I am feeling the need to hang out and chill outside.

I'm meeting Jenn for cribbage and coffee. Not sure where yet. If you have an idea, let me know and maybe we'll meet you there too. Thinking Caffetto if they have an open table.

Ok, need to change. call me.

I was asked again this year to perform for Comedy for Choice, a benefit show for NARAL/ProChoice MN. This year, we're in a venue that has video capabilities, which got me brainstorming.

A few years ago, when Spoken Word Revolution Redux was published, with my poem Phone Sex Operator on the accompanying CD, I received an anonymous message via MySpace linking me to a You Tube video that someone put together with the audio of this poem. The video slide show started out with pictures of Romanesque paintings of reclining ladies and ended with images of baby monkeys in scientific labs hooked up to machines.

I got this idea about what happens to our art once we put it out there - how people interpret our words, how you might cut up a magazine to make a collage, how you might write a poem about a photograph that changes its meaning, how someone might make a video for your poem that is, um, strange. How we, the original artists, don't have much choice in this.

So I can't find the video. Anywhere.

But I'm still thinking - I wonder what it would be like to have someone (or multiple someones) create video to be shown behind my performance at the event that could be literal or abstract interpretations of my poems. The only guideline, I guess would be to remember that the show is a comedy show.

Anyone?

EDIT: To clarify - I'm wondering if anyone is interested and able to create video to be played behind my performance. The show is July 30, so there's some time here. Let me know!

READ FROM THE BOTTOM UP IF YOU'RE JOINING LATE!
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We start round 3

Michael Mlekoday - "Sidewalk Chalk" - a poem about trying to communicate with God through sidewalk chalk - 26.8 (after a 1 point time penalty for bantering about the swine flu before starting his poem)

(damn, I have to pee)

6is9 (Khary Jackson) - a poem about abusive boyfriends - 28.1

Dylan - "I used to ask you what my name was" - with the great line, "you're the only story in my life that doesn't fit on a postcard" - 27.9

Heahter AKA Heather - "To the sales associate at Abercrombe (or however you spell that store name)" - 27.5

Sam Cook - "Keith Gregory Brown" - a poem about a high school friend who committed suicide. 28.6

Michael S. - "Oklahoma: The Musical" - in which he fit in a reference to the poet El Guante - 28.4

So the top 4 poets and members of the 2009 SlamMN! Poetry Slam Team are:

Sam Cook - 28.6
Michael S. - 28.4
6is9 - 28.1
Dylan - 27.9
Heather - 27.5
Michael M. - 26.8


NOW - Michael M. and 6is9 have already made it onto the St. Paul team, and I'm pretty sure that they are going to stay on that team. Sam Cook is the alternate for St. Paul, he COULD possibly take that over being on the Minneapolis team, but I doubt it.

So I'm going out on a limb here to say that the Minneapolis team is:

Sam Cook (was on SlamMN 2008)
Michael Shaeffer (was on SlamMN! 2006)
Dylan (college student - first year slamming)
Heather AKA Heather (never on a team - but was at WOWPS this year)


Thanks for reading!

Next month is the Dead Poets Slam - 2nd Tuesday. Come with poems to read by dead poets. Or come dressed as zombies. Or both!








Scores from Round 1

Sam Cook - 28.7
Michael Mlekocay - 28.1
Dylan - 27.3
6is9 (Khary) - 27.1
EZRA - 26.5
Heather - 26.2
Michael Shaeffer - 26.0
Casey - 25.4

In Round 2 - all of the poets will perform in reverse order (and I start my 2nd pint of Smithwick's)

But first - another sacrificial poet to recalibrate the judges
El Guante (member of the 2009 St. Paul Soap-Boxing Slam) reads a poem about a cockroach about to be squished - 25.5 (after a 2.5 point time penalty because he plugged his shit before reading a poem).

