tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38694337757021475712024-03-14T10:39:13.336-07:00Fox the PoetA poetry blog, an analysis of poetry amd spokem word, and a working diary of the underground art scene of Sedona and Northern Arizona, curated by Sedona poet Christopher Fox GrahamFoxThePoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261979793062551850noreply@blogger.comBlogger1337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-91431084463502621102024-03-12T23:46:00.002-07:002024-03-12T23:47:02.172-07:00Northern Arizona Book Festival sponsors free Sedona Poetry Slam, featuring slam legend Bill Campana on Saturday, April 13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4J_Q3DBZs_1rGWr5pm3xIrxwrwJtXF9dfK8hVskd1bxHd9b4eORAW9RLVdFl-5W-sPqM74Yo2gYTuxOrGTRMo8I6hjxUohH96r61rCzSikry4t9PQR_ebXSdsynBo_vLmlWMC15vIZrD1eV970qUv5gUYS_sOAVyOnhHwevNcjNmPCJW2JpyUHQibRA/s1080/Festival%20Event%20Banners%202024%20(Instagram%20Post).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4J_Q3DBZs_1rGWr5pm3xIrxwrwJtXF9dfK8hVskd1bxHd9b4eORAW9RLVdFl-5W-sPqM74Yo2gYTuxOrGTRMo8I6hjxUohH96r61rCzSikry4t9PQR_ebXSdsynBo_vLmlWMC15vIZrD1eV970qUv5gUYS_sOAVyOnhHwevNcjNmPCJW2JpyUHQibRA/w640-h640/Festival%20Event%20Banners%202024%20(Instagram%20Post).png" width="640" /></a></div><p>The Sedona Poetry Slam proudly welcomes Arizona slam poetry legend Bill Campana to the stage on Saturday, April 13, as performance poets bringing high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Admission is free, thanks to funding from the Northern Arizona Book Festival.</span></p><p>A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. Between rounds, Campana will perform a featured set.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mTBYphkkc9mSai_mTpExlooVivVyRtyrqptcTs1bfhJIzGEXUFC5IJElaNOI9cSvrL6QtoOQnz9XKbSLXPnVg7OvAqyZlQP7zOGW687MwMTQo75gDjsgg3U7rUqRog4gh5_CkDR2HAfLI18R-R0EgNgVbOGwh6bK-j6DvOiauzShyRT7AlpYHS_-no4/s2258/April%2013%20poetry%20slam%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2258" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mTBYphkkc9mSai_mTpExlooVivVyRtyrqptcTs1bfhJIzGEXUFC5IJElaNOI9cSvrL6QtoOQnz9XKbSLXPnVg7OvAqyZlQP7zOGW687MwMTQo75gDjsgg3U7rUqRog4gh5_CkDR2HAfLI18R-R0EgNgVbOGwh6bK-j6DvOiauzShyRT7AlpYHS_-no4/w640-h426/April%2013%20poetry%20slam%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Bill Campana</b></p><p>Campana seeks to find answers to the big questions in life, but usually settles for vague, watered down, surreal explanations.</p><p>Campana has been a fixture in Phoenix poetry since 1997 and is the author of six out-of-print collections of poetry, a six-time member of the Mesa National Poetry Slam Team, and is the 2014 Individual World Poetry Slam's Haiku Death Match Champion.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBKF_NuE9M5yY-0MgD3Gf9rIacTpFuGDhPLPCFTERlKK8SSO8lS1oYyyRQAGPYUNw3VohpkzsUHJI04igk2fkHmiQwo68USohEbT7SJWVMtBIxwDkh8ZalgKrm7GMN8Zq5Zxixr_No99r5zFI-Z4esRLWBlMJU34mj5qgzJ6cZmE2yxU-7hSEFvSVMcA/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_09-11_08.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBKF_NuE9M5yY-0MgD3Gf9rIacTpFuGDhPLPCFTERlKK8SSO8lS1oYyyRQAGPYUNw3VohpkzsUHJI04igk2fkHmiQwo68USohEbT7SJWVMtBIxwDkh8ZalgKrm7GMN8Zq5Zxixr_No99r5zFI-Z4esRLWBlMJU34mj5qgzJ6cZmE2yxU-7hSEFvSVMcA/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_09-11_08.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>“A poetry tour de force, Bill Campana has done what few poets could ever dream of in writing sharp, entertaining poetry that doesn't cater to anyone but is enjoyed by all,” publisher Bob Nelson stated. “In his live performances, he comes at you like a machine gun of short, powerful linguistic observations. Bill's live performances are the thing of legend.”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDWg4NiNUhINToAwpicZOS_Xr2owchLgfTWAjJYrnhKnxpMPrZ0lg4U-MGBAheeWxP25gxC48yxDhnr1d4wBrhiV1Qx1aMFEN3qbLv20rO0K4JWbutTuXU3uCO3y4Y02utjbYy92KLeoeqBOw2cax1ASuZFY5RRug4v8nlED0Ud6TESQ9FLAte58nUMc/s4500/Poet%20Bill%20Campana%20Poetry%20Slam%20_09072019_24.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDWg4NiNUhINToAwpicZOS_Xr2owchLgfTWAjJYrnhKnxpMPrZ0lg4U-MGBAheeWxP25gxC48yxDhnr1d4wBrhiV1Qx1aMFEN3qbLv20rO0K4JWbutTuXU3uCO3y4Y02utjbYy92KLeoeqBOw2cax1ASuZFY5RRug4v8nlED0Ud6TESQ9FLAte58nUMc/w640-h426/Poet%20Bill%20Campana%20Poetry%20Slam%20_09072019_24.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Anyone Can Compete</b></span></p><p>To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.</p><p>Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.</p><p>Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Call 282-1177 or visit <a href="http://SedonaFilmFestival.org">SedonaFilmFestival.org</a>.</p><p>The next poetry slams of the season will be held on Saturdays, May 11 and June 8.</p><p>The prize money is funded by the Northern Arizona Book Festival and by Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.</p><p>Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the day of the slam. </p><p>For more information, visit <a href="http://sedonafilmfestival.com">sedonafilmfestival.com</a> or foxthepoet.blogspot.com. For a full list of slam poetry events in Arizona, visit <a href="http://azpoet.com">azpoet.com</a>.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFoYRQpChVKB5x6kJQ184Vp7K20kOdvrwMZbPR2Y90IciPip0lWch-sY-iviwTNsnDnDeAKOUjmK2w7EDwqYH_gsxP29siGRKX4YbJMYNmi8UK9MYBilluWi0bqafaiF5e7cg07WEEMKV3MayvE9D8f2Em8UvEn2Ioel9bSPesBRo-iAgbXIlj3L4jcbc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFoYRQpChVKB5x6kJQ184Vp7K20kOdvrwMZbPR2Y90IciPip0lWch-sY-iviwTNsnDnDeAKOUjmK2w7EDwqYH_gsxP29siGRKX4YbJMYNmi8UK9MYBilluWi0bqafaiF5e7cg07WEEMKV3MayvE9D8f2Em8UvEn2Ioel9bSPesBRo-iAgbXIlj3L4jcbc=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Saturday, April 13, Sedona Poetry Slam is <b>FREE ADMISSION</b>, thanks to funding by the Northern Arizona Book Festival, which is cover the costs and prize money for the winning poets: $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Northern Arizona Book Festival</b></span><p></p><p>The Northern Arizona Book Festival returns from Friday, April 5, to Monday April 15, with in-person and online events and activities for all ages, including readings from multiple local and regional authors, poetry slams, workshops and live performances for all ages in multiple venues across Flagstaff, Sedona and online.</p><p>Admission to all festival events is free and open to the public. The list of the over 30 different events are available at <b><a href="http://noazbookfest.org">noazbookfest.org</a></b>.</p><p>The bulk of the events, including a Haiku Death Match, take place Friday, April 12, to Sunday, April 14.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdKd8x3YPXpNcF3TaskBbihp587QPlda8jHuQAoEuu__JIIwHeTPSonjPbpdC0_KktHntIDX_TSxq-wKOPC9aj9utVNWILM_zcFgMjgjDS7dqx8YZyICXMrjFzTOfMlci-aZgu6XrWG5-X7ulHrKguYRKzBNuj6zGu3olWY02BmLp0Vrm1RHUOldq8qo/s1080/23-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdKd8x3YPXpNcF3TaskBbihp587QPlda8jHuQAoEuu__JIIwHeTPSonjPbpdC0_KktHntIDX_TSxq-wKOPC9aj9utVNWILM_zcFgMjgjDS7dqx8YZyICXMrjFzTOfMlci-aZgu6XrWG5-X7ulHrKguYRKzBNuj6zGu3olWY02BmLp0Vrm1RHUOldq8qo/w640-h640/23-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What is Poetry Slam?</span></b></p><p>Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.</p><p>Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO.</p><p>Sedona has sent four-poet teams to represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and Chicago</p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-66290914763995425342024-03-10T15:00:00.005-07:002024-03-13T00:08:30.056-07:00Lizard the Wizard, Sondraya and Lalli will represent Sedona at the BlackBerry Peach Poetry Slam's Arizona Championship<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbV6Jb--N_IvunmkoM5gOAa8TGmvjPMu1X4uTbQxjk8YejtIia9Q2YBZaK992Mi2h6EsBzV_vxFIpzSOWDl6w69Yo4-FWtEEcbHNPXlxU1W0i3PouvW6NRLHolkSbXdpfqh7gbEvWR4juPgjoJatZPWOVYelL7B2sEfemsRc5iMM5U7Dbgk78dnH1Bl24" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="414" data-original-width="640" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbV6Jb--N_IvunmkoM5gOAa8TGmvjPMu1X4uTbQxjk8YejtIia9Q2YBZaK992Mi2h6EsBzV_vxFIpzSOWDl6w69Yo4-FWtEEcbHNPXlxU1W0i3PouvW6NRLHolkSbXdpfqh7gbEvWR4juPgjoJatZPWOVYelL7B2sEfemsRc5iMM5U7Dbgk78dnH1Bl24=w640-h414" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">Chosen by the five judges in the audience after three rounds of high-energy, competitive spoken word at the Sedona International Film Festival's Mary D. Fisher Theatre, the top three poets at the Saturday, March 9, Sedona Poetry Slam earned spots to compete at the BlackBerry Peach Poetry Slam's Arizona Championship, to be held in Phoenix on Friday, April 19. </p><p style="text-align: left;">From a field of 14 competing poets, the top three slam poets earning Sedona's berths are:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Lizard the Wizard, with a score of 82.2</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicyOnmDjEdrhKM1JtQsPUb2EHkCre_xO-N2nHQ5jIrXrZBMd7g94MWgi5kGFdCWSsEulTciNEY0GY77D8ichGCSm7UBkq10brLAK2anBooHJZzqwrOkGtp14k2Qmi5RD-MvERQfs7ttnzp2qfajQJoFGfGgP0T7ROa6ar-RclORB-w5tl3iUWZTZMUcmU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicyOnmDjEdrhKM1JtQsPUb2EHkCre_xO-N2nHQ5jIrXrZBMd7g94MWgi5kGFdCWSsEulTciNEY0GY77D8ichGCSm7UBkq10brLAK2anBooHJZzqwrOkGtp14k2Qmi5RD-MvERQfs7ttnzp2qfajQJoFGfGgP0T7ROa6ar-RclORB-w5tl3iUWZTZMUcmU=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lizard the Wizard, photo by Christopher Fox Graham</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sondraya, with a score of 78.5</span></b></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wQ5bH_R1EmJCX0X4s7UUosd1wu4GlwYh5TP16XIE8oPWDJkSq5aQfGCzGfnhHfTBYSxtrX2jA6LIDvZ3MKE1YCNNeKGDJhVXrernO6-FfMKEzB4YjB4RgNEbUr16-6GdrmGP-LeQJylipYhhnxAPCRrRKsbcE0sm6d5JxVf0t2IpYhI_i3qFLLIWNJI/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_45.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wQ5bH_R1EmJCX0X4s7UUosd1wu4GlwYh5TP16XIE8oPWDJkSq5aQfGCzGfnhHfTBYSxtrX2jA6LIDvZ3MKE1YCNNeKGDJhVXrernO6-FfMKEzB4YjB4RgNEbUr16-6GdrmGP-LeQJylipYhhnxAPCRrRKsbcE0sm6d5JxVf0t2IpYhI_i3qFLLIWNJI/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_45.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sondraya Bradley, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lalli, with a score of 77.7</span></b></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioSFzRSE9bknyZY-tkOhHXgw9SkFVU32loki8YVp786_7jLSBWpodh_IoOlYqnHaW44Y8IXFvVSjw7acpwiDjUb7HY9kQRlinv5hMcTzujZXtQw3U-pVYcXng6U4-cDV7iaKXTUa5T47V2oxRPwoW1iFjnYM5-zO-UhATLB6HiKqLFRJ1lSP5iH-tWy44" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioSFzRSE9bknyZY-tkOhHXgw9SkFVU32loki8YVp786_7jLSBWpodh_IoOlYqnHaW44Y8IXFvVSjw7acpwiDjUb7HY9kQRlinv5hMcTzujZXtQw3U-pVYcXng6U4-cDV7iaKXTUa5T47V2oxRPwoW1iFjnYM5-zO-UhATLB6HiKqLFRJ1lSP5iH-tWy44=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jason Lalli, photo by Christopher Fox Graham</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The other competors included Adrienne Peters of Phoenix, Cylie Naylor of Scottsdale, Eric Hoff of Sedona, "Moose" of Phoenix, Roger Blakiston of the Village of Oak Creek, Bear Smith of Sedona, Gary Every of Cottonwood, LMB of Prescott and Rex Arrasmith of Sedona.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Athena Zelda Nebula Skye Sylvia Diana Fox Graham, age 5, of Sedona, and Naughty A. Mouse of Phoenix, calibrated the slam.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpVIsSPxZD1qGxek7dGv_uKB9vxSqjZYvQUh7JszaK5Yk5blpJVSFCtjIbJ9PHYk8gEj4ACK0bo_lWUXrn8wJ8M3dr1EWW7o_nHzLtXLqPuWu0T4Wc1zB_98s1qghS3ZVwAfGGvcU0fFhJQpv10EwgCgvvmvR0JuI7uC_A6yDZrcbrh99CpGnB-IQzqk/s2936/PXL_20240310_030551260~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="2936" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpVIsSPxZD1qGxek7dGv_uKB9vxSqjZYvQUh7JszaK5Yk5blpJVSFCtjIbJ9PHYk8gEj4ACK0bo_lWUXrn8wJ8M3dr1EWW7o_nHzLtXLqPuWu0T4Wc1zB_98s1qghS3ZVwAfGGvcU0fFhJQpv10EwgCgvvmvR0JuI7uC_A6yDZrcbrh99CpGnB-IQzqk/w640-h494/PXL_20240310_030551260~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: left;">Athena Zelda Nebula Skye Sylvia Diana Fox Graham</span>, photo by Christopher Fox Graham</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;">BlackBerry Peach</b></p><p>The top three poets will earn Sedona's three spots at the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam's Arizona State Championships, sponsored by the Arizona State Poetry Society.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTdtrtDDIx8vZ8ItSvjKvpkIIAG048Df-veBg2aRkm4Bh7lVyr8524GzFFpdVPgD6wtIJmpZ9w7Lo6cB3xi_GqIecAyl3MsOwCazhgTh2QGA1cHzgMEE_l8tCtI7wsoLHTDV3ysVEu2TvC7toImybpkmEJIL2OSMZYZC0z7eR3IDIGJzR8q0tpIG1_SM/s978/BlackBerry%20Peach2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="978" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTdtrtDDIx8vZ8ItSvjKvpkIIAG048Df-veBg2aRkm4Bh7lVyr8524GzFFpdVPgD6wtIJmpZ9w7Lo6cB3xi_GqIecAyl3MsOwCazhgTh2QGA1cHzgMEE_l8tCtI7wsoLHTDV3ysVEu2TvC7toImybpkmEJIL2OSMZYZC0z7eR3IDIGJzR8q0tpIG1_SM/w640-h352/BlackBerry%20Peach2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Three poets each from open poetry slams in Sedona, Mesa, Prescott, Phoenix and Flagstaff will compete at the 15-poet slam held by Ghost Poetry Slam and hosted by Ben “B-Jam” Gardea on Friday, April 19. </p><p>The overall state champion will win trip sponsored by the ASPS to represent Arizona at the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' BlackBerry Peach National Slam from June 5 to 8 in Roswell, Ga.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1W4Df_15o0qA1Du8HgF9Qt3mJSKZ8J_6h36gB75kk2IccG4tKngDK4FSOllMdma3I2_m8Z-iykgAaNq6LYKt47Yw1UUNkkLdtTSm4ddq4t7xre08UETMq-IPBEdyIlzGqixgqQGTI30lVAJ2JVsPTlxUw0lcI9yV8Ge_Pxpp0i3bGD8YEzciJa1CIwA/s2533/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="1933" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1W4Df_15o0qA1Du8HgF9Qt3mJSKZ8J_6h36gB75kk2IccG4tKngDK4FSOllMdma3I2_m8Z-iykgAaNq6LYKt47Yw1UUNkkLdtTSm4ddq4t7xre08UETMq-IPBEdyIlzGqixgqQGTI30lVAJ2JVsPTlxUw0lcI9yV8Ge_Pxpp0i3bGD8YEzciJa1CIwA/w488-h640/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B-Jam, photo by Sedona Poetry Slam</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>A regular competitor at the Sedona Poetry Slam, B-Jam is a Phoenix native, married father of three children. Gardea overcame both alcoholism and a rare hip disease that made him unable to walk. After getting sober and a total hip replacement, he had two goals: To share his poetry and and hike a mountain in Sedona. Three years later, B-Jam is the 2023 ASPS State Poetry Slam champion, ranked 10th nationally and has curated writers workshops, featured at poetry events, won a grant to publish a poetry book and is the host and producer of the popular PHX Poetry Slam.