First drafts of poetry, as well as commentary on poems, poets and poetry-related randomonia.
Luis Cartagena's feature last night was...interesting. He's an acquired taste and what I love about him most is his desire to push the boundaries of so-called performance poetry. He's willing to take risks most of us wouldn't go anywhere near and is always eager for feedback. I spent as much time watching his performance as I did scanning the faces of the audience, variously enthralled, confused and discomfited, sometimes all at once. Using costumes, music and movement - including a bizarre Britney Spears-backed dance interlude - he threw stuff out there that the average poetry audience rarely if ever sees,…
John Rodriguez was a breath of fresh air at last night’s Acentos, dropping a solid mix of old and new work, as well as a nice little slam on half of the unusually weak open mic. "Hey, Guy, remember when I used to yell all my shit? Waving my hands like I was conducting the orchestra?" It felt like the slam had invaded the Blue Ox at times with some of the worst "love" poems and history lessons I’ve ever endured, too many of which were delivered at maximum decibel levels. The history lesson, in particular, had me leaning over…
It's been four days since my last confession, Blogger, but in a rare switcheroo, I was busy talking smack over on my little-used LiveJournal account, commenting on the debacle that was the 2004 National Poetry Slam. I won't get into it here other than to say, while I feel bad for those who attended and got screwed over in one way or another, you get what you pay for. If I were you, I'd think twice about renewing that PSI membership next year. Mind you, this is completely separate from my opinion on the concept of slam itself, which I…
Thanks to everyone that came out to the Blue Ox last night. There's no possible way you could have enjoyed it more than I did but I hope it came close. Having family, both blood and chosen, and friends in the audience along with a nice mix of complete strangers helped make it a truly special moment. Other than the night I proposed to Salomé at the Nuyorican, nothing else I've ever done on a stage even comes close. At the beginning of my set, I mentioned Tony Brown's approach of what if this was the last time you ever…
Intellectual curiosity is an aphrodisiac. I'm no elitist, but I do have high standards for certain things, especially when it comes to having a clue about current events and a passion for reading in general. You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every book ever published. You are a fountain of endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and never fail to impress at a party. What people love: You can answer almost any question people ask, and have thus been nicknamed Jeeves. What people hate: You constantly correct their grammar and insult their paperbacks. What Kind of Elitist Are You? brought to…
I don't usually get nervous about a reading until 10-15 minutes before it starts so the premature butterflies that have been floating around since last night have me feeling really dizzy. I found out last night that my aunt, youngest on my father's side and more like a cousin, is coming to the reading and got a little freaked out. A couple of my cousins from my mother's side will be there, too - who haven't seen me read since my first couple of slams at the Nuyorican - as well as a handful of non-poetry friends, turning it into…
Just read the text of Kerry's prepared speech - not the transcript of the one actually delivered which varied slightly - and can't help but think in terms of the poetry slam: 4.8 for content, 3.0 for performance. Which in this image-obsessed, media-driven world, one where George Bush is able to successfully present himself as a "regular guy," is a scary thing. For those that worry about how my vote will ultimately be cast, understand that intellectually, I realize Kerry is exponentially better than Bush, hands down. Philosophically, though, it offends me that he is my only "viable" choice, as…
