This is the official blog of Northern Arizona slam poet Christopher Fox Graham. Begun in 2002, and transferred to blogspot in 2006, FoxTheBlog has recorded more than 670,000 hits since 2009. This blog cover's Graham's poetry, the Arizona poetry slam community and offers tips for slam poets from sources around the Internet. Read CFG's full biography here. Looking for just that one poem? You know the one ... click here to find it.
Showing posts with label Paulie Lipman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paulie Lipman. Show all posts

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Bill Hicks: A 30-30 rewrite poem, by Paulie Lipman

Bill Hicks: A 30-30 rewrite
by Paulie Lipman

Humorist Mark Twain said that
there is no humor in Heaven
Comedian Bill Hicks replied that Hell
will always have the best musicians

The only difference
between a comedian and a humorist
is that a comedian is more
damaged

Bill,
they
called you angry
You
were always in good company
Even Jesus
embraced rage's jagged blossom
as he evicted every thief squatting
in his father's house

Anger
is a gift
The cracked glass spark
that bursts in the chest of every great leader
doomed to the enlightenment that we
as humans, are capable of so much
more
but we run from every opportunity
to realize it
Love
is the fact that they never stop trying
to tell us

Laughter and Happiness
are two jilted lovers
at best

Bill
It's been 16 years
since Cancer's soft ravage
devoured your voice
Your mantle has grown dust
and your every heir apparent
knows only bitter,
cynical indifference mistaken for
righteous Anger
Love
for gullibility
I
counted myself among them
but there was no heart
to our hands
only dull, blustering thunder
inarticulate
and
too clumsy for incision
It tookyour sharp fingers
to slice through my sternum
and choke throttle my heart
back into lightning again
destructive
but illuminating
damaged
and hopeful

They call me
angry
I
am in good company

Copyright 2010 © Paulie Lipman

I have always enjoyed Paulie Lipman from Denver. He encapsulates the Denver scene, having been on six teams. I have slammed against him and seen him feature a few times.
His poem "Potential" brought me to tears at the National Poetry Slam this year in St. Paul, Minn. That goes far to say in that it is not a particularly emotionally heart-wrenching poem in an of itself, it was just a fucking good poem that touched me right then. That's good showmanship. Lipman is a great performer and a good-hearted poet, one whom I highly recommend seeing if he tours to your city.

Paulie Lipman has been at this spoken word thing for about six years. Lipman has been a part of six Denver National Slam Teams (including 2004's second-place team and 2006's National Poetry Slam champions)

Lipman has extensively toured the United States and a little Canada including many schools, from grade school to college and youth correctional facilities. He was recently published in the National Poetry Slam collection "High Desert Voices."

He also appears as the voice of Neal Cassady in the upcoming documentary “Neal Cassady: The Denver Years.” And, he can’t wait to meet you.

Pick up Paulie Lipman's new album, Inobservant at www.twistandshout.com

Read more: www.myspace.com/paulielipman

Friday, October 23, 2009

Robots, Zombies, and Mad Scientists: Poetry

Azami and I are heading south. We're passing through Phoenix to Tucson, so if anyone needs to call me, send me a text message at 928-517-1400.

Why Tucson? for:

Robots, Zombies, and Mad Scientists is a life-or-death spoken word showcase to help prepare our community for upcoming apocalyptic struggles.

Vital issues will be addressed, such as:
* What kind of apocalypse is best for OUR community?
* Should we place our trust in the Scientific Genius driven mad by his lust for power, or on the Genius Scientist driven insane by hubris?
* What kind of boundaries should you set for your own zombie as he reaches older, more challenging stages of decomposition?

Come out and see all new work by some of our favorite performers, and help us take the next step into a promising world of wild anarchy and horror.

Christopher Fox Graham ** Mickey Randleman ** Kelly Lewis ** Neil Gearns ** Teresa Driver ** Laura Lacanette ** The Klute ** Frank Cernik ** Lindsay Miller

Hosted by Doc Luben

with discipline enforced by: Maya Asher

SPECIAL FEATURE: National Poetry Slam champion PAULIE LIPMAN, on tour from Denver, Colo. This is a not-to-be-missed nerd power genius all on his own.

Secret Special Attraction: "Underdog Creatures" Haiku Deathmatch (Trolls vs Sea Monsters)

$5 (so cheap!) at the door

BE THERE OR YOU WILL LITERALLY DIE. And deserve it.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
7:30pm - 10:00pm
Mat Bevel Museum of Kinetic Sculpture!
530 N Stone Ave, just north of 6th Street
Tucson, AZ