</p><p>“Poetry has changed my life and I want to be a caretaker of the artform for future generations to explore and become part of, because I know that poetry can make the most profound impact on human beings,” B-Jam said. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gTBPYMxtTlOCtQ_2689KmmkRAGQmXjHfu-3I5QnP-bSeYN3OF5z-7DItDZm0mWcr1yDmtEcUpfcqgENZc2N0XelN1Oaa6HJWkdz_rH9dFKQiOimZFsZ0ShvMR7-A9YQVNUwPogl2FXePfxQj7eJ4hyxPb_BrQNLREv_mI9zH7Bv3hQphGV2Rw_hBmIc/s1167/Ben%20Gardea%20aka%20B-Jam%204-2023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gTBPYMxtTlOCtQ_2689KmmkRAGQmXjHfu-3I5QnP-bSeYN3OF5z-7DItDZm0mWcr1yDmtEcUpfcqgENZc2N0XelN1Oaa6HJWkdz_rH9dFKQiOimZFsZ0ShvMR7-A9YQVNUwPogl2FXePfxQj7eJ4hyxPb_BrQNLREv_mI9zH7Bv3hQphGV2Rw_hBmIc/w548-h640/Ben%20Gardea%20aka%20B-Jam%204-2023.jpg" width="548" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B-Jam, photo by Sedona Poetry Slam<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-77969953931554204762024-02-25T21:31:00.003-07:002024-02-25T21:31:28.760-07:00Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, March 9, to select three representatives to send to BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam's Arizona State Championships<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnbc8POTVBp9NxAESxZS8Bkb-gz5hKQEutPm-kiF37hmE4kfA9Ub1xpSUZ3c-srVbv2xnUMmpH0OmM6q2YOLJ6eXKp8dBcxweCP3Z_46DHM3_MSR-02DC-RQJj2MnprPcAEOhadTcoJu3lBoxiYFr-cFPiDGrQkIMRbvSslpGC822EDUt3RbtOv2luFQ/s1549/MicFires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1549" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnbc8POTVBp9NxAESxZS8Bkb-gz5hKQEutPm-kiF37hmE4kfA9Ub1xpSUZ3c-srVbv2xnUMmpH0OmM6q2YOLJ6eXKp8dBcxweCP3Z_46DHM3_MSR-02DC-RQJj2MnprPcAEOhadTcoJu3lBoxiYFr-cFPiDGrQkIMRbvSslpGC822EDUt3RbtOv2luFQ/w640-h414/MicFires.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>With the fourth poetry slam of the Sedona Poetry Slam's 15th season, performance poets will bring high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Saturday, March 9, starting at 7:30 p.m. </p><p>The top three poets at this slam with earn spots to compete at the BlackBerry Peach Poetry Slam's Arizona Championship, to be held at the Rebel Lounge in Phoenix in April. </p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Open Slam</span></b></p><p>Anyone can compete in a poetry slam if they have poems to read and the courage to get on stage. A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wQ5bH_R1EmJCX0X4s7UUosd1wu4GlwYh5TP16XIE8oPWDJkSq5aQfGCzGfnhHfTBYSxtrX2jA6LIDvZ3MKE1YCNNeKGDJhVXrernO6-FfMKEzB4YjB4RgNEbUr16-6GdrmGP-LeQJylipYhhnxAPCRrRKsbcE0sm6d5JxVf0t2IpYhI_i3qFLLIWNJI/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_45.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wQ5bH_R1EmJCX0X4s7UUosd1wu4GlwYh5TP16XIE8oPWDJkSq5aQfGCzGfnhHfTBYSxtrX2jA6LIDvZ3MKE1YCNNeKGDJhVXrernO6-FfMKEzB4YjB4RgNEbUr16-6GdrmGP-LeQJylipYhhnxAPCRrRKsbcE0sm6d5JxVf0t2IpYhI_i3qFLLIWNJI/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_45.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sondraya Bradley, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-XJqG-JtdHnBNvX2M50IrCJFTL16DmYGcSEcLI0y8VSuH88YtkltRbNb3gDtynDYp6pmLLxZqo7ILVZzZt-wQSc5Psw2mTthChmN5bIY5m4ClXNUIGRj2JJsNqP3e7LPE9jSGCRTx2nMvpZdJPYPz8PVWzVLhcJTZZMLkJtzX4WUKC_Fk6PF6jY8zew/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_89.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-XJqG-JtdHnBNvX2M50IrCJFTL16DmYGcSEcLI0y8VSuH88YtkltRbNb3gDtynDYp6pmLLxZqo7ILVZzZt-wQSc5Psw2mTthChmN5bIY5m4ClXNUIGRj2JJsNqP3e7LPE9jSGCRTx2nMvpZdJPYPz8PVWzVLhcJTZZMLkJtzX4WUKC_Fk6PF6jY8zew/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_89.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tempest Juliet, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLXtpOefNLy1BLmBzWEyVPU-cGWC25NVPdtYPDF-w5F5JLjLJRXn_zRTqBOHpZKwpSk9u5CaxpiRZ8u6iAnTK-thWF3IGJnUe8E-c6PYzIVuPPoHrO_C618vMY_MSqPTy1zZT4nWQFhQgXXCxVBcf7YBUN62Hg9caWHDa3Adc-cGghs93-sDE6vGWm6g/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLXtpOefNLy1BLmBzWEyVPU-cGWC25NVPdtYPDF-w5F5JLjLJRXn_zRTqBOHpZKwpSk9u5CaxpiRZ8u6iAnTK-thWF3IGJnUe8E-c6PYzIVuPPoHrO_C618vMY_MSqPTy1zZT4nWQFhQgXXCxVBcf7YBUN62Hg9caWHDa3Adc-cGghs93-sDE6vGWm6g/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_11.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Valence, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12. For tickets, call 282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku6IXU4JGm5jrJYQKmB9Y_IsOHJvQRQEMbuTMM2T_pn60ags-MWcuCP3BYQror3jOMRwmXnfJejbCGWXm8MREWcZVqMFjds7DXEEvmpVZo-CPCdQOV2uHyWyPALDXBNLT6aqekrUt-UQ3YFdi5jZvxg3FRsdAC0U6MN2K9l5pKYe4LAw7DfRfkO61Q7Q/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_47.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku6IXU4JGm5jrJYQKmB9Y_IsOHJvQRQEMbuTMM2T_pn60ags-MWcuCP3BYQror3jOMRwmXnfJejbCGWXm8MREWcZVqMFjds7DXEEvmpVZo-CPCdQOV2uHyWyPALDXBNLT6aqekrUt-UQ3YFdi5jZvxg3FRsdAC0U6MN2K9l5pKYe4LAw7DfRfkO61Q7Q/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_47.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Steven Ojeda, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The next poetry slams of the season will be held on </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Saturday, April 13, featuring Briana Grace Hammerstrom of Portland. Ore., by way of Flagstaff; </li><li>Saturday, May 11; </li><li>and finally on Saturday, June 8.</li></ul><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQG7pADhxXDBfgimzUlBQQxg7iFdoQf4JA8TGrheuV3aVT9M1ADWl9AHGhE8FGVSXimJCNFHBXjLe7C0-uGGOW7rxlrjiUaMmVo8HGMWIgyUFJjIIv99xlS78VJ_LC0e4BI3GLaLWFAarG4_pPBD44aZMdX7HaVQIJ3rw8TjLKA1qfMdzKKoohiX38kUQ/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_40.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQG7pADhxXDBfgimzUlBQQxg7iFdoQf4JA8TGrheuV3aVT9M1ADWl9AHGhE8FGVSXimJCNFHBXjLe7C0-uGGOW7rxlrjiUaMmVo8HGMWIgyUFJjIIv99xlS78VJ_LC0e4BI3GLaLWFAarG4_pPBD44aZMdX7HaVQIJ3rw8TjLKA1qfMdzKKoohiX38kUQ/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_40.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lydia Gates, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The February poetry slam selected three poets — Lydia Gates, Josh Wiss and Tyler “Valence” Sirvinskas — who will be representing Sedona at the All-Arizona Poetry Slam Championship in Maricopa in March.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFyokrC5dSTQCLcTz-6f7RwrlAViD8PUeZReWLHnrUTdB-5M_fhnP-UvUboVD6htvhTqdZFqwFLmv0XxRKRYTrWG3-4SfB5TjZtKyoSuugizxGLZOKYrocyCtjxBztjazJ11r5pZ1wEXm-U7NrWuIAGpurbx22T0-K9k_D-s6Q9zfqrP6nBglglYQPbU/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_66.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFyokrC5dSTQCLcTz-6f7RwrlAViD8PUeZReWLHnrUTdB-5M_fhnP-UvUboVD6htvhTqdZFqwFLmv0XxRKRYTrWG3-4SfB5TjZtKyoSuugizxGLZOKYrocyCtjxBztjazJ11r5pZ1wEXm-U7NrWuIAGpurbx22T0-K9k_D-s6Q9zfqrP6nBglglYQPbU/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_66.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Josh Wiss, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The prize money is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.</p><p>Email<b><u> foxthepoet@yahoo.com </u></b>to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw08G2XxdXlNAgdb87R2obFV2ykNJCleWbF579feaN_Gu9ZJnlmOm4OaBtdVxeEWatwjCDuWUcgD8Fk5D1zHqY2StyQYqJey8I8hqGbM6QAjsLWfSnIoqah2L48Zi1cKKsrereSub1j3Kcu4wz2OMG0Sp69iVvLTKcHy5lc8WNI1j-0H9biejdANb9uU/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw08G2XxdXlNAgdb87R2obFV2ykNJCleWbF579feaN_Gu9ZJnlmOm4OaBtdVxeEWatwjCDuWUcgD8Fk5D1zHqY2StyQYqJey8I8hqGbM6QAjsLWfSnIoqah2L48Zi1cKKsrereSub1j3Kcu4wz2OMG0Sp69iVvLTKcHy5lc8WNI1j-0H9biejdANb9uU/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_24.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>MC Tristan Marshell, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>For more information, visit sedonafilmfestival.com or <a href="http://foxthepoet.blogspot.com">foxthepoet.blogspot.com</a>. For a full list of slam poetry events in Arizona, visit <a href="http://azpoet.com">azpoet.com</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTdtrtDDIx8vZ8ItSvjKvpkIIAG048Df-veBg2aRkm4Bh7lVyr8524GzFFpdVPgD6wtIJmpZ9w7Lo6cB3xi_GqIecAyl3MsOwCazhgTh2QGA1cHzgMEE_l8tCtI7wsoLHTDV3ysVEu2TvC7toImybpkmEJIL2OSMZYZC0z7eR3IDIGJzR8q0tpIG1_SM/s978/BlackBerry%20Peach2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="978" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTdtrtDDIx8vZ8ItSvjKvpkIIAG048Df-veBg2aRkm4Bh7lVyr8524GzFFpdVPgD6wtIJmpZ9w7Lo6cB3xi_GqIecAyl3MsOwCazhgTh2QGA1cHzgMEE_l8tCtI7wsoLHTDV3ysVEu2TvC7toImybpkmEJIL2OSMZYZC0z7eR3IDIGJzR8q0tpIG1_SM/w640-h352/BlackBerry%20Peach2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;">BlackBerry Peach</b></p><p>The top three poets will earn Sedona's three spots at the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam's Arizona State Championships, sponsored by the Arizona State Poetry Society.</p><p>Three poets each from open poetry slams in Sedona, Mesa, Prescott, Phoenix and Flagstaff will compete at the 15-poet slam held by Ghost Poetry Slam and hosted by Ben “B-Jam” Gardea. </p><p>The overall state champion will win trip sponsored by the ASPS to represent Arizona at the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' BlackBerry Peach National Slam from June 5 to 8 in Roswell, Ga.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1W4Df_15o0qA1Du8HgF9Qt3mJSKZ8J_6h36gB75kk2IccG4tKngDK4FSOllMdma3I2_m8Z-iykgAaNq6LYKt47Yw1UUNkkLdtTSm4ddq4t7xre08UETMq-IPBEdyIlzGqixgqQGTI30lVAJ2JVsPTlxUw0lcI9yV8Ge_Pxpp0i3bGD8YEzciJa1CIwA/s2533/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="1933" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1W4Df_15o0qA1Du8HgF9Qt3mJSKZ8J_6h36gB75kk2IccG4tKngDK4FSOllMdma3I2_m8Z-iykgAaNq6LYKt47Yw1UUNkkLdtTSm4ddq4t7xre08UETMq-IPBEdyIlzGqixgqQGTI30lVAJ2JVsPTlxUw0lcI9yV8Ge_Pxpp0i3bGD8YEzciJa1CIwA/w488-h640/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B-Jam, photo by Sedona Poetry Slam</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>A regular competitor at the Sedona Poetry Slam, B-Jam is a Phoenix native, married father of three children. Gardea overcame both alcoholism and a rare hip disease that made him unable to walk. After getting sober and a total hip replacement, he had two goals: To share his poetry and and hike a mountain in Sedona. Three years later, B-Jam is the 2023 ASPS State Poetry Slam champion, ranked 10th nationally and has curated writers workshops, featured at poetry events, won a grant to publish a poetry book and is the host and producer of the popular PHX Poetry Slam.</p><p>“Poetry has changed my life and I want to be a caretaker of the artform for future generations to explore and become part of, because I know that poetry can make the most profound impact on human beings,” B-Jam said. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gTBPYMxtTlOCtQ_2689KmmkRAGQmXjHfu-3I5QnP-bSeYN3OF5z-7DItDZm0mWcr1yDmtEcUpfcqgENZc2N0XelN1Oaa6HJWkdz_rH9dFKQiOimZFsZ0ShvMR7-A9YQVNUwPogl2FXePfxQj7eJ4hyxPb_BrQNLREv_mI9zH7Bv3hQphGV2Rw_hBmIc/s1167/Ben%20Gardea%20aka%20B-Jam%204-2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gTBPYMxtTlOCtQ_2689KmmkRAGQmXjHfu-3I5QnP-bSeYN3OF5z-7DItDZm0mWcr1yDmtEcUpfcqgENZc2N0XelN1Oaa6HJWkdz_rH9dFKQiOimZFsZ0ShvMR7-A9YQVNUwPogl2FXePfxQj7eJ4hyxPb_BrQNLREv_mI9zH7Bv3hQphGV2Rw_hBmIc/w548-h640/Ben%20Gardea%20aka%20B-Jam%204-2023.jpg" width="548" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B-Jam, photo by Sedona Poetry Slam</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;">What is Poetry Slam? </b></p><p>Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0jz64WO_Y4BHBESsXUfseqEiqH2M48sCZbqlJLTVDe6MHtFNOhxbufw6FbamqAWsvEcMJ_05RIOa-FZaEkXamoFvePam_LxbjTexOIUtnspLGHkYwlZ-NjVuHKb4Tm2GZOxLiTqIEYzQMc5fnuQSqfANU16B6CjVJVVdJbBb97qWRA9Y2k7oI4hDC-4/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_94.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0jz64WO_Y4BHBESsXUfseqEiqH2M48sCZbqlJLTVDe6MHtFNOhxbufw6FbamqAWsvEcMJ_05RIOa-FZaEkXamoFvePam_LxbjTexOIUtnspLGHkYwlZ-NjVuHKb4Tm2GZOxLiTqIEYzQMc5fnuQSqfANU16B6CjVJVVdJbBb97qWRA9Y2k7oI4hDC-4/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_94.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Host Christopher Fox Graham, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZY80UGGBuHd_-QRLBXT173LPvF3bEgOklNRUoWyKRKrFJcGO0HnJaM8CPqjh6YRYE-XH68WBNgL_ktkTYoLNkg2VYLNRh0MrY6ayMtXe0dG4GbR2mikgddCM8CBdsvW0MqxU5Sy7r5VhK7nnQRDdInIFNLJ9UPssAvSCnoNGUC9Hr_5I2be8dxz1EksI/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_57.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZY80UGGBuHd_-QRLBXT173LPvF3bEgOklNRUoWyKRKrFJcGO0HnJaM8CPqjh6YRYE-XH68WBNgL_ktkTYoLNkg2VYLNRh0MrY6ayMtXe0dG4GbR2mikgddCM8CBdsvW0MqxU5Sy7r5VhK7nnQRDdInIFNLJ9UPssAvSCnoNGUC9Hr_5I2be8dxz1EksI/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_57.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stacy Eden, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sedona has sent four-poet teams to represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and Chicago.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jqg1GfEtqett82PQc9SfaZRnl59Si8U4vB5H0R6AailD7qB08bLuQ5dGkYkTVFFGQPv7p_J5UKy1j4KGO0jkaAhtXwvw5ds8AOjel4xWh_4ouf_pJdwQPZHxmkDl4y5ucKOoLawIeyt1ifsmDYWnfsSJm_-Npwp1zQCvRi_CJzACY0H0TEV1l9gXbwk/s4500/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jqg1GfEtqett82PQc9SfaZRnl59Si8U4vB5H0R6AailD7qB08bLuQ5dGkYkTVFFGQPv7p_J5UKy1j4KGO0jkaAhtXwvw5ds8AOjel4xWh_4ouf_pJdwQPZHxmkDl4y5ucKOoLawIeyt1ifsmDYWnfsSJm_-Npwp1zQCvRi_CJzACY0H0TEV1l9gXbwk/w640-h426/wa-%20Poetry%20Slam%20_02-09_05.