jaywalked in burkas, David Smith (continuing our long line of Poetry Smiths) and T.M. Gottl (where the hell is that umlaut). Come to the Literary Café Thursday, July 10 at 9:30pm, located a 1031 Literary Road in the histrionic Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, land of the fierce.