And on to Round 2

EZRA - "my camera is a sponge" a poem about being a photographer to the war - 26.4 (a bit low in my opinion - just a warning, I editorialize more the more I drink) -

Michael Shaeffer - "I'm old enough to remember when my music was on 8 Track" - a poem that starts out talking about They Might be Giants but ends up talking about racism - 27.0

Dylan - "letter to God" - just that wish a great line, "God, I ever wonder if you reached down to feel the heart beat of you son in her womb" or something like that - 27.4

Michael Mlekoday - "2210 St. Anothony" - a poem about leaving yourself in the places you've lived - 28.0

Sam Cook - "empty mirage" a poem about losing someone/relationships - (he stumbled on his words a bit in the middle and seemed to lose the crowd a bit) - 27.0 - high enough to keep him in the lead for now.

Casey - "Lifesaver" - a poem about using lifesavor candies to teach kids life lessons. Reading off paper, and stumbled on his words a couple of times. 26.8

6is9 (Khary Jackson) - "Love Advice to a Doll" - a poem/letter to the murderous doll Chucky. Yes, I said Chucky. Bringing some humor back to the stage. 27.9

Heather AKA Heather - "Use Me" - a poem about not loving herself - 27.1

Cumulative Scores

Michael M. - 56.1
Sam - 55.7
6is9 - 55.0
Dylan - 54.7
Heather - 53.3
Michael S. - 53
EZRA - 52.9
Casey - 52.2


The top 6 go on to the Third round and it's clean slate. That's right - clean slate. It's up to their one last poem!

READ FROM THE BOTTOM UP IF YOU'RE JOINING LATE!
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Heather AKA Heather - "Why Am I Emo?" a humorous poem about wanting to be able to smile and wear pink- 26.2

6is9 (Khary Jackson) - "To Bobby Sands" - a poem about the Irish troubles and how the young are our hope to peace because they can come together with something as simple as playing basketball badly - .5 time penalty - 27.1

Casey - "Playing Favorites" - A relationship poem about being forced to pick his favorite fish in a fish tank on Valentine's Day - 25.4

Sam Cook - "Superheroes" - a poem about believing that he's destine to be mutated into a real super hero - takes the lead with a 28.7

Michael Mlekoday - "General" a poem about being a 7th grade gym teacher - keeps the score high with a 28.1

Dylan - "The first time I saw you you were balanced at the top of a rusted jungle gym" - a poem about kindergarten friendships and life lessons - 27.3

Michael Shaeffer - "Prince turns 60" - a futuristic poem about Prince's last show and the demise of First Avenue - 26.0 (he lost some of the youngins in the room I think)

EZRA - "You know what I like about the 80s?" - a poem about why he hates the movie Goonies - had an early reference to Prince which got a laugh after Michael's poem - 26.5

And that ends round 1 with the following ranking

Sam Cook - 28.7
Michael Mlekocay - 28.1
Dylan - 27.3
Khary - 27.1
EZRA - 26.5
Heather - 26.2
Michael Shaeffer - 26.0
Casey - 25.4


***********************************************
Sacrificial Poets

Rhe reads "Said the Otter to the Squid" - she scores a 24.9
I read (by Blair's request) Venice - I score a 25.6

Now we are ready to start the slam!


***********************************************
Sierra is on stage introducing the judges - oh wait, she didn't write down their names. So she's introducing them by pointing at them.

She's giving us the rules. A Zero is something equal to someone calling you to tell you your cat is dead and a 10 is equal to Barak Obama walking in and saying hello.

I think we can assume that Sierra is drunk. (just kidding)

Drawing the order....drum roll please

Heather AKA Heather
6is9 (Khary Jackson)
Casey Degnan
Sam Cook
Michael Mlekoday
Dylan
Michael Shaeffer
EZRA

but first...for the blood, Rhe is sacrificing first...

**************************************************************************************

I'm sitting inside Kieran's Irish Pub safely out of the rain and construction (What are they doing to Minneapolis?), sitting at the official table for DJing, scores and live blogging, inches from the historic fireplace stage.

The room is filling up - they've pushed the tables to the sides of the rooms and put in additional theatre seating in front of the stage - and the room is almost completely full!