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Randy Morris, photo by David Jolkovski/Larson Newspapers</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-1007344674879906982024-02-20T09:30:00.001-07:002024-02-20T09:30:00.132-07:00Buddy Wakefield: "A Waste" in Round 2 of the 2004 iWPS in Greenville, SC<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/10_y4Y6Qavw?si=i9l0xKoQtPZDBSAa" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<p>Taylor Mali, MC, introduces Buddy Wakefield who performs "A Waste" in Round 2 of the 2004 iWPS in Greenville, SC<br />Videographers: Gabrielle Bouliane and Tazuo Yamaguchi </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd1XieWdofy5OKikE7wnAGgRZctF4OVDE_dX2xCd8yQvtvJCOnTnoQcyst75NE5HcsciV4Snar-2j8IOWk0_HaQGLIFEfbjfOyuJLg41yeMqWHuNNJB06FA05MOn48pTDK2RD3PXKi3er4kgkv8dFOLAAlCUfrJsclxS8da-hwgu2-TARfNck0UDl7Ubk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2560" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd1XieWdofy5OKikE7wnAGgRZctF4OVDE_dX2xCd8yQvtvJCOnTnoQcyst75NE5HcsciV4Snar-2j8IOWk0_HaQGLIFEfbjfOyuJLg41yeMqWHuNNJB06FA05MOn48pTDK2RD3PXKi3er4kgkv8dFOLAAlCUfrJsclxS8da-hwgu2-TARfNck0UDl7Ubk" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><a href="https://www.buddywakefield.com/" target="_blank">BUDDY WAKEFIELD </a></b>is an actor, writer, producer, and three-time world champion spoken word artist featured on the BBC, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, ABC Radio National and has been signed to both Sage Francis’ Strange Famous Records as well as Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records. In 2004 he won the first Individual World Poetry Slam Finals thanks to the support of anthropologist and producer Norman Lear, then went on to share the stage with nearly every notable performance poet in the world in over 2000 venues internationally from The Great Lawn of Central Park, Zimbabwe’s Shoko Festival and Scotland’s Oran Mor to San Quentin State Penitentiary, House of Blues New Orleans and The Basement in Sydney, Australia.<p></p><p>Buddy has been a busker in Amsterdam, a street vendor in Spain, a team leader in Singapore, a re-delivery boy, a candy maker, a street sweeper, a bartender, a maid, a construction worker, a bull rider, a notably slow triathlete, a facilitator at Quantum Learning Network, and is the most toured performance poet in history. He is the founder of Awful Good Writers, and the producer and host of Heavy Hitters Festival 2020, a summer-long series of online shows and workshops featuring thirty of the most beloved performance poets alive.</p><p>The inaugural author released on Write Bloody Publishing, and an original Board of Directors member with Youth Speaks Seattle, Buddy is published in dozens of books internationally with work used to win multiple national collegiate debate and forensics competitions. His first short film, Farmly, directed by Jamie DeWolf, won Best of Texas at the Literally Short Film Fest, and the USA Film Festival.</p><p>In the spring of 2001 Buddy left his position as the executive assistant at a biomedical firm in Gig Harbor, WA, sold or gave away everything he owned, moved to the small town of Honda Civic, then set out to live for a living. His aim was to tour North American poetry venues for two years. He did not stop. Wakefield, who isn’t concerned with what poetry is or is not, delivers raw, rounded, disarming performances of humor and heart. </p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-89056365878531755482024-02-16T09:54:00.023-07:002024-03-14T10:38:28.447-07:00My grandfather was a union man<p>On August 19, 1959, Mine-Mill Workers went on strike against the Anaconda Company after failed negotiations. </p><p>Miners from Butte, Anaconda, Great Falls, and Helena set up pickets around the company’s mining properties. After 181 days, the strike ended, and miners could return to work on February 16, 1960. The 1959 strike was the second-longest in the history of Butte.</p><p>My grandfather, Raymond Graham, served as president of the West Falls Local, and mentioned in a Dec. 11, 1959, story in the The Independent-Record from Helena on Page 9.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifUq_cV2TM6CDksG4Ei0S98UEQ28QdCbDB_jqlR8uvzyLIkwMb5sugii6L4f-RKg31zAyA41Ijc4zbz_P7zRrJbSBnCrcjXYAiYWVe1Zl_2NK76DP6vOsOeWv4wPT2ddtsMqwjUE072ssCYdNdTjU66fDGVmqTMttLgEuGcw5ruw_PjQsQ-2QcTzY0WD0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="400" data-original-width="271" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifUq_cV2TM6CDksG4Ei0S98UEQ28QdCbDB_jqlR8uvzyLIkwMb5sugii6L4f-RKg31zAyA41Ijc4zbz_P7zRrJbSBnCrcjXYAiYWVe1Zl_2NK76DP6vOsOeWv4wPT2ddtsMqwjUE072ssCYdNdTjU66fDGVmqTMttLgEuGcw5ruw_PjQsQ-2QcTzY0WD0=w435-h640" width="435" /></a></div><br />He was serving as secretary of the Local when it ended in Feb. 16, 1960, and was quoted by an Associated Press reporter.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46t8sWdwkcDPWI5kW3xnDtmzcqXzsaBwjcl6EFzo-T2wmTsx50PdCyRAJRl0JUXhIYn5cXX9dK5CF96ZwFrU5ej_lJXqfIv6TWu2aFv6OSh3lcgs9lbCiPMisnVPt4ohyphenhyphen2AArCJ4A44sOD8dsQrlUFTu2syZ6K8yklK3Uty9lbSmLb3RArAy6rIlN2YI/s3477/tinywow_1959-Miners-Strike-Packet_50513025_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3477" data-original-width="2400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46t8sWdwkcDPWI5kW3xnDtmzcqXzsaBwjcl6EFzo-T2wmTsx50PdCyRAJRl0JUXhIYn5cXX9dK5CF96ZwFrU5ej_lJXqfIv6TWu2aFv6OSh3lcgs9lbCiPMisnVPt4ohyphenhyphen2AArCJ4A44sOD8dsQrlUFTu2syZ6K8yklK3Uty9lbSmLb3RArAy6rIlN2YI/w442-h640/tinywow_1959-Miners-Strike-Packet_50513025_1.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdJiNSeayp15dOVaRb2ks-GV2GodIoD95KcvtCNUNOgUalu-k5uGWgCDXbtJAfLP4M28qzIdUtwFHMj4AEJd3fRre36anujfMqROWYqgKTqjbLH2IhkJps1vPewWVCbn8az-dDGDOPjytMxLKOvwbU39h42QTISDPX8mEQtOmthMo9RufU_mZIgnEF8Q/s3533/tinywow_1959-Miners-Strike-Packet_50513025_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3533" data-original-width="2400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdJiNSeayp15dOVaRb2ks-GV2GodIoD95KcvtCNUNOgUalu-k5uGWgCDXbtJAfLP4M28qzIdUtwFHMj4AEJd3fRre36anujfMqROWYqgKTqjbLH2IhkJps1vPewWVCbn8az-dDGDOPjytMxLKOvwbU39h42QTISDPX8mEQtOmthMo9RufU_mZIgnEF8Q/w434-h640/tinywow_1959-Miners-Strike-Packet_50513025_2.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6gvJSiAX2zEgMxJV43jRJNMtSCwQY78fzuRNVChUYTPAUpVpSd1FzcuQbMoqU3Io6RsjChbR01cPI3TWT5KqZse3af5zDjiVCCftQbrp5-QMYoAucQC9BNs3eANmejK_zp5U9BTIqJPgCN2a931saQAusX0EJsTDOYf_LyFKU4hPdKblVaHhh8llbGQ/s1380/Raymond%20Graham.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1380" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6gvJSiAX2zEgMxJV43jRJNMtSCwQY78fzuRNVChUYTPAUpVpSd1FzcuQbMoqU3Io6RsjChbR01cPI3TWT5KqZse3af5zDjiVCCftQbrp5-QMYoAucQC9BNs3eANmejK_zp5U9BTIqJPgCN2a931saQAusX0EJsTDOYf_LyFKU4hPdKblVaHhh8llbGQ/w640-h430/Raymond%20Graham.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1952 Labor Day parade in Great Falls, Montana</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvwpdnhh2ll2bQSNHvp_hjW7ILQaAuvY5FYOhJeltLYVc10lLqLXQUK-0DgkAftrCw-7Qix5nXxY-c9OvIuXL5Td__5xwoKL2Q7JWU_QZZ9N3_Vmh7xgzQfcJdmznxXW9N_VgyQEJQgCBmKKIHemjbxo2UafsPvndAt8MyPSiR_z_ZGwzDwBf0PS0JRo/s1534/Great%20Falls%20Tribute%201952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1534" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvwpdnhh2ll2bQSNHvp_hjW7ILQaAuvY5FYOhJeltLYVc10lLqLXQUK-0DgkAftrCw-7Qix5nXxY-c9OvIuXL5Td__5xwoKL2Q7JWU_QZZ9N3_Vmh7xgzQfcJdmznxXW9N_VgyQEJQgCBmKKIHemjbxo2UafsPvndAt8MyPSiR_z_ZGwzDwBf0PS0JRo/w640-h420/Great%20Falls%20Tribute%201952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23iK2Vdu6rurt__n9zcsSiwqgtkuDMEDeCy8yqtclmvQpCasXlMCwjkLpQl6L7gwX9hF6s5chyrAS0G5dYRmou1hYBkPk4Hfay75-2UOab8UMOW4UxzOlujTlS8hv1qQHzESSL1UglrLXCGyOlnJ0OiOSLHXYMC8SXgk-fQwYF4itGWrhwc1bn1Mrof0/s2554/Great_Falls_Tribune_1952_09_01_Page_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2554" data-original-width="2304" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23iK2Vdu6rurt__n9zcsSiwqgtkuDMEDeCy8yqtclmvQpCasXlMCwjkLpQl6L7gwX9hF6s5chyrAS0G5dYRmou1hYBkPk4Hfay75-2UOab8UMOW4UxzOlujTlS8hv1qQHzESSL1UglrLXCGyOlnJ0OiOSLHXYMC8SXgk-fQwYF4itGWrhwc1bn1Mrof0/w578-h640/Great_Falls_Tribune_1952_09_01_Page_1.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-59899413959960566582024-01-21T22:39:00.000-07:002024-01-21T22:39:28.501-07:00 Sedona Poetry Slam on Feb. 3 will select three poets for the All-Arizona Championship Poetry Slam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sipu0ixiY9ISSxlcELzHj3FUnreTjywPEK3kUfeUjQSLu1pOVdCvPyZQkIovJP3Yev9Yd1IczdUzlmAZ793jEW8T3dnT4jPgJnMuFehnNdwOwjtPkf1FFMAeKaDBjBvyKxM7BzYf-CtkNHg2VTqxbYhl1AF8ZQMFGqVQ103kaXO2x856r8kMX1gzorI/s1963/ps%20-%20All-Arizona%20Championship%20SPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1963" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sipu0ixiY9ISSxlcELzHj3FUnreTjywPEK3kUfeUjQSLu1pOVdCvPyZQkIovJP3Yev9Yd1IczdUzlmAZ793jEW8T3dnT4jPgJnMuFehnNdwOwjtPkf1FFMAeKaDBjBvyKxM7BzYf-CtkNHg2VTqxbYhl1AF8ZQMFGqVQ103kaXO2x856r8kMX1gzorI/w640-h306/ps%20-%20All-Arizona%20Championship%20SPS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Performance poets will compete for the third time this season, bringing high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnri0DKJrzORCr8CMjCGzEXGgi81iUP_KPDMGik2C2uTxqkrVeMyr4wm5pszuHNJq8FvxvjN1IpQvrPmTT4zDE4dPMA_Wxkwq365E9vIi3iTTa8BlLoEaKesz7vGGZy9C18Pt-NvFnjrPYHIlkzadg2IDSVWqDyzQ5qdCB8uYZdDlWZappkeQcvsRFtaQ/s2533/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="1933" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnri0DKJrzORCr8CMjCGzEXGgi81iUP_KPDMGik2C2uTxqkrVeMyr4wm5pszuHNJq8FvxvjN1IpQvrPmTT4zDE4dPMA_Wxkwq365E9vIi3iTTa8BlLoEaKesz7vGGZy9C18Pt-NvFnjrPYHIlkzadg2IDSVWqDyzQ5qdCB8uYZdDlWZappkeQcvsRFtaQ/w488-h640/Ben%20Gardea%20-%20B-Jam.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B-Jam</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The top three poets will be representing Sedona at the All-Arizona Championship Poetry Slam that will be held in the town of Maricopa on March 9.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR56QXH6Kq5fE7HqvfabeiQfMFuatjetxlzQtOqcEp64OkmYMliDwTXmDMljdVyz51p8sUb4NWnKmmz7MfoHEG_-8-mZicwji7d_exmq0nj28SYDLSWbYXZgv2L4MDAxoAYJFneWyUGgFOea9DUnOANQS2QkbGEYvwvEhWApztlK1-YaRT4XbP8BTiQ8s/s3568/Lydia%20Gates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3568" data-original-width="1672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR56QXH6Kq5fE7HqvfabeiQfMFuatjetxlzQtOqcEp64OkmYMliDwTXmDMljdVyz51p8sUb4NWnKmmz7MfoHEG_-8-mZicwji7d_exmq0nj28SYDLSWbYXZgv2L4MDAxoAYJFneWyUGgFOea9DUnOANQS2QkbGEYvwvEhWApztlK1-YaRT4XbP8BTiQ8s/w300-h640/Lydia%20Gates.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lydia Gates</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3TtoQJkB3J8XHNHktpTxasl8_jmgVci-rvSjIjCqd-OIobdEmdFj9JAPNtRFJbXKkTA3INr_Ge1u5lBHCEOzHCDRpib0CinTK4Gg3sG6tIrKjAfN0aiODHr8vDFNwSHUdEme829rLGpZKX_d4dQvehut-t68g_mFUkoXqa2RrmZYjTlHttF5b_TOvww/s3556/RJ%20Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3556" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3TtoQJkB3J8XHNHktpTxasl8_jmgVci-rvSjIjCqd-OIobdEmdFj9JAPNtRFJbXKkTA3INr_Ge1u5lBHCEOzHCDRpib0CinTK4Gg3sG6tIrKjAfN0aiODHr8vDFNwSHUdEme829rLGpZKX_d4dQvehut-t68g_mFUkoXqa2RrmZYjTlHttF5b_TOvww/w640-h408/RJ%20Walker.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>R.J. Walker, a featured poet from St. Lake City, performed Jan. 13.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqA45uNVSc3HU1OFxgaMCC3EHZFTTONO1y4BtmWk2NwgOwk1hF8P-hSL45b7up7c5NV9IPoXA2iOtEtTwzgM3zC3eKdqsJ8Z3SmKu4eLip3p3f0bzurcr5zB4FTtft5Ho8eY-NiIJzg2fByduKUwscT_WUhTMxDmAQI-jokqemMQYloQWyeOdtFtp4Zw/s2816/Sondraya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2808" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqA45uNVSc3HU1OFxgaMCC3EHZFTTONO1y4BtmWk2NwgOwk1hF8P-hSL45b7up7c5NV9IPoXA2iOtEtTwzgM3zC3eKdqsJ8Z3SmKu4eLip3p3f0bzurcr5zB4FTtft5Ho8eY-NiIJzg2fByduKUwscT_WUhTMxDmAQI-jokqemMQYloQWyeOdtFtp4Zw/w638-h640/Sondraya.jpg" width="638" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sondraya Bradley</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptuEgCaVKzyarT9UxlKNBry0l9rLNcKzGJFnLSHm62pDxzqldOPyMWpK0Vx9HpT6rf0ShWcUVaYeMExlOOf6x_cExeFyuaTWUyZ4BYPI9b9nqHqZvIl-ivlVgsAvPtGlDy1_vC8H2xK4p4coVgqZssbFwDY9O1ByD2WUog1GYiHob8eGGs5MQ2K19LHg/s3772/Josh%20Wiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="3772" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptuEgCaVKzyarT9UxlKNBry0l9rLNcKzGJFnLSHm62pDxzqldOPyMWpK0Vx9HpT6rf0ShWcUVaYeMExlOOf6x_cExeFyuaTWUyZ4BYPI9b9nqHqZvIl-ivlVgsAvPtGlDy1_vC8H2xK4p4coVgqZssbFwDY9O1ByD2WUog1GYiHob8eGGs5MQ2K19LHg/w640-h492/Josh%20Wiss.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh Wiss<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a competition. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXfxWXdiuUZajt1vRiUx3TAde8X1Jx6ng_uCMZEsVLPF_76Q2qD6Opgy1CAmlhwJTv27ZKu7KUDOMid84FQE-LsQYdR2rbpxBuw8ZnvcJNmwAHH7SvbcYs8KxEjN4y4lTyoL_JMh_tOoEPaOc0LiWdPd9KC-Ij_fF3vam_NSpvHzuoFu-prmt2-5W3CY/s3324/Raina%20Jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3324" data-original-width="2028" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXfxWXdiuUZajt1vRiUx3TAde8X1Jx6ng_uCMZEsVLPF_76Q2qD6Opgy1CAmlhwJTv27ZKu7KUDOMid84FQE-LsQYdR2rbpxBuw8ZnvcJNmwAHH7SvbcYs8KxEjN4y4lTyoL_JMh_tOoEPaOc0LiWdPd9KC-Ij_fF3vam_NSpvHzuoFu-prmt2-5W3CY/w390-h640/Raina%20Jane.jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raina Jane</td></tr></tbody></table><p>All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCPo_GRRCa7d_X1w9A0UtzvicSRtqFWm3jFsNGSsAQY3sdCOEI2ZIGhukre37ZLaWq0kEDGXRrxUlDHL017-Ennx1SwuBKBFDGLEjwbmhPSogp5UkJMoxSGsieTzDIciRYRdvxtocjoRzWuAgci-YDAD5qc0-JD3feOCuVkA3lgwJyaaHaC9Ljm8TAwI/s4032/Valence%20-%20Tyler%20Sirvinskas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1952" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCPo_GRRCa7d_X1w9A0UtzvicSRtqFWm3jFsNGSsAQY3sdCOEI2ZIGhukre37ZLaWq0kEDGXRrxUlDHL017-Ennx1SwuBKBFDGLEjwbmhPSogp5UkJMoxSGsieTzDIciRYRdvxtocjoRzWuAgci-YDAD5qc0-JD3feOCuVkA3lgwJyaaHaC9Ljm8TAwI/w310-h640/Valence%20-%20Tyler%20Sirvinskas.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br /><p>The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12. For tickets, call 282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4ug3t3s_MbaLufsbeJzF9h5xhWoC1ZgJpdpg3anTLekMQcUOyDSOiMCPBGcsmoPymGlCYFS872d9a06X5KrmMxpWzfXnI7l_t4-bkg_JUiqEAYXWDj9V165Qa-keSzPbUwD-yJExkFpbgUo8YZyWeh54oeDBp5LDeGYaeIj1SOE3U5HZ7X9ADer4Z8w/s2000/Kate%20Martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="2000" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4ug3t3s_MbaLufsbeJzF9h5xhWoC1ZgJpdpg3anTLekMQcUOyDSOiMCPBGcsmoPymGlCYFS872d9a06X5KrmMxpWzfXnI7l_t4-bkg_JUiqEAYXWDj9V165Qa-keSzPbUwD-yJExkFpbgUo8YZyWeh54oeDBp5LDeGYaeIj1SOE3U5HZ7X9ADer4Z8w/w640-h564/Kate%20Martin.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kate Martin</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The next poetry slam of the season will be held on Saturdays, March 9; April 13, featuring Briana Grace Hammerstrom of Portland. Ore., by way of Flagstaff, May 11 and finally on June 8.