A Drop of the Pure

<p>A few years ago pre-covid I met Jon Freeland. It </p><p>felt at the time like the many pleasant interactions I've had </p><p>over thirty-odd years of being in the bar business. I tend to </p><p>magnetically attach myself to creative people regardless of </p><p>the actual discipline.</p><p></p><p>Jon was one of those humans and remains one </p><p>of those humans. Again I come from live music club </p><p>bartending. I also come from the Republic of Ireland Cork </p><p>City to be specific class of '87 Donnelly visa 12 years old.</p><p></p><p>I grew up on punk rock bards storytellers </p><p>troubadours actors playwrights musicians singers and of </p><p>course poets. So a very natural organic common goal of </p><p>simply reading poetry was an easy endeavor.</p><p></p><p>The day I met Jon I immediately called my friend </p><p>and mentor Allen Tatman. Allen and I are brothers in mouth </p><p>bullets and tales of yore. I remember specifically reading a </p><p>draft of a book Allen had written when I used to work for </p><p>him and his lovely wife Marilee who is also a trusted mentor. </p><p>I told him about my chat with Jon and...</p><p></p><p>BOOM! </p><p>Contact!</p><p>This feels good.</p><p></p><p></p><p>So once a month on an otherwise lonely and </p><p>sleepy Monday night in the fair city of Jefferson in the </p><p>great stateof Missouri Single Pot Still Poets Society </p><p>was birthed. What follows is our club's first attempt at a </p><p>collective publication.</p><p></p><p>I love these people and I want to thank them </p><p>for our monthly sessions. Paddy Malone's Irish Pub & </p><p>Gumbo Bottoms Alehaus proudly present Volume 1: A </p><p>Drop of the Pure</p><p></p><p>Slainte</p><p>Padrigh Stiofan</p>