On the line up today is Sam Cook, Khary Jackson, Heather AKA HEather, Michael Mlekoday, EZRA, Casey Degnan, Michael Shaeffer, and Dylan Garrity.

Khary Jackson and Michael Mlekoday recently secured spots on the St. Paul slam team. Michael Shaeffer, Sam Cook and EZRA have all been on slam teams in the previous five years.

So the big question right now is - WHAT POEM SHOULD I PERFORM FOR MY SACRIFICIAL SPOT?

209-756-8107?

whomever it belongs to felt the need to call me at 4am last night while apparantly masturbating.

The voicemail has no name.

Feel free to call them and let them know how much I appreciated it, given I had to be up at 5:15am this morning. Fucker. They have sex lines for such needs.

The 2nd Minneapolis semi-final slam was Tuesday night and wow, it was pretty awesome! The six poets going on to the finals (unless I screwed this up) are: Sierra, El Guante, Wonder Dave, Dylan, Michael and Ezra.

I wasn't at the semi-finals in December, so I'm not sure who qualified then, but I THINK Michael Mlekoday and Sam Cook are amoung the 2. I think Allison did as well, but she's doing the fringe this summer and not planning to try out for thea team. I am pretty sure Wonder Dave will be out of town for finals.

It's shaping up to be an interesting year - we might have a team that looks a lot like the St. Paul team of last year. Either that, or it will be a big mix of rookies and people who've been on teams over the last 4 years. Either way, the Minneapolis team will be a sausage fest. There's only 1 female poet that is planning to slam in finals to my knowledge.

I haven't decided if I'm going to go to NPS this year. If I do, it will probably either be as a volunteer or possibly as a coach. I might just decide to go to Roller Con instead, and I've been thinking about a writing retreat. What are your thoughts?

I taught two college workshops yesterday. I'm really excited for both of the slams next week. Especially at Century, because everyone at the workshop was brand new to poetry slam, and only one of them admitted to actually writing poetry before enrolling in creative writing this semester.

Oh, and THIS SATURDAY - ANNUAL RAMSEY COUNTY LIBRARY POETRY SLAM. Open to all - all ages. Material must be all ages appropriate. 2pm, Maplewood Library. Prizes. (if anyone is interested in coming to this and thinks it would be fun to run my iTunes - or yours- and add some music between poets, let me know, I think it would be awesome).

* back to work today - blah.

* I'm teaching a poetry slam workshop tomorrow at noon at Century College and at 8pm tomorrow night at St. John's University. wohoo!

* TONIGHT: Poetry Slam Semi-Finals for Minneapolis at Kieran's Irish Pub. I'm one of 16 poets qualified to compete in the competition. It should be a great show, you should come. 7:30 doors. 8pm slam. $5.

* Friday night is the last night that the e.p. atelier coffee shop will be open. The atelier has hosted a spoken word open mic on Thursdays over the last 3 years (since I started it when working there). It's a great little coffee shop and they are celebrating the closing with an invitation to everyone to come down and perform poetry, music, etc., have a cup of coffee and share your memories. check out the info at www.epatelier.com.

* Roller derby Saturday was mad fun. My sister came for the first time with work friends and I got to hang out with her afterwards for a couple of drinks. That was rock lobster.

* I spent Sunday and Monday being less productive than planned, but instead caught up with some friends. It was great, and just what I needed for the last two days of my vacation. Good eats, went to see I Love You Man, which was just the funny we needed in our hung over states, met Thadra for drinks (who was here apartment hunting), and then last night had drinks with two of my team mates and shot the shit.

* Caught up on my sponsorship stuff for the regional derby tournament - yeah! I start calling people this week, so if you have money and want to sponsor a roller derby tournament, you should let me know. Or if you know people, you know. Let me know.

* Tristan Silverman is teaching a poetry workshop (open to teens AND adults) at the Eagan Community Center on Tuesday, April 21 from 6:30pm-8pm. $5 suggested fee (pay what you can). http://www.caponiartpark.org/poetsinthepark/

* Tristan Silverman and JW Baz will be helping me run a poetry slam at Century College at noon on the 22nd and at 7pm at St. JOhn's University the same day! I can't wait to see them both.