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRrLpn_k-LtwJNLzYr9g-4bElE7NIsQIeaiUFPCiApJtykBjbIxLmFlKWBkX3Lzx9Ncirtv1WKz2otDjE09OaeLujTIjsyO70Rnlpl2QH5cl1L0kO0bFqD3Pglu8EsTDrYqXVt0_3jZCjOcQt5uQLZqJqq4Rww2oEEsaOaM8I_yMrHpPIGzDKkvv5qGU/s2016/Roger%20Blakiston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRrLpn_k-LtwJNLzYr9g-4bElE7NIsQIeaiUFPCiApJtykBjbIxLmFlKWBkX3Lzx9Ncirtv1WKz2otDjE09OaeLujTIjsyO70Rnlpl2QH5cl1L0kO0bFqD3Pglu8EsTDrYqXVt0_3jZCjOcQt5uQLZqJqq4Rww2oEEsaOaM8I_yMrHpPIGzDKkvv5qGU/w480-h640/Roger%20Blakiston.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roger Blakiston</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>The prize money is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS33ggLBN38sp6ZGzoMstrVegNv81nMLwYB5ehduYiIw_XmbWgClaQVsTy-yc5XN-DOy1gcAWDR4JIjEQFNJNK5E-p51kd0x26nmj0gH0-nENmLK92z9-dDW_MhGMAQZum_VYfKMtSGz2u8FUmIQym3VHuedzy1-nb6KEv1pR0yJ7HL016P3sldbZbFsM/s3344/Cylie%20Lawrence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="2416" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS33ggLBN38sp6ZGzoMstrVegNv81nMLwYB5ehduYiIw_XmbWgClaQVsTy-yc5XN-DOy1gcAWDR4JIjEQFNJNK5E-p51kd0x26nmj0gH0-nENmLK92z9-dDW_MhGMAQZum_VYfKMtSGz2u8FUmIQym3VHuedzy1-nb6KEv1pR0yJ7HL016P3sldbZbFsM/w462-h640/Cylie%20Lawrence.jpg" width="462" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cylie Lawrence</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKox7R5uz6_-yZVivjU9jxzRxTivrO4HgmZzwZmnmbNrOVvcmzrJqyueGj6ylaRbuBStfoWMmLLSNes0X686CRNCRp3OO9ZHHNpwLiOheBajsw9bgFQX_qd5smrAqIlX_d5UENzOfVHustodbAOrTQZC7lWbM6ldZOLo5d8bNzBtbLbqywQbUM7keJduI/s3736/Damien%20Matthews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3736" data-original-width="2264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKox7R5uz6_-yZVivjU9jxzRxTivrO4HgmZzwZmnmbNrOVvcmzrJqyueGj6ylaRbuBStfoWMmLLSNes0X686CRNCRp3OO9ZHHNpwLiOheBajsw9bgFQX_qd5smrAqIlX_d5UENzOfVHustodbAOrTQZC7lWbM6ldZOLo5d8bNzBtbLbqywQbUM7keJduI/w388-h640/Damien%20Matthews.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Damien Matthews</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>For more information, visit sedonafilmfestival.com or foxthepoet.blogspot.com. For a full list of slam poetry events in Arizona, visit azpoet.com.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmyMWcPk9NQ8M13oEg1iTbnDnlE8y03bwew6FvRzQWhV8W07QqC7KtmK9UOqyyXWj1gXwc9BkuPRaYQFa41hmSX1zEblKhPiIYIbhiH0SaMwIdy_kMo5sJIdptP03GGqYdLtvBRUivhyHTs8GAYuy9ec4U0xBuoqNK3ZR5E0E_b1KileV_sQ-TtxnPqs/s1024/ps%20-%20All-Arizona%20Championship2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1024" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmyMWcPk9NQ8M13oEg1iTbnDnlE8y03bwew6FvRzQWhV8W07QqC7KtmK9UOqyyXWj1gXwc9BkuPRaYQFa41hmSX1zEblKhPiIYIbhiH0SaMwIdy_kMo5sJIdptP03GGqYdLtvBRUivhyHTs8GAYuy9ec4U0xBuoqNK3ZR5E0E_b1KileV_sQ-TtxnPqs/w640-h586/ps%20-%20All-Arizona%20Championship2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">All-Arizona Championship Poetry Slam</span></b></p><p>The All-Arizona Championship Poetry Slam will take place Saturday, March 9, at the Global Water Maricopa Center in the town of Maricopa. Poets from around the state will compete in slams held in four communities — Sedona, Flagstaff, Maricopa and Prescott — with each selecting their top three poets to send to the finals, in addition to drawing for the final three slots.</p><p>The 15 poets will compete in the championships hosted by Thomas Cooper, a slam poet from the Phoenix area who has represented Arizona a several regional events, and who made it to the finals ot the Bigfoot Poetry Slam in Oregon. Cooper has coached youth slam teams, featured at events, judged slams and hosted events, which is now his focus.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.pinalcentral.com/maricopa_monitor/news/maricopa-arts-council-pays-tribute-to-the-klute-at-poetry-slam-championship/article_dd3fb64d-59b5-52d1-9018-da070868dd29.html" target="_blank">Founded in 2018 and formerly hosted the late Arizona slam poetry legend Bernard “The Klute” Schober, </a></b>the All-Arizona Championship is sponsored by the Maricopa Arts Council and the city of Maricopa.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYX-hdGrPmd_ALDABXy14dOKzp-NAxOlRUQv7IPYEJ94iWEjbZZr4FgEXU8qlYiRPDGn29nS0FbBN55InWP432s7KjIvfaINwK7VlyA1zBAqkKG6otWhjHxbe_2NvRmMhxdxSCtjWZp-fX82Rylpc6JkniSGSktIieBH4qVlG9k_kS0qb0ypyL_vDXGY/s398/Maricopa%20Arts%20Council.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="398" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYX-hdGrPmd_ALDABXy14dOKzp-NAxOlRUQv7IPYEJ94iWEjbZZr4FgEXU8qlYiRPDGn29nS0FbBN55InWP432s7KjIvfaINwK7VlyA1zBAqkKG6otWhjHxbe_2NvRmMhxdxSCtjWZp-fX82Rylpc6JkniSGSktIieBH4qVlG9k_kS0qb0ypyL_vDXGY/w640-h608/Maricopa%20Arts%20Council.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What is Poetry Slam? </b></span></p><p>Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd3pdT2Y4ws9QAQ_o916YPly4YlbBu8idh8E1qrsikubUvdLM5Acg6hH4n2MuQujN9rSLFdbjX_a78kwv7sNRARxNzf6TEUucvF-qQ828JJRTYZJ12-Cm4UNYiKNrTkdAE1pc3eF3FPWI0cPnydVW16etKDCGPk7fiwrMhxFNUk2Vz6rWyA3IscxEabX0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1200" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd3pdT2Y4ws9QAQ_o916YPly4YlbBu8idh8E1qrsikubUvdLM5Acg6hH4n2MuQujN9rSLFdbjX_a78kwv7sNRARxNzf6TEUucvF-qQ828JJRTYZJ12-Cm4UNYiKNrTkdAE1pc3eF3FPWI0cPnydVW16etKDCGPk7fiwrMhxFNUk2Vz6rWyA3IscxEabX0=w640-h460" width="640" /></a></div><br />Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO.<p></p><p>Sedona has sent four-poet teams to represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and Chicago.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZFMGyEMvWbri3hIotpHQV8xUxrEFIRo8K5rPsA_dLLPd1GfzLq_V0G9LlBhCnwiBQnI4OfZQEAESzi2LBPK05LW0sM3WiN4mDDzUe3BodeDhZNwfgsmEX2YeApODwTnyY4iGm14FYt41Oc5qf3BFaV3ShmqUtEo3PtH15xfOJ5KJjpXQK7votnFiyh0/s3984/Lydia%20Gates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3984" data-original-width="2968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZFMGyEMvWbri3hIotpHQV8xUxrEFIRo8K5rPsA_dLLPd1GfzLq_V0G9LlBhCnwiBQnI4OfZQEAESzi2LBPK05LW0sM3WiN4mDDzUe3BodeDhZNwfgsmEX2YeApODwTnyY4iGm14FYt41Oc5qf3BFaV3ShmqUtEo3PtH15xfOJ5KJjpXQK7votnFiyh0/w476-h640/Lydia%20Gates.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lydia Gates</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-43514882722076764412024-01-15T19:00:00.013-07:002024-01-16T23:38:56.374-07:00"Langston" by Christopher Fox Graham<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Langston"</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>by Christopher Fox Graham</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div>for one little girl</div><div>growing up in the segregated South,</div><div>Langston was her favorite </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoFVQI9FI6xIjTfsFh4oEvuv863cMzyAx_UC9Y8b-3MM_xncoUma6_pgYsBibp_7dzE_sJKY99d-pdQSJRKz941nOcycC-Lw8gtRqt-ajq1EczfP-tzS5-CWuep3_moAtg5ZwpfaMLfvm0MsYCAQdaJE9i_2ROvrgdXzlrkdUgru8b_K2-5ezzEAbxOMU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1280" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoFVQI9FI6xIjTfsFh4oEvuv863cMzyAx_UC9Y8b-3MM_xncoUma6_pgYsBibp_7dzE_sJKY99d-pdQSJRKz941nOcycC-Lw8gtRqt-ajq1EczfP-tzS5-CWuep3_moAtg5ZwpfaMLfvm0MsYCAQdaJE9i_2ROvrgdXzlrkdUgru8b_K2-5ezzEAbxOMU=w640-h500" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Poet Langston Hughes signs autographs for young fans.<br /><a href="https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/ways-langston-hughes-griff-davis-and-black-artists-making" target="_blank">Photograph by Griffith J. Davis/Griffith J. Davis Photographs and Archives</a></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />in the Heart of Harlem</div><div><div>top floor 20 East 127th</div><div>Hughes howled for <b><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46548/harlem" target="_blank">dreams deferred</a></b></div><div>in eleven revolutions </div><div>the stinking rotten meat of<b><a href="https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/jim-crow-segregation/" target="_blank"> Jim Crow</a></b></div><div>festering like a sore</div><div>running north from <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Langston-Hughes-Cultural-Society-100067760151855/" target="_blank">Joplin</a></b> to New York</div><div>like he did</div><div>redlining himself into the <b><a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance" target="_blank">Renaissance </a></b></div><div>and a coming revolution</div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4jgH5OmlyLuJiVRzax9FyPHgQc13__wVe6U4WFObI6cYmRHRqb7jZEODLKx1inqKv_Krq6aC_1RKo1Wb-nHPW3LRZZPngQ2gZ5LzTfECKBrALYEp1TtS-vzshNfpqkfsHCL0msdbBnfLciPM5UK6AeKam9z_AqIKy4n-QNBuQN-KBv-5POTNgkymg_hM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4jgH5OmlyLuJiVRzax9FyPHgQc13__wVe6U4WFObI6cYmRHRqb7jZEODLKx1inqKv_Krq6aC_1RKo1Wb-nHPW3LRZZPngQ2gZ5LzTfECKBrALYEp1TtS-vzshNfpqkfsHCL0msdbBnfLciPM5UK6AeKam9z_AqIKy4n-QNBuQN-KBv-5POTNgkymg_hM=w355-h640" width="355" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Langston Hughes House is a historic home located in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City. It is an Italianate style dwelling built in 1869. It is a three story with basement, rowhouse faced in brownstone and measuring 20 feet wide and 45 feet deep. Noted African American poet and author Langston Hughes (1902–1967) occupied the top floor as his workroom from 1947 to 1967</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2022/08/remembering-christopher-lane-10-years.html" target="_blank">“A poet should <b><i>start </i></b>the revolution</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2022/08/remembering-christopher-lane-10-years.html" target="_blank">but never let a poet <i><b>lead </b></i>the revolution”</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Hughes found his home in Harlem</div><div>and “Harlem” found its home</div><div>in <a href="https://moodle.swarthmore.edu/pluginfile.php/98099/mod_resource/content/1/Hughes-Montage-1.pdf" target="_blank"><b>"Montage of a Dream Deferred,”</b></a></div><div>in <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Selected-Poems-Langston-Hughes-Collection/dp/067972818X" target="_blank">“The Selected Poems”</a></b></div><div>in <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Collected-Langston-Hughes-Vintage-Classics/dp/0679764089" target="_blank">“the Collected Poems”</a></b></div><div>in the anthologies and college textbooks</div><div>where the dream could sag like a heavy load</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBY3qRqXWOkuwz7MYoFOaYSgDuaKY3XMabtPX11r_EvHPNfKmu-Wh3giwmaT7UAFhm9bjLy4zSoYR1siog026FetYGUIYdbMTGu8BTzDNK75AVW4QuuHRbuOh-0R0vxaiYF3Tigb8HSJI-ta6N4m0ktVaMifShy8gO8OMIY4fyL4i-CKJCjPIE9Bsxu0/s409/Harlem%201951.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="335" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBY3qRqXWOkuwz7MYoFOaYSgDuaKY3XMabtPX11r_EvHPNfKmu-Wh3giwmaT7UAFhm9bjLy4zSoYR1siog026FetYGUIYdbMTGu8BTzDNK75AVW4QuuHRbuOh-0R0vxaiYF3Tigb8HSJI-ta6N4m0ktVaMifShy8gO8OMIY4fyL4i-CKJCjPIE9Bsxu0/w328-h400/Harlem%201951.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br /><div>and one little girl</div><div>growing up in the segregated South,</div><div>handwrote her favorite:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>“A world I dream where <br /> black or white,</i></div><div><i>“Whatever race you be,</i></div><div><i>“Will share the bounties of </i></div><div><i> the earth</i></div><div><i>“And every man is free,”</i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5w_jVTsC3mXSu3p24ADKu5luJfPDq64_DRI9lAmtFhFId_tXFYWqtIFm4UaRikV_MTKIWaY0IyOumtpe0DpF2GNlBrQNAEiPopo3Zh1LM95ekE706PKzzenKOANS5ahfWLKc3jjSr9ElrD9RwhK0DJvbb36AXbjioXk60YfC_F8TZ4VPN6Hm7JhNXqJg/s2015/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5w_jVTsC3mXSu3p24ADKu5luJfPDq64_DRI9lAmtFhFId_tXFYWqtIFm4UaRikV_MTKIWaY0IyOumtpe0DpF2GNlBrQNAEiPopo3Zh1LM95ekE706PKzzenKOANS5ahfWLKc3jjSr9ElrD9RwhK0DJvbb36AXbjioXk60YfC_F8TZ4VPN6Hm7JhNXqJg/w356-h640/image.png" width="356" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplEDsPfh-VAnzmXJxVPyyzQHlLCv5QsgEMRpAoLxSkO5eBkFgYIg9ZMvK3bmAbeJETzUjX4sgm7ObIKyhiW2bGiAGktbLvMSDgLxV_uwB0X5vDUrLm-qAnFNfd7WNpLrrjpZLHKV-l_uIyeZirPnAmSWNUsMBU66KFdxHlxVUm9JMprT1LvMwPdxiXxk/s2015/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplEDsPfh-VAnzmXJxVPyyzQHlLCv5QsgEMRpAoLxSkO5eBkFgYIg9ZMvK3bmAbeJETzUjX4sgm7ObIKyhiW2bGiAGktbLvMSDgLxV_uwB0X5vDUrLm-qAnFNfd7WNpLrrjpZLHKV-l_uIyeZirPnAmSWNUsMBU66KFdxHlxVUm9JMprT1LvMwPdxiXxk/w356-h640/image.png" width="356" /></a></div><br /><div>Hughes and King</div><div>the New Yorker and Alabaman</div><div>the <b><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-his-speeches-MLK-carefully-evoked-poetry-langston-hughes-180968655/" target="_blank">communist </a></b>and the Christian</div><div>traded stanzas and sermons</div><div><b><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-langston-hughess-dreams-inspired-mlks-180961929/" target="_blank">turning a poet’s revolutionary dream</a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-langston-hughess-dreams-inspired-mlks-180961929/" target="_blank">into preacher’s dream of revolution</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TajAnQGmy7rsoij8V44qJXf1_n2cykcaMq2-RmbWo4ULcpYIfb5qvEnNjH31kM6fw9MRpRnz1BzQIe4mWBVPJPKpwZGaBcyA51aGlPTEaI2AYD6buB5DFxm77j1p-ZBnGjT6poJjvpufGtzJbsZLtCzXg-SGDxo6TCivphIltQjumjb1c3RsAHFKXRo/s3336/Langston%20Hughes%20Martin%20Luther%20King.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2440" data-original-width="3336" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TajAnQGmy7rsoij8V44qJXf1_n2cykcaMq2-RmbWo4ULcpYIfb5qvEnNjH31kM6fw9MRpRnz1BzQIe4mWBVPJPKpwZGaBcyA51aGlPTEaI2AYD6buB5DFxm77j1p-ZBnGjT6poJjvpufGtzJbsZLtCzXg-SGDxo6TCivphIltQjumjb1c3RsAHFKXRo/w640-h468/Langston%20Hughes%20Martin%20Luther%20King.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Poet Langston Hughes [Feb. 1, 1901-May 22, 1967], left, was called the father of the Harlem Renaisssance literary and arts movement. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. [Jan. 15, 1929-April 4, 1968] led the Civil Rights Movement until his assassination. Photo of Langston Hughes courtesy of Carl Van Vechten/Carl Van Vechten Trust/Beinecke Library, Yale Photo of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. courtesy of Marion S. Trikosko</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In Lorraine Hansberry’s hands,</div></div><div>Hughes’ “Harlem” dried up</div><div>and tasted like a "Raisin in the Sun"</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jzfgwxENvLk?si=vCmzKZQRe1wzYQC-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>from the pulpit at Dexter Avenue Baptist,</div><div>in the heart of Montgomery</div><div><b><a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/unfulfilled-hopes-0" target="_blank">shattered raisins and blasted sores</a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/unfulfilled-hopes-0" target="_blank">of unfilled hopes, unrealized dreams</a></b></div><div>became the revolution’s war cry</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTifrsR4tiNEZ7BMNLW9CVFjPVUQQeJem4sYiXxu-FC8RdTImHwR9Soj78kx6VVr3k-jgPnq4sST3CrBT0u-tssEBbZ4Hrvi84T3cd6y-d79SL-xPTSfGWRZd5ISg4vcg_idIRfB4_eKLj1q9_fgxNfJADyj1FoMVrDkSOKgZQjxThyKgPsR5hVcss4g/s694/Brotherly%20Love%201956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTifrsR4tiNEZ7BMNLW9CVFjPVUQQeJem4sYiXxu-FC8RdTImHwR9Soj78kx6VVr3k-jgPnq4sST3CrBT0u-tssEBbZ4Hrvi84T3cd6y-d79SL-xPTSfGWRZd5ISg4vcg_idIRfB4_eKLj1q9_fgxNfJADyj1FoMVrDkSOKgZQjxThyKgPsR5hVcss4g/w406-h640/Brotherly%20Love%201956.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><br /><div>in the hands </div><div>of an Alabama preacher</div><div>with an army of churches at his back </div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">a dream deferred </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">called all kinds of names</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">riding in the back end of the bus for no reason</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">swimming with its head deep under water</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">given no release</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">must explode</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">into <b><a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/montgomery-bus-boycott" target="_blank">bus boycotts</a></b></span></div><div><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sit-in_movement#Beginning_with_Greensboro_sit-ins" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">lunch counter sit-ins</span></a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.npr.org/2006/01/12/5149667/get-on-the-bus-the-freedom-riders-of-1961" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Freedom Rides</span></a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/freedomsummer-murder/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Mississippi burning</span></a></b></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">the <b><a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/little-rock-nine" target="_blank">Little Rock Nine</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">the <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_Miss_riot_of_1962" target="_blank">riot at Ole Miss</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/articles-and-essays/murder-of-emmett-till/" target="_blank">Emmitt Till</a></b> in a casket</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/stand-in-the-schoolhouse-door/" target="_blank">George Wallace</a></b> in a doorway</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/eyewitness/html.php?section=2" target="_blank">John Lewis</a></b> across a bridge in <b><a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/selma-montgomery-march" target="_blank">Selma</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">with a <b><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/selma-montgomery-march" target="_blank">preacher’s army behind him</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">racial slurs from schoolchildren</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_school_desegregation_crisis" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">and Ruby Bridges</span></a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_school_desegregation_crisis" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">defiant </span></a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>like 6-year-olds always are</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>an army unto herself</b></span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgoKfVJNGqSAM1F8fFuoZqhG5nzpYHjPH6Rh_w3O-9C0KbtrCUHjGgpCmCjc3jgMQeksiqjnaloDr67fs5U-ve8ZgIbWL11nzqJ3tgf3yjGFV1B5MtJkiaOK-5v2320cvugG4O7vXdfAG9oEHwADiq2tddCOuCJv4kZxGEXUr0mVu8Evi2xjm3EPQUho/s1804/Ruby%20Bridges%20Obama.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1804" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgoKfVJNGqSAM1F8fFuoZqhG5nzpYHjPH6Rh_w3O-9C0KbtrCUHjGgpCmCjc3jgMQeksiqjnaloDr67fs5U-ve8ZgIbWL11nzqJ3tgf3yjGFV1B5MtJkiaOK-5v2320cvugG4O7vXdfAG9oEHwADiq2tddCOuCJv4kZxGEXUr0mVu8Evi2xjm3EPQUho/w640-h434/Ruby%20Bridges%20Obama.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>President Barack Obama, Ruby Bridges and representatives of the Norman Rockwell Museum view Rockwell’s "The Problem We All Live With,” hanging in a West Wing hallway near the Oval Office, July 15, 2011. Bridges is the girl portrayed the painting, then 6-years-old, on her way to William Frantz Elementary School, an all-white public school, on Nov. 14, 1960, during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis. She was escorted by four deputy U.S. marshals<br />Official White House Photo by Pete Souza</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;">before the <b><a href="https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/1963-march-washington" target="_blank">March on Washington</a></b>,</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">when, <b><a href="https://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2008/09/poetical-analysis-of-abraham-lincolns.html" target="_blank">at the feet of the poet of Gettysburg,</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglkvht5UJ8p8C2Xgp72XAKJyNPkp6QTJYjQbMV3-Zca_ACYEKUPyIs3OFLdWj-m2OJZLclRxt8FwCYPv8fVk7kBR2WY9Vfq8nLedDAeddTwVHv7OOLbWnGnvOq-M-hA8-2ynJwi5MICyaOfxdLjvkoobRYMEHHI2n7MoFJp1bKsA7wQwrc_S9B77V_-rg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglkvht5UJ8p8C2Xgp72XAKJyNPkp6QTJYjQbMV3-Zca_ACYEKUPyIs3OFLdWj-m2OJZLclRxt8FwCYPv8fVk7kBR2WY9Vfq8nLedDAeddTwVHv7OOLbWnGnvOq-M-hA8-2ynJwi5MICyaOfxdLjvkoobRYMEHHI2n7MoFJp1bKsA7wQwrc_S9B77V_-rg=w640-h486" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>“Emancipator looking down on demonstrators." Participants in the March on Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial and massed along both sides of the Reflecting Pool, viewed from behind Abraham Lincoln statue” on Aug. 28, 1963. <br />Photo by James K. Atherton for United Press International/<b><a href="https://ghostsofdc.org/2013/09/11/lincoln-memorial-dream/" target="_blank">Shorpy</a></b></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;">the preacher turned revolution back into poetry</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">made a dream deferred into dream to come</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">into freedom ringing</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTeZgF5qq7BTycc8mT-DVGIIn-jwYN0x8a2ubDfJUQM7BQ0sSURGkU8fWvjLK1iE0U86_AM7aPbJQoKImm0nrohS907KOUjreKIl7nSxXDGtMA7jbAW_CPTLJPz2ki6PPxeFLJU9iI6O7aNzfwzjcXKAihmnxJ-ua4-wGjLfLqYutXd8Pbjia0-N78XJg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTeZgF5qq7BTycc8mT-DVGIIn-jwYN0x8a2ubDfJUQM7BQ0sSURGkU8fWvjLK1iE0U86_AM7aPbJQoKImm0nrohS907KOUjreKIl7nSxXDGtMA7jbAW_CPTLJPz2ki6PPxeFLJU9iI6O7aNzfwzjcXKAihmnxJ-ua4-wGjLfLqYutXd8Pbjia0-N78XJg=w467-h640" width="467" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/articles/4-bible-references-in-mlk-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>quoted verses in the Bible</b></span></a></div><div><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/martin-luther-king-i-have-a-dream-speech-greatest-of-all-time-washington-dc-1963-50th-anniversary-death-a8280296.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>spoke verses that ought to be</b></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety" target="_blank"><b>dreamt of a nation finally faithful to its creed</b></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I47Y6VHc3Ms?si=Qt7HrKmtN3AEnYZG" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>there was one little girl</div><div>growing up in the segregated South,</div><div>who said Langston was her favorite</div><div><br /></div><div>she collected, annotated and footnoted his poems</div><div>worn the pages rough in her collection</div><div>left bookmarks with her favorites</div><div><br /></div><div>“Sunday Morning Prophesy”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf14B5khjeCM2RXg8NZe48B50BE7_teuCbA0u1Qd3sjkLoNjfNBzm5G-w132TqClSFG-s35VISUULPEJewqkZWtKXbIFdVG80QojNEb873_Mcs2Jr-srJHVjUZFolJUXrp5wIKhQ23Dl2QqZhJy0SFOV4HsIAHga2iI3O0XjP4bClYMwnqoXZfnqu6rm0/s1740/Sunday%20Morning%20Prophecy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1740" data-original-width="664" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf14B5khjeCM2RXg8NZe48B50BE7_teuCbA0u1Qd3sjkLoNjfNBzm5G-w132TqClSFG-s35VISUULPEJewqkZWtKXbIFdVG80QojNEb873_Mcs2Jr-srJHVjUZFolJUXrp5wIKhQ23Dl2QqZhJy0SFOV4HsIAHga2iI3O0XjP4bClYMwnqoXZfnqu6rm0/w244-h640/Sunday%20Morning%20Prophecy.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br /><div>“I, Too”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrHndzqhaMqwwHheGiRfPGhehvD_Jzh-lmB0ziOKcdUmOR-E2-zaVkJCa1OjcdosoAln6rmrx4YJCwOK8xCOm4rTmyiyCLJ9eSlBACPHKFe2l-it36LXZlB7rswjyJwrQVRup7qu-9kdWvOwKKlzLgWLPU21Te8y2DD5cOua7vVqefTI8zopFyZOFsA/s855/I%20Too.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="441" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrHndzqhaMqwwHheGiRfPGhehvD_Jzh-lmB0ziOKcdUmOR-E2-zaVkJCa1OjcdosoAln6rmrx4YJCwOK8xCOm4rTmyiyCLJ9eSlBACPHKFe2l-it36LXZlB7rswjyJwrQVRup7qu-9kdWvOwKKlzLgWLPU21Te8y2DD5cOua7vVqefTI8zopFyZOFsA/w330-h640/I%20Too.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://org.coloradomesa.edu/~blaga/421/Freedom_Train.html" target="_blank"><b>“Freedom Train”</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div>added the poems the editors omitted,</div><div>for a grandson unborn</div><div style="text-align: center;">in case he became a poet</div><div style="text-align: right;">or led a revolution</div><div><br /></div><div>she heard him read poems, once </div><div>before the <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long,_hot_summer_of_1967#List_of_riots" target="_blank">Long Hot Summer of ‘67</a></b></div><div>before <b><a href="https://www.theroot.com/cnn-hopes-to-answer-what-really-happened-the-night-malc-1790858833" target="_blank">brother Malcolm was shot</a></b></div><div>before <b><a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr" target="_blank">reverend King was shot</a></b></div><div>before a <b><a href="https://calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/sep/15" target="_blank">bomb in Birmingham</a></b></div><div>killed four little girls</div><div><br /></div><div>she heard him read poems, once</div><div>on a tour in Atlanta</div><div><br /></div><div>sharing dreams so syrupy sweet</div><div>they would crust and sugar over</div><div>into a revolution burning</div><div>from her Atlanta</div><div>in the segregated South </div><div>to his Harlem</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRj4SKrAZzEEwhM1avh5e59F-RteT11HQBwYnTUxx0oYf-H6IycnUEQfSSqEsOvsJ7kZglg-bXSL8Um-ZIdxIoeb-bV9itEHWjGw16uA3G_KM7uUEytnIPbVPqOsEeSkUGJO54oPBZ4N7CnUFqxrEgHsgC0PzDrzD3hJcCiwM_1x-2jv3SIt6RYTE4apM/s2048/Langston%20Hughes%20Robert%20W.%20Kelley%20The%20life%20Picture%20Collection,%20Getty%20Images.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1376" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRj4SKrAZzEEwhM1avh5e59F-RteT11HQBwYnTUxx0oYf-H6IycnUEQfSSqEsOvsJ7kZglg-bXSL8Um-ZIdxIoeb-bV9itEHWjGw16uA3G_KM7uUEytnIPbVPqOsEeSkUGJO54oPBZ4N7CnUFqxrEgHsgC0PzDrzD3hJcCiwM_1x-2jv3SIt6RYTE4apM/w430-h640/Langston%20Hughes%20Robert%20W.%20Kelley%20The%20life%20Picture%20Collection,%20Getty%20Images.jpg" width="430" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Born in Joplin, Mo., Langston Hughes moved to New York City in 1947, and lived of his time in the city in the top apartment at 20 E. 127th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, N.Y., until his death in May 1967. Photo by Robert W. Kelley/The Life Picture Collection</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Langston spoke to her,</div><div>the way no other poet did</div><div><br /></div><div>Langston was her favorite </div><div>"which no one could imagine"</div><div>she said, </div><div>a little white girl</div><div>growing up in the segregated South</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvoupCQVtwuqQSDGQAtvL6bcj-AmEnPapO1Fk25FEbcX7VZ3eiqyGRHwQw-ntdxPecmpzHAa8dmPXSrNujjEJp3-tBPKLrW4nkHSBEhlUijrWI0yjGK12me5C-HjyUXq200H47oZB77cKkcS_ytn0EhRNRwvoAjUm65GgJH5dZm7m5VEeZ22Jev5SP08/s960/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvoupCQVtwuqQSDGQAtvL6bcj-AmEnPapO1Fk25FEbcX7VZ3eiqyGRHwQw-ntdxPecmpzHAa8dmPXSrNujjEJp3-tBPKLrW4nkHSBEhlUijrWI0yjGK12me5C-HjyUXq200H47oZB77cKkcS_ytn0EhRNRwvoAjUm65GgJH5dZm7m5VEeZ22Jev5SP08/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div>she never met my son</div><div>she died 8 months before he was born</div><div>but <b><a href="https://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2022/02/odysseus-luke-saturn-langston-lee.html" target="_blank">we named our son</a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://foxthepoet.blogspot.com/2022/02/odysseus-luke-saturn-langston-lee.html" target="_blank">Langston</a></b></div><div>to honor him</div><div>to remember her</div><div>not for the revolution</div><div>but for their dream</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyKOpnXgF9cOPbgsCMDY-pt2MhKQx1wDsb1SzMETi5IeWT1MPZGu6hmMs_S6Ac6VngAjYrKwoWmExPxtaDrxGV1B9OdJQAvYFQag_ZGTNkamTvi7Jm30RO1_lUdS9yOHz_CAk3A0rawzuv-TDm1yNduQ-gVKodmVh9_VguecJWabiTztMtTxfCtWjapA/s960/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="639" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyKOpnXgF9cOPbgsCMDY-pt2MhKQx1wDsb1SzMETi5IeWT1MPZGu6hmMs_S6Ac6VngAjYrKwoWmExPxtaDrxGV1B9OdJQAvYFQag_ZGTNkamTvi7Jm30RO1_lUdS9yOHz_CAk3A0rawzuv-TDm1yNduQ-gVKodmVh9_VguecJWabiTztMtTxfCtWjapA/w426-h640/image.png" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sylvia Rebie Redfield (December 14, 1925 - July 28, 2021)</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>of all her great-grandchilren</div><div>Langston </div><div>would be her favorite</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijjUmIgsNTYagCK9rLpdvKoVr6nLdw_Rl2Y7-_vJiwLgyIz99621bbwIBIZk9zwYKnWP_bOTvf7lyoKsTxgOYpJ9c9lRmKgq9y7rI4F-2T3MNhnH5XOolMKlWntknCHEXtJlw0Y6KMCA25FonIlyKKdrd1POKiOfwZ9AzeuvAdRCT6adTZ5uf6R3T1YpM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="1418" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijjUmIgsNTYagCK9rLpdvKoVr6nLdw_Rl2Y7-_vJiwLgyIz99621bbwIBIZk9zwYKnWP_bOTvf7lyoKsTxgOYpJ9c9lRmKgq9y7rI4F-2T3MNhnH5XOolMKlWntknCHEXtJlw0Y6KMCA25FonIlyKKdrd1POKiOfwZ9AzeuvAdRCT6adTZ5uf6R3T1YpM=w523-h640" width="523" /></a></div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-53646480613967610522024-01-07T19:37:00.004-07:002024-01-07T19:37:37.133-07:00Salt Lake City poetry slam powerhouse R.J. Walker features at Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, Jan. 13<p> With 2023 in the rear-view mirror and 2024 underway, the Sedona Poetry Slam enters its 15th season (but 16th year!) of performance poets bringing high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13.