* If you want to compete in the Ramsey County Library Poetry Slam this year, you don't have to send your poems ahead of time this time around. It's THIS Saturday at 2pm in Maplewood.

Annual Poetry Contest
Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m.
RCL - Maplewood
The Library’s eighth annual poetry slam will be held on Saturday, April 18. This year’s theme is open to your imagination. Contestants will perform their original poetry and will be judged by members from the community. Prizes will be awarded.


Do something poetic! It's National Poetry Month after all!

There's a roller derby this Saturday - for those curious. And C - it's free for 12 and under!

http://www.treasurevalleyrollergirls.net/

Does anyone know anyone that could make me a large shadowbox (or where I can buy one)? I need one that is about 2-2.5 feet x 4 feet.

Thanks!

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who is posting their poems this month. I really enjoy having this much poetry in my friends list. I kind of wish it was more like this normally. Personally, I prefer ones that aren't under cuts - I'm lazy. Keep writing - and thank you!

She tells me the story of the dress
When I ask her if I can have it.
In that moment, I feel guilty
For the taking.
I wonder now if she’s disappointed
That I didn’t ask for more.

#4

I always have these grand ideas for flying,
Pack my carry-on with books
Bring my journal
Sometimes papers that need grading.
I stop by the airport store
Add a magazine or two to the collection.
I will get things done.

But I hate to fly.
Or rather, I hate taking off and landing.
I get anxious
Planes always blow up
Or crash
Or get attacked by birds
On take off
Or landing.

I stay up late the night before
Get up early the day of
Try to book red eye flights
Board exhausted
To attempt sleep
Before motion.

I’ll wake up again,
Flip through magazines
Look out the window
Jot some notes in my journal
Then clip my glasses to my shirt
And press my head against
My plush deer, which works
Much better than those neck pillows
And fall back asleep.

Someday I’ll learn
And save my shoulder from heavy bags.

Someday, maybe, I’ll welcome flight
And be comfortable enough to stay awake.

But on those days
When I’m flying home to see my mother
It’s probably better to sleep.
Thoughts worse than my death
Crawl into brain space,
And the only thing worse than
An adult on a plane with a stuffed animal
Is and adult on a plane crying
Clutching tight to plush.

Wicked Witch

In third grade
I wrote my first poems
Mrs. Aim pointed her scope
pulled the trigger.

In old school papers
you can find these remnants
in construction paper chapbooks
shaped like pumpkins.

Mom was always the room mom
reading, willing and able
she maneuvered between
three classrooms bearing cupcakes
and apples ready for bob.

She arrived dressed as a witch
she was always a witch
black dress, tall steep hat
but only once did she paint her face green.

Third grade marked beginnings
and endings.
Next year, I'd be transferred across town
to a school that didn't have room moms
but instead taught students
to bake in a classroom kitchen
Mexican wedding cakes for Cinco de Mayo
Pumpkin pie for Halloween.

But in third grade
I dressed as a punk rocker
one year past Smurfette.
Carried my cabbage patch premie
complete with pink mohawk
band names hand written with
puff paint on a shoulderless sweat shirt.

We paraded around the neighborhood
and returned to my mother, the witch
her moist cupcakes and marshmallow games.

Later, she will tell me that this
was the favorite time of her life
raising monsters
and baking.
Pretending to be someone
you weren't.

I remember her complaining
about grandma's collections
half used soap, old cards,
coupons, photographs,
everything anyone ever gave her
she seemed to keep.

We were never let inside
grandma's room.
She would give pause
and return like Indiana Jones
back from adventure
somewhere deep in there
she'd pull something
she just thought we should have.

They say you end up like your mother
if you're not careful.

While mine was in the hospital
we searched for evidence, clues,
marriage certificates,
birth certificates, pills,
shot gun shells, knives.

We found old plush dolls from Del Monte,
Ponds Cold Cream jars full of dimes,
baby teeth, old ID cards,
expired Tylenol caplets,
wads of dollar bills stuffed in
random places - the bottom of
Klenex boxes, inside old slippers,
empty shampoo bottles.