</p>Between rounds, Salt Lake City spoken word powerhouse R.J. Walker will perform a featured set. A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQhVAl1xxmpisgv8Lfmtr8NCF-XTBhaVa82Zuv58ydyz9bLK1Mpk8KoAqwrPTiCvY16joE2gmErXnqzJAjYPMvMqdi2x8LqZjkNI7eHstU1gXiA7CMGWetBUQ5feCX1F08QNRO8VtMDTYqNxsKG3HAFiqXX4V4_erhYBed4Ptm3WBGdt6wHddSHnbSc/s3000/AB5I2827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQhVAl1xxmpisgv8Lfmtr8NCF-XTBhaVa82Zuv58ydyz9bLK1Mpk8KoAqwrPTiCvY16joE2gmErXnqzJAjYPMvMqdi2x8LqZjkNI7eHstU1gXiA7CMGWetBUQ5feCX1F08QNRO8VtMDTYqNxsKG3HAFiqXX4V4_erhYBed4Ptm3WBGdt6wHddSHnbSc/w640-h426/AB5I2827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h1>R.J. Walker</h1>RJ Walker is a performance poet and voice actor from Salt Lake City, Utah. Walker has performed at the National Poetry Slam numerous times, representing Salt Lake City and Sugar House Utah. At the Individual World Poetry Slam he was a showcased poet on final stage and placed sixth overall at the 2017 Individual world poetry slam.<div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-FtrVBfEgb_ka8ifglWzEUyoaymeTq2zTWzljdXIHjY7wwg4uaVwofGQDEU5m63FqXKXn_ez-iwBQQNwvZkRfYBLjin8hALd26bL7pl4HBu5xbSzEpSb6UlLtnOJI36-XRKLXPKG_eQ6sMz_fS5IG-BB3zxyCc6rG7l6xkBHJhA3160vP2DblN1QJig/s2048/received_1029909424499348.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2048" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-FtrVBfEgb_ka8ifglWzEUyoaymeTq2zTWzljdXIHjY7wwg4uaVwofGQDEU5m63FqXKXn_ez-iwBQQNwvZkRfYBLjin8hALd26bL7pl4HBu5xbSzEpSb6UlLtnOJI36-XRKLXPKG_eQ6sMz_fS5IG-BB3zxyCc6rG7l6xkBHJhA3160vP2DblN1QJig/w640-h508/received_1029909424499348.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Walker won the NPS Spirit of the Slam award for organizing the first Compliment Deathmatch event. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PgmRUJ3rofM?si=pNhVlyf7eZcsD1bB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p><div><br /></div>The next year he placed fourth at the National Poetry Slam with the Salt City Unified team. He is a winner of the Button Poetry video contest.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7KLQ49maQdw?si=z7DZa76KR34BYwEI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>In Salt Lake City, Walker is the host and operator of The Greenhouse Effect Open Mic, SLC’s longest running open mic style event. Walker is a TEDX SLC speaker and was a keynote speaker for the League of Utah Writers’ Quills Conference.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeTkP_91QmSw3GL2fMJOkbGK0JoSCBOyh4dBev2u_cja9Qr7Ls-Slb_eLu2Y2qNSkVLnnCqF1Xf2ZpOB-K7Yskj_MsMsXZwxooDDWyUuubh5cZU2XBLqAJzN68x4ndH-rP40gfgLA8k3K8nHB2lb80NR_nEkgd5ytyubW6jJz03KZgBsgnVCrbKOs9Q/s6000/RJ%20Walker.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeTkP_91QmSw3GL2fMJOkbGK0JoSCBOyh4dBev2u_cja9Qr7Ls-Slb_eLu2Y2qNSkVLnnCqF1Xf2ZpOB-K7Yskj_MsMsXZwxooDDWyUuubh5cZU2XBLqAJzN68x4ndH-rP40gfgLA8k3K8nHB2lb80NR_nEkgd5ytyubW6jJz03KZgBsgnVCrbKOs9Q/w426-h640/RJ%20Walker.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>>Outside of poetry, Walker has narrated over 30 audiobooks, designed escape rooms, written murder mystery adventures, designed alternate reality games that take players on adventures through the urban exploration of Salt Lake City and written five produced plays for Salt Lake Community College, Wasatch Theatre Company and The Utah Arts Alliance.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9NHxS2ZQ9bE?si=hQUKjfFM4VTLAZxi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div> He is an Irene Ryan-nominated actor and an ACTF finalist in playwriting. He is also a runner up for the ACTF devised theatre competition.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUupO7mbfFYMSlQUt7hWFosAEeM0ZPwpNf0Wk1ZUmKCX7KimLrtj8aSq2-JY8W6hutRbRZWaDd3AwEuLFqJkEAhOM8fGOdcNbp9vy4AjjE70K8XnUCMWSznuh_iRo21m6EnZqb6fVZ3ycBSyuPFYm5iHvLFxdwT91kRb-_nYAgF1JccT1lJOtVsaiPH4/s6600/2019%20headshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6600" data-original-width="5100" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUupO7mbfFYMSlQUt7hWFosAEeM0ZPwpNf0Wk1ZUmKCX7KimLrtj8aSq2-JY8W6hutRbRZWaDd3AwEuLFqJkEAhOM8fGOdcNbp9vy4AjjE70K8XnUCMWSznuh_iRo21m6EnZqb6fVZ3ycBSyuPFYm5iHvLFxdwT91kRb-_nYAgF1JccT1lJOtVsaiPH4/w494-h640/2019%20headshot.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>Currently on the creative team for The Box theatre, Walker serves as a playwright in residence and is the executive director of Lords of Misrule theatre company which pioneers mutual-aid focused theatre arts.<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjLvuNS16RY?si=Sp9EfhsgnKBhtQi2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMC8rSTqmUEvOSTll_6fw4AGlhbIPYvv1WVYu7iJDxwHBaFhIfm96JssIAhHh2j9G6Om_SZ7fZWEaqfoj9MDAEsb8viKe_29Zb8-nxim75FMnAGQYh2PtmdjGWQ8gvWuMU6lexFSTz3VLPEUIo3XasUDVNfvBMlcEkp3W9AqrHaufKNov080x5YRLuuo/s1200/RJ%20Walker%20Action%20Shot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMC8rSTqmUEvOSTll_6fw4AGlhbIPYvv1WVYu7iJDxwHBaFhIfm96JssIAhHh2j9G6Om_SZ7fZWEaqfoj9MDAEsb8viKe_29Zb8-nxim75FMnAGQYh2PtmdjGWQ8gvWuMU6lexFSTz3VLPEUIo3XasUDVNfvBMlcEkp3W9AqrHaufKNov080x5YRLuuo/w640-h384/RJ%20Walker%20Action%20Shot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Open Slam</h1>To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZBGPWtKHv-NLSl6pBjz5ayC7b--NNz7PBXQeGP7u_tpJ1tvWKIHqu7rAxws1GsCbKIK38NibZWERG8TsdO0pEeu8jqZcg1ea3nSINU-V3xLc9lMB5BPq6e36NpyU3qraH_qtY9XO1VPu6rFT7bGKimaRlLqOSW7vaSeLmnWFimKsY0NVsd5HAXYadoE/s2048/Sedona%20-%20how%20slam%20works.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZBGPWtKHv-NLSl6pBjz5ayC7b--NNz7PBXQeGP7u_tpJ1tvWKIHqu7rAxws1GsCbKIK38NibZWERG8TsdO0pEeu8jqZcg1ea3nSINU-V3xLc9lMB5BPq6e36NpyU3qraH_qtY9XO1VPu6rFT7bGKimaRlLqOSW7vaSeLmnWFimKsY0NVsd5HAXYadoE/w480-h640/Sedona%20-%20how%20slam%20works.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/76eryDM36M0?si=fYeqazcBOMZH51nA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12. For tickets, call 282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org. The next poetry slams of the season will be held on Saturdays, Feb. 3; March 9; April 13, featuring Briana Grace Hammerstrom of Portland. Ore., by way of Flagstaff, May 11 and finally on June 8. The prize money is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland. Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive. >For more information, visit sedonafilmfestival.com or foxthepoet.blogspot.com. a href="https://www.azpoet.com/" target="_blank">For a full list of slam poetry events in Arizona, visit azpoet.com.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/s490/AZPoet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/w570-h640/AZPoet.jpg" width="570" /></a></div><h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What is Poetry Slam?</h1>Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5JmJZsUKc8g?si=HlKDK-daq4tQZOB5" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO. Sedona has sent four-poet teams to represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and Chicago.</div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-33586628966686440282023-11-25T13:00:00.001-07:002023-11-25T13:00:00.121-07:00"Rock'em Sock'em" by Lauren Perry<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QeggkuAHBKA?si=LQ9lcnJFAalTEqTO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><p> Lauren Perry performing "Rock'em Sock'em" at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, on Oct. 18, 2022.</p><div><div><b><a href="https://ghostpoetryshow.com/" target="_blank">Ghost Poetry Show </a></b>is committed to creating a community of writers from the greater Phoenix area (and beyond) to share their work on stage. We take pride in having poets that have never performed their work in front of anyone, all the way up to poets that have competed at the national level. No matter gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or age anyone can take the stage and compete in the three round poetry slam.</div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-39997611003878129112023-11-18T11:00:00.001-07:002023-11-18T11:00:00.133-07:00"10 Rules" by Monarch the Poet<p> </p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5GTOlncl5w?si=0VmU7ql1HOcARx69" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><div>Monarch the Poet performing "10 Rules" at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, AZ on September 12, 2022.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://ghostpoetryshow.com/" target="_blank">Ghost Poetry Show </a></b>is committed to creating a community of writers from the greater Phoenix area (and beyond) to share their work on stage. We take pride in having poets that have never performed their work in front of anyone, all the way up to poets that have competed at the national level. No matter gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or age anyone can take the stage and compete in the three round poetry slam.</div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-4443981020452756472023-11-11T14:00:00.002-07:002023-11-17T23:16:24.736-07:00"Grass" by Carl Sandburg<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3CiPx5Aen5JFcRoGK2fQJncGIL_KwZKPRhaaYQLWOXGdG5MfhU5Qy23WvAzSzkvdwjqVGzPd-Swu8HSmNrAursWl1PPG3Pt08tW6LatlmiL46vAkOhhB5vUYGbhEWlnvR5B9rEytgv8uNey6Dp5lnK2OzaXiCTaBq6KxwDYAfSmr1VlZ5CWCJRXRyXE/s3072/Austerlitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="3072" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3CiPx5Aen5JFcRoGK2fQJncGIL_KwZKPRhaaYQLWOXGdG5MfhU5Qy23WvAzSzkvdwjqVGzPd-Swu8HSmNrAursWl1PPG3Pt08tW6LatlmiL46vAkOhhB5vUYGbhEWlnvR5B9rEytgv8uNey6Dp5lnK2OzaXiCTaBq6KxwDYAfSmr1VlZ5CWCJRXRyXE/w640-h426/Austerlitz.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pyramid at Austerlitz<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Grass"</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>by Carl Sandburg</div><div><br /></div><div>Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.</div><div>Shovel them under and let me work—</div><div> I am the grass; I cover all.</div><div><br /></div><div>And pile them high at Gettysburg</div><div>And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.</div><div>Shovel them under and let me work.</div><div>Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:</div><div> What place is this?</div><div> Where are we now?</div><div><br /></div><div> I am the grass.</div><div> Let me work.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEbl8W0iwflGab45GoublfvzGjyt4yBYwPdJZbYIouh5WOcytp2dDM5F12hgDcJX7WZ9axDzvI7oa-xfIhz7BEfwgE8i5MzxS-0y2_yKN5OdHt3iOp7KZOXtdbo57gJBNtKzjzMkGPOeYOF756J3Lhc0QV_O585DM1plrJlQQLbngWAzAc2ebhD-s-D8/s3491/Waterloo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2287" data-original-width="3491" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEbl8W0iwflGab45GoublfvzGjyt4yBYwPdJZbYIouh5WOcytp2dDM5F12hgDcJX7WZ9axDzvI7oa-xfIhz7BEfwgE8i5MzxS-0y2_yKN5OdHt3iOp7KZOXtdbo57gJBNtKzjzMkGPOeYOF756J3Lhc0QV_O585DM1plrJlQQLbngWAzAc2ebhD-s-D8/w640-h420/Waterloo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lion Mound at Waterloo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-19203722817214102472023-11-04T15:00:00.001-07:002023-11-17T22:56:55.802-07:00"Three Years Later" by Atlas St. Cloud<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8S7t7Ut_Dlk?si=TidMUsWjkismOdfE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div>"Three Years Later" by Atlas St. Cloud at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix on Oct. 18, 2022.<div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://ghostpoetryshow.com/" target="_blank">Ghost Poetry Show </a></b>is committed to creating a community of writers from the greater Phoenix area (and beyond) to share their work on stage. We take pride in having poets that have never performed their work in front of anyone, all the way up to poets that have competed at the national level. No matter gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or age anyone can take the stage and compete in the three round poetry slam.</div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-48637616486201162732023-10-14T13:00:00.000-07:002023-10-14T13:00:00.159-07:00"The Minister of Loneliness" by Sarah Kay<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_sDIIwQCFOc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"> "The Minister of Loneliness" by Sarah Kay </h2><div style="text-align: left;">at Gray Area in San Francisco, Calif.</div><div>Subscribe to Button: <a href="http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry">http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Button Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry">http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry">http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry">http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button tumblr: <a href="http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com">http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com</a></div><h2>About Button:</h2><div>Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.</div><div><br /></div><div>We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.</div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-45527378416011751802023-10-10T16:30:00.093-07:002023-10-13T14:46:39.501-07:00Salt Lake City poetry slam powerhouse R.J. Walker features at Sedona Poetry Slam on Jan. 13<p>With 2023 in the rear-view mirror and
2024 underway, the Sedona Poetry Slam enters its 15th season (but 16th year!) of
performance poets bringing high-energy, competitive spoken word to
the Mary D. Fisher Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13.</p>
Between rounds, Salt Lake City spoken
word powerhouse R.J. Walker will perform a featured set.
A poetry slam is like a series of
high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience.
Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQhVAl1xxmpisgv8Lfmtr8NCF-XTBhaVa82Zuv58ydyz9bLK1Mpk8KoAqwrPTiCvY16joE2gmErXnqzJAjYPMvMqdi2x8LqZjkNI7eHstU1gXiA7CMGWetBUQ5feCX1F08QNRO8VtMDTYqNxsKG3HAFiqXX4V4_erhYBed4Ptm3WBGdt6wHddSHnbSc/s3000/AB5I2827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQhVAl1xxmpisgv8Lfmtr8NCF-XTBhaVa82Zuv58ydyz9bLK1Mpk8KoAqwrPTiCvY16joE2gmErXnqzJAjYPMvMqdi2x8LqZjkNI7eHstU1gXiA7CMGWetBUQ5feCX1F08QNRO8VtMDTYqNxsKG3HAFiqXX4V4_erhYBed4Ptm3WBGdt6wHddSHnbSc/w640-h426/AB5I2827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">
R.J. Walker </h1>RJ Walker is a performance poet and voice actor from Salt Lake City, Utah. Walker has performed at the National Poetry Slam numerous times, representing Salt Lake City and Sugar House Utah. At the Individual World Poetry Slam he was a showcased poet on final stage and placed sixth overall at the 2017 Individual world poetry slam.<div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-FtrVBfEgb_ka8ifglWzEUyoaymeTq2zTWzljdXIHjY7wwg4uaVwofGQDEU5m63FqXKXn_ez-iwBQQNwvZkRfYBLjin8hALd26bL7pl4HBu5xbSzEpSb6UlLtnOJI36-XRKLXPKG_eQ6sMz_fS5IG-BB3zxyCc6rG7l6xkBHJhA3160vP2DblN1QJig/s2048/received_1029909424499348.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2048" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-FtrVBfEgb_ka8ifglWzEUyoaymeTq2zTWzljdXIHjY7wwg4uaVwofGQDEU5m63FqXKXn_ez-iwBQQNwvZkRfYBLjin8hALd26bL7pl4HBu5xbSzEpSb6UlLtnOJI36-XRKLXPKG_eQ6sMz_fS5IG-BB3zxyCc6rG7l6xkBHJhA3160vP2DblN1QJig/w640-h508/received_1029909424499348.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Walker won the NPS Spirit of the Slam
award for organizing the first Compliment Deathmatch event. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PgmRUJ3rofM?si=pNhVlyf7eZcsD1bB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p><div><br /></div>The next
year he placed fourth at the National Poetry Slam with the Salt City
Unified team.
He is a winner of the Button Poetry video contest.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7KLQ49maQdw?si=z7DZa76KR34BYwEI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>In Salt Lake City, Walker is the host and operator of
The Greenhouse Effect Open Mic, SLC’s longest running open mic
style event. Walker is a TEDX SLC speaker and was a keynote speaker
for the League of Utah Writers’ Quills Conference.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeTkP_91QmSw3GL2fMJOkbGK0JoSCBOyh4dBev2u_cja9Qr7Ls-Slb_eLu2Y2qNSkVLnnCqF1Xf2ZpOB-K7Yskj_MsMsXZwxooDDWyUuubh5cZU2XBLqAJzN68x4ndH-rP40gfgLA8k3K8nHB2lb80NR_nEkgd5ytyubW6jJz03KZgBsgnVCrbKOs9Q/s6000/RJ%20Walker.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeTkP_91QmSw3GL2fMJOkbGK0JoSCBOyh4dBev2u_cja9Qr7Ls-Slb_eLu2Y2qNSkVLnnCqF1Xf2ZpOB-K7Yskj_MsMsXZwxooDDWyUuubh5cZU2XBLqAJzN68x4ndH-rP40gfgLA8k3K8nHB2lb80NR_nEkgd5ytyubW6jJz03KZgBsgnVCrbKOs9Q/w426-h640/RJ%20Walker.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
>Outside of poetry, Walker has narrated
over 30 audiobooks, designed escape rooms, written murder mystery
adventures, designed alternate reality games that take players on
adventures through the urban exploration of Salt Lake City and
written five produced plays for Salt Lake Community College, Wasatch
Theatre Company and The Utah Arts Alliance.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9NHxS2ZQ9bE?si=hQUKjfFM4VTLAZxi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div> He is an Irene
Ryan-nominated actor and an ACTF finalist in playwriting. He is also
a runner up for the ACTF devised theatre competition.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUupO7mbfFYMSlQUt7hWFosAEeM0ZPwpNf0Wk1ZUmKCX7KimLrtj8aSq2-JY8W6hutRbRZWaDd3AwEuLFqJkEAhOM8fGOdcNbp9vy4AjjE70K8XnUCMWSznuh_iRo21m6EnZqb6fVZ3ycBSyuPFYm5iHvLFxdwT91kRb-_nYAgF1JccT1lJOtVsaiPH4/s6600/2019%20headshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6600" data-original-width="5100" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUupO7mbfFYMSlQUt7hWFosAEeM0ZPwpNf0Wk1ZUmKCX7KimLrtj8aSq2-JY8W6hutRbRZWaDd3AwEuLFqJkEAhOM8fGOdcNbp9vy4AjjE70K8XnUCMWSznuh_iRo21m6EnZqb6fVZ3ycBSyuPFYm5iHvLFxdwT91kRb-_nYAgF1JccT1lJOtVsaiPH4/w494-h640/2019%20headshot.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>Currently on the creative team for The
Box theatre, Walker serves as a playwright in residence and is the
executive director of Lords of Misrule theatre company which pioneers
mutual-aid focused theatre arts.
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjLvuNS16RY?si=Sp9EfhsgnKBhtQi2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMC8rSTqmUEvOSTll_6fw4AGlhbIPYvv1WVYu7iJDxwHBaFhIfm96JssIAhHh2j9G6Om_SZ7fZWEaqfoj9MDAEsb8viKe_29Zb8-nxim75FMnAGQYh2PtmdjGWQ8gvWuMU6lexFSTz3VLPEUIo3XasUDVNfvBMlcEkp3W9AqrHaufKNov080x5YRLuuo/s1200/RJ%20Walker%20Action%20Shot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMC8rSTqmUEvOSTll_6fw4AGlhbIPYvv1WVYu7iJDxwHBaFhIfm96JssIAhHh2j9G6Om_SZ7fZWEaqfoj9MDAEsb8viKe_29Zb8-nxim75FMnAGQYh2PtmdjGWQ8gvWuMU6lexFSTz3VLPEUIo3XasUDVNfvBMlcEkp3W9AqrHaufKNov080x5YRLuuo/w640-h384/RJ%20Walker%20Action%20Shot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Open Slam</h1>
To compete in the slam, poets will need
three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No
props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets
are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at
random at the beginning of the slam.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZBGPWtKHv-NLSl6pBjz5ayC7b--NNz7PBXQeGP7u_tpJ1tvWKIHqu7rAxws1GsCbKIK38NibZWERG8TsdO0pEeu8jqZcg1ea3nSINU-V3xLc9lMB5BPq6e36NpyU3qraH_qtY9XO1VPu6rFT7bGKimaRlLqOSW7vaSeLmnWFimKsY0NVsd5HAXYadoE/s2048/Sedona%20-%20how%20slam%20works.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZBGPWtKHv-NLSl6pBjz5ayC7b--NNz7PBXQeGP7u_tpJ1tvWKIHqu7rAxws1GsCbKIK38NibZWERG8TsdO0pEeu8jqZcg1ea3nSINU-V3xLc9lMB5BPq6e36NpyU3qraH_qtY9XO1VPu6rFT7bGKimaRlLqOSW7vaSeLmnWFimKsY0NVsd5HAXYadoE/w480-h640/Sedona%20-%20how%20slam%20works.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Slam poetry is an art form that allows
written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical
performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far
away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets
from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona
University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. All
types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop
and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective
confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a
competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and
inspire the audience with their creativity.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/76eryDM36M0?si=fYeqazcBOMZH51nA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at
2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12. For
tickets, call 282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.
The next poetry slams of the season
will be held on Saturdays, Feb. 3; March 9; April 13, featuring Briana Grace Hammerstrom of Portland. Ore., by way of Flagstaff, May
11 and finally on June 8.
The prize money is funded in part by a
donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.
Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up
early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the
day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket
in case the roster is filled before they arrive.
>For more information, visit
sedonafilmfestival.com or foxthepoet.blogspot.com. a href="https://www.azpoet.com/" target="_blank">For a full list of
slam poetry events in Arizona, visit azpoet.com.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/s490/AZPoet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/w570-h640/AZPoet.jpg" width="570" /></a></div>
<h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">What is Poetry Slam?
</h1>
Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in
Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic
sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry
reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy
competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members
of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets'
contents and performances.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5JmJZsUKc8g?si=HlKDK-daq4tQZOB5" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Poetry slam has become an international
artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United
States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened
at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the
United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell
Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO.