Nothing could be thrown away
without autopsy.

We bought a safe
Put the important stuff inside,
finally found the house deed,
stuffed in the intestines
of a broken humidifyer
in a black velvet bag
camoflauged with plastic.

Back home, I go through boxes
throw away old candles
papers, trinkets.
I understand the difficulty
of separation. We worry
our memories won't be enough,
because they won't.
Consider the consequence
of each bagged victim.

Eventually everything will be fuzzy,
worn. Even glass, mirrors.
When you look deep,
trying to figure out if its her
that's looking back at you.

Looking for another way to celebrate National Poetry Month? How about buying some poetry!

I just stopped by CommonGood Books (corner of Western and Selby in St. Paul) and they are offering 20% off ALL poetry this month.

There are four copies left of Andrea Gibson's latest book of poetry on the shelf.

And if you don't want any poetry for yourself, I'd love the new anthology out by Pushcart *hint hint*

www.commongoodbooks.com

now I'm itching to go somewhere on my days off, although I know that I should stay at home and work on getting my crap organized.

maybe, instead, I need a fun project to do.

I think that could be good...and if I discipline myself, maybe a day trip to Duluth.

or???

I’m learning new secrets
Kept between a husband and wife
Like she thought herself dying
Twenty-four years ago.
She wasn’t supposed to live this long.
It’s probably why he lost his sea legs
Became a ground walker
To care for children
But she lived
Sort of. She stopped living.
Stopped believing she knew how.
She just was.
Consumed herself with stories
Books and rumors and what ifs
I hate her for giving up so early.
For not giving up completely.
For teaching me how to hide
And keep secrets so well.

The show is getting started at the Nucleus Cafe on Water Street in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The slam teams from Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee and Madison are in the house to battle it out for the chance to participate in the National Poetry Slam in Florida (?) this summer.

We start off with an open mic:

Eric Rasmussen - local poet is reading a rhyming poem about reading a poem that "can be diagrammed to look like the Golden Gate Bridget."

Next Up: Allison B - the Minneapolis Slam Master (who went to school here in Eau Claire) is reading a poem about drinking her first Guinness and high school shinanigans.

Twin cities poets Rob and Jenn Sparks are both reading new pieces.

INTERMISSION

First Sacraficial poet: Rob - 22.6
2nd Sacraficial poet: Jenn Sparks (I Did It For the Wookie): 21.1 wow, the low scores

Round 1:

St. Paul: 6 is 9 (To the Graduating Kindergarten Class): 26
Madison: doing a poem about being pale and sexy: 24.5
Milwaukee: "I am an angry poet, so I shall be screaming": 26
Minneapolis: Michael Shaeffer (Bingo Parlor Love): 23.8

Round 2:

Madison: "My Temple" : 21.7 = 46.2
Milwaukee: group piece, "never been much of a hero": 26.1 = 52.1
Minneapolis: Wonder Dave - 7,000: 24.3 = 48.1
St. Paul: Matthew Rucker - poem about his father: 25 = 51

Round 3:

Milwaukee: poem about PMS: 26.8 = 78.9
Minneapolis: Sam : KGB: 25.6 = 73.7
St. Paul: Michael Milekoday, "My nephew is Jesus" = 25.6= 76.6
Madison: "for those that do this...obsession with violence": 23.7 - 69.9

Round 4:

Minneapolis: Cynthia, Bowling for Oh My Gods, 27.3 = 101
St. Paul: Sierra, Paper Dolls: 25.8 = 102.4
Madison: "baby, i want to have your baby": 22.4 = 92.3
Mikwaukee: Dan Vaugh - "someone must have told you that you were beautiful": 27 = 105.9

My slam team from Minneapolis is competing against St. Paul, Milwaukee and Madison tongith at The Nucleus on Water Street. I think at 7pm. I'm not sure if there's a cover. It should be lots of fun.

The part of Tom Reed will be played by Michael Shaeffer.

does anyone have a link or something for the retreat they talked about at the WOSPS orientation?