Sedona has sent four-poet teams to
represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.,
Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and
Chicago.</div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-44993457594449461342023-10-08T10:00:00.001-07:002024-01-07T19:38:16.698-07:00"The Distance" by Danny Sherrard
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XlTSQJWIqxM?si=ieLX_N_IP0xg6oJ9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <h1 style="text-align: left;">"The Distance"</h1><h3 style="text-align: left;">by Danny Sherrard</h3><div><br /></div><div>put me in the distance </div><div>now if you guys don't know</div><div>the Distance </div><div>it's out there </div><div><br /></div><div>it's kind of like where the truth has this way </div><div>of answering all your questions </div><div>without even having to speak </div><div>like the first time you set eyes on the first love of your life </div><div>as they were just walking down the street </div><div><br /></div><div>put me in the distance </div><div>where you can riddle rumors out about my existence</div><div>like maybe the mighty Mike McGee will say</div><div>"I heard that Danny was kidnapped </div><div>by a renegade Amazon tribe in the Amazon </div><div>and they took him under their wing </div><div>so now his blowgun skills </div><div><br /></div><div>phhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwop!</div><div>are impeccable"</div><div><br /></div><div>See when I'm in the distance myth-making it ain't gonna be my job anymore </div><div>it'll be yours </div><div>and I think it would be just what the doctor ordered </div><div><br /></div><div>if I was in the distance so long</div><div>that there was a band of Danny impersonators </div><div>running the streets of Providence </div><div>like quicksand horses </div><div>that everyone's eyes could just sort of sink into </div><div>and I feel it like our hearts are all in the distance </div><div>pumping vision into our blood and blood back into our vision </div><div>distance is being able to see things from the inside out </div><div>distance is where the future grows </div><div>distance puts the marrow in tomorrow </div><div>distance is what I want to eat for breakfast </div><div>it's the bullseye tattooed the inside of my solar plexus </div><div>and only the sunset can pierce it </div><div>so CR when I'm gone </div><div>I'll be gone </div><div>my back would be turned </div><div>by the time y'all's arrows are drawn </div><div>the distance that I'm all wrapped up in </div><div>will put the potential energy in your quiver </div><div>distance is the backbone in my swagger </div><div>and the twang in my stupid honesty </div><div>see without the distance my gunslingers wrists </div><div>hang lifeless with arthritis at my sides </div><div>and gypsy of my lips forgets how to kiss the sky </div><div><br /></div><div>without the distance </div><div>some nights I grind my wisdom teeth into a fine powder </div><div>and I lace my cigarette other nights </div><div>I use it </div><div>to fill the empty hour glasses </div><div>I put them in the world </div><div>where things always get turned upside down </div><div>to feel like I have more time </div><div>I do headstands </div><div>on escalators</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll hit my spirit with the reflex hammer</div><div>just to see if its knee jerks </div><div>I get used to the different-day same T-shirt </div><div>I'll play with symbols and reverse and reverse till I bleed earth </div><div>listen, these words are patchwork nothing </div><div>I left my patchworks right between West 4th and Bleecker</div><div>so now I band up the box </div><div>of the past </div><div>with a blindfold on </div><div>I'll keep tomorrow a breath away </div><div>and break dawn like an egg across the home of your hate </div><div>because distance </div><div>is a dynamite psycho static patchwork matchstick stuck on motion </div><div>and I'm a riverstone explosion </div><div>a chiseled whisperin' echo crumbling in on itself </div><div>a clover grown its fourth leaf </div><div>check your kinetics </div><div>check my kinetics </div><div>striking lightning off the Braille of our pulse</div><div>put me in the distance and I will go </div><div><br /></div><div>I will go to the pawn shop at the end of the universe </div><div>where the pawn shop owner </div><div>keeps his beard in check </div><div>with that razor blade you may have traded in for a second chance </div><div>and he'll look at me </div><div>from behind those elusive crossed arms </div><div>and that wayward smile </div><div>that pawn shop owners often have </div><div>and I'll just take a look around </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll see the angel wings slung up on the walls </div><div>and all of our old dreams </div><div>bottled in jars on shelves </div><div>that slant for the weight </div><div>until I realized that this </div><div>is as far as I can go </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll move the distance out of the way </div><div>walk up to that pawn shop owner and say:</div><div><br /></div><div>"listen, I've got a great story</div><div>it's about a spirit </div><div>trying to find his way </div><div>back to his bones</div><div>and I'm willing to trade it in</div><div>just so long as you can give me directions</div><div>on how to get back home"</div><div><div><br /><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gF5Rnwx5X4I" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><p>Danny Sherrard wows the crowd at the Applesauce Teahouse in Flagstaff in November 2007</p><p>Born in Seattle, Washington on August 29, 1985, Sherrand he won the Individual National Poetry Slam competition in 2007, becoming the youngest competitor at that time to win such a title. In 2008 Sherrard won France's Poetry World Cup where he competed against national champions from 15 countries.</p><p>Sherrard was on the Seattle poetry slam teams in 2007 and 2008 and the 2009 HawaiiSlam team.</p><p>At the beginning of 2009 Danny Sherrard toured with the spoken word group The Spilljoy Ensemble composed of himself, Jon Sands, Shira Erlichman and Ken Arkind.</p><p>Sherrard's first book, "Cast Your Eyes like River Stones into the Exquisite Dark," was released in 2009 through Write Bloody Publishing.</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ztZ5-sZo7So" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div></div>FoxThePoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261979793062551850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-46731725862906103982023-10-03T09:00:00.001-07:002023-10-03T09:00:00.150-07:00Sedona Poetry Slam 2023-24 flyer<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8G2Jbq2qp-ybvBbv6eoFsr6GW5b_nerEpBP32ZkkuisoFIPfivwoBs7u-e56HEhoMO-uQqWVU3HMnjzPvg7OgKD_VdO8XQME-xPKwg-YXQVl7QPT1-W_X5fHxh2zCOsqNvSVasd82LDb2m9nGP6YBAZzH0QFkRvS81SgAobhKJJJWoIeWOyiMTqrREBQ/s2037/Sedona%20Poetry%20Slam%202023-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="1728" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8G2Jbq2qp-ybvBbv6eoFsr6GW5b_nerEpBP32ZkkuisoFIPfivwoBs7u-e56HEhoMO-uQqWVU3HMnjzPvg7OgKD_VdO8XQME-xPKwg-YXQVl7QPT1-W_X5fHxh2zCOsqNvSVasd82LDb2m9nGP6YBAZzH0QFkRvS81SgAobhKJJJWoIeWOyiMTqrREBQ/w542-h640/Sedona%20Poetry%20Slam%202023-24.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-86442162449050676652023-09-30T13:30:00.019-07:002023-10-02T20:07:36.176-07:00"Justino" by Ryan Brown<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/63q6TxbWb-4?si=0waqJR8g3pu9COeV&start=309" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h1 style="text-align: center;">"Justino"</h1><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>By Ryan Brown</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>It took him forty-eight years</div><div>to become a dishwasher</div><div>at Pita Jungle.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nine bucks an hour,</div><div>thirty-some hours a week,</div><div><br /></div><div>sweat pouring off his brow</div><div>to mask the exhaustion of a face</div><div>that is no longer concerned with fairness.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is here, everyday,</div><div>fingers to the grindstone,</div><div>tougher than the forgotten beef jerky</div><div>in some badass rebel biker's</div><div>leather jacket pocket.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is the Zen master,</div><div>the rush without the hurry,</div><div><br /></div><div>too grateful for what he has</div><div>and for that, </div><div>he does not blend in there,</div><div><br /></div><div>but this is one of his high points.</div><div><br /></div><div>Justino does the dirty work</div><div>in a restaurant that expects</div><div>wine glasses to sparkle</div><div>like they haven't been whored out</div><div>to fifty colors of lipstick</div><div>in the last two weeks alone.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you can't speak English</div><div>or read in any language</div><div>but the blue, green, </div><div>and orange tongues of dish soap,</div><div>it is difficult to embellish</div><div>your minimal education on a job application,</div><div><br /></div><div>where only a name and previous work experience</div><div>sweat off the page,</div><div>as if about to be interrogated </div><div>by bitter men in blue uniforms.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Quiero trabajar."</div><div>"Quiero estar contento"</div><div><br /></div><div>and in Arizona there is a chance, </div><div>there are truckloads of wasted food,</div><div><br /></div><div>and it is far easier to feed a backbone</div><div>whose vertebrae have the weight of</div><div>an entire family hanging on</div><div>for survival.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is one of his high points, </div><div>and at five-foot-five</div><div>Justino still reaches like a summit.</div><div><br /></div><div>He was raised ten sniper-scope</div><div>magnifications away from an America </div><div>that will cross the ocean</div><div>armed and blindfolded</div><div>to siphon a stranger's oil,</div><div><br /></div><div>but won't speak patiently</div><div>with the next door neighbors about</div><div>changes that need to happen</div><div>on our shared soil.</div><div><br /></div><div>His existence isn't waist-deep </div><div>in politics anymore;</div><div>this is all too human for puppet shows now.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all happened in a cluster of struggle</div><div>before he could choose the outcome of the story</div><div>through a ballot box,</div><div><br /></div><div>so he wrote it with the distance</div><div>between two constitutions,</div><div>determined as the sun</div><div>to run circles around us.</div><div><br /></div><div>He exercises patience everyday,</div><div>arms unwinding only after 10 p.m.,</div><div>thousands of miles and light years from childhood,</div><div><br /></div><div>the Sahara breathing sand </div><div>on each country's land,</div><div>but we aren't supposed to know</div><div>we have this much in common.</div><div><br /></div><div>The invisible particles of a hundred wasted dinners</div><div>cling to his skin like the smog smothering </div><div>both Downtown Phoenix and Mexico City.</div><div><br /></div><div>His fists are iron </div><div>and have been crushing minutes </div><div>into nickels since he was 9 years old. </div><div><br /></div><div>He is 48 going on 60</div><div>going on "what-did-all-these-years-evaporate-into?"</div><div>like he ever had a choice,</div><div>like he wasn't born into making things easier</div><div>for people who never had it hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>The grindstone always looks like a rolling highway</div><div>when you've got your face pressed against it,</div><div><br /></div><div>and 50 years from now,</div><div>his skin will be so</div><div>wrinkled and rough and wise,</div><div>it won't even be real.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some Americans are still compelled</div><div>to resist a society where different nationalities </div><div>are forced to cooperate peacefully.</div><div><br /></div><div>They hate the idea so much,</div><div>that sometimes, </div><div>they even write an email about it,</div><div><br /></div><div>or a bill.</div><div><br /></div><div>But his time is too precious for the bias </div><div>of blue comfort and hungry fear.</div><div><br /></div><div>He wants only to give a piece</div><div>of this world to his family,</div><div>and in a place where people</div><div>would rather have the world</div><div>handed to them, </div><div>he does one hell </div><div>of a job.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NVOAa6hgL7w?si=OPDmVb130VXU6H68" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcU2yiMUh5m_35x71S8bmirinKzZgp8T_wcP8CZwPt49xrN-W8eZZpaghvMjZJN5GQlbFZvt21XFfzLCpvzFe2USFrlfRKv0D6z65Wv4W118ndd6faZs9pWJjsdLmsNxvAp6sn3e6L_TJpYYt4eqh5JWMUDFf0Ou91iJ5-YQCgEkEMXYFZ7rD1hmIzlE/s640/Ryan%20Brown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcU2yiMUh5m_35x71S8bmirinKzZgp8T_wcP8CZwPt49xrN-W8eZZpaghvMjZJN5GQlbFZvt21XFfzLCpvzFe2USFrlfRKv0D6z65Wv4W118ndd6faZs9pWJjsdLmsNxvAp6sn3e6L_TJpYYt4eqh5JWMUDFf0Ou91iJ5-YQCgEkEMXYFZ7rD1hmIzlE/w638-h640/Ryan%20Brown.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ryan Brown is a poet's poet in every sense of the word. The mountain town of Flagstaff is known for a poetry slam scene where poets come together as a community, and Brown was at the center of the growth as the FlagSlam Poetry Slam's slammaster from 2008 to 2012.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brown attended four National Poetry Slam competitions as a member of the FlagSlam team in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012, getting as far as the semi-finals round in 2009. At the helm of Flagstaff's slam scene, Brown brought in featured poets such as Andrea Gibson and Gypsee Yo to help reinvigorate the poetry community in a town still bursting with poetic flavor a decade late.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An English major at Northern Arizona University, Brown collaborated often with poets such as Frank O'Brien, John Cartier and Sedona's Jessica Guadarrama and Christopher Fox Graham. He writes with the future in mind, his poems often revolving around the intimacy of human relationships.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After graduating with an English degree from NAU in 2012, Brown taught English in South Korea. He now lives in Nashville, Tenn.</div></div></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-91687896514205335462023-09-23T13:00:00.000-07:002023-09-23T13:00:00.144-07:00Dan Seaman, "Side of the Road"<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hevOXtjAE88" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><p>"Side of the Road" is some daydreaming about recently-old relationships and moving along on a long uninterrupted wide-open-country motorcycle trip to Redstone, Colo.
danseamanfmx/localafprods
music: www.audionautix.com</p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-19249060588638585732023-09-22T09:00:00.037-07:002023-09-22T09:00:00.138-07:00Sedona Poetry Slam returns for 15th season on Saturday, Oct. 7<p>The Sedona Poetry Slam returns for its 15th season Saturday, Oct. 7. Performance poets will bring high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrY7mDPRPJsMJlSE7eEpea_kZmVLGBFd-Tg9MgqDZ8MIE8aT1Y59NbdQsZprY7GAQx90Nl6UMgQiwoK-TBHbUxJc8gECwRBNHbgJBXnD_BJ40x4J3p_Bs4wj8YWjBxXdNoX8QU0El08L6_peQJuTrjHu9EJnwzPLxoERXrWsci6QnzBAjlZPHFQOsppg/s4032/PXL_20230402_034401495.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrY7mDPRPJsMJlSE7eEpea_kZmVLGBFd-Tg9MgqDZ8MIE8aT1Y59NbdQsZprY7GAQx90Nl6UMgQiwoK-TBHbUxJc8gECwRBNHbgJBXnD_BJ40x4J3p_Bs4wj8YWjBxXdNoX8QU0El08L6_peQJuTrjHu9EJnwzPLxoERXrWsci6QnzBAjlZPHFQOsppg/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_034401495.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. </p><p>To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi740sEdGLZUH7Y7fYhETPrIBEsIDzng3T8TuAh8DjshjA2uCPz-g9_kBWXcRPZ_6uVgbLdRfXAVOR5F4x6HHYfy1itLqdbBMQwUCDozZp5UYnjZMr4823tLzVKdsupVJf4cJn3udm44mKn35bg8r6XssKUc9HShQxL8Wth3i3cq0QEN2EhaGgP5KI6Eto/s4032/PXL_20230402_035956499.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi740sEdGLZUH7Y7fYhETPrIBEsIDzng3T8TuAh8DjshjA2uCPz-g9_kBWXcRPZ_6uVgbLdRfXAVOR5F4x6HHYfy1itLqdbBMQwUCDozZp5UYnjZMr4823tLzVKdsupVJf4cJn3udm44mKn35bg8r6XssKUc9HShQxL8Wth3i3cq0QEN2EhaGgP5KI6Eto/w480-h640/PXL_20230402_035956499.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School. All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a "slam" poem if performed in a competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.</p><p>The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12. For tickets, call 282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvDmGj0xtKF6e-Oao21IoJDQ82n2ACy8jeO94lGQqGH496n77e8LVW9Mz5S-3ka6934oYyWNrzUxfJnjgnbuGwREBno1ulnv1O0O-2pkuOjzNE20JZFPa53pycExCw_NQS49mHNE33cPgAo5LISQ2FQgj8AF6AGBUL26KpM2agLNVBP-OaqYj4BvGPu0/s2048/Sedona%20Poetry%20Slam%202021bk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvDmGj0xtKF6e-Oao21IoJDQ82n2ACy8jeO94lGQqGH496n77e8LVW9Mz5S-3ka6934oYyWNrzUxfJnjgnbuGwREBno1ulnv1O0O-2pkuOjzNE20JZFPa53pycExCw_NQS49mHNE33cPgAo5LISQ2FQgj8AF6AGBUL26KpM2agLNVBP-OaqYj4BvGPu0/w640-h640/Sedona%20Poetry%20Slam%202021bk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The next poetry slam of the season will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, featuring R.J. Walker, of Salt Lake City. Subsequent slams will be on Saturdays Feb. 3; March 9; April 13, featuring Briana Grace Hammerstrom of Portland. Ore., by way of Flagstaff, May 11 and finally on June 8.</p><p>The prize money is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.</p><p>Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam or at the door the day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XFKD2R4DzUL6lAAfMaPrEF_IkpgEAktz0RAG1DodCuTqX9PIF2djYzj07MVj6ISy70TFzUNXZs0K_U1eNL6lhqgWwHaGSu0RgU9KjVcZQnBUf5zyRiM9J5AYrPKTbQpvj4z7vihT1rxoSK68fs8UZy3oHq8HmxzJUazseaPjq1PvrkkEcjAoBDmIIwI/s4032/PXL_20230402_043306446.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XFKD2R4DzUL6lAAfMaPrEF_IkpgEAktz0RAG1DodCuTqX9PIF2djYzj07MVj6ISy70TFzUNXZs0K_U1eNL6lhqgWwHaGSu0RgU9KjVcZQnBUf5zyRiM9J5AYrPKTbQpvj4z7vihT1rxoSK68fs8UZy3oHq8HmxzJUazseaPjq1PvrkkEcjAoBDmIIwI/w480-h640/PXL_20230402_043306446.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>For more information,<b><a href="https://sedonafilmfestival.com/" target="_blank"> visit sedonafilmfestival.com</a></b> or foxthepoet.blogspot.com. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.azpoet.com/" target="_blank">For a full list of slam poetry events in Arizona, visit azpoet.com.</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/s490/AZPoet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZupNhRDzRbBc12TvdWE7QJyepJKZttUsbaY6rEaUJsiAGvYdJo9Ttxbe1plJ72KE7pmzCLLofGTgdp-sQ8MsVRYhQg06jCcsv_TfJdqaHZ1dIdLiPoRe9SI3aadHnsDUgDwvhF1vdG_sVRB6xlCKRqsD-DA5cWv5NjOoW063AxmWxzVwDU157YdQEtW8/w570-h640/AZPoet.jpg" width="570" /></a></div><br /><h1 style="text-align: left;">What is Poetry Slam? </h1><p>Founded at the Green Mill Tavern in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport designed to get people who would otherwise never go to a poetry reading excited about the art form when it becomes a high-energy competition. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU8-sALmt7HPf9M2JQCMSRJ2iDJ7T6R-6P91eDpfBuQO_FE_vZEmdayoM5cOb5thGY0Znkvsb0aURd9gJ_gFjZJmWMUE1UK5V2Y7sV1zg5ws0wng5kynzsp1E6ExcYv_VLh7tMJ_JAYY1n0cnSli4wTlgxSOop_cFKojpwk8gEdDkm_A8I5wn0Sse6D8/s3000/Green_Mill_Cocktail_Lounge_exterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="3000" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU8-sALmt7HPf9M2JQCMSRJ2iDJ7T6R-6P91eDpfBuQO_FE_vZEmdayoM5cOb5thGY0Znkvsb0aURd9gJ_gFjZJmWMUE1UK5V2Y7sV1zg5ws0wng5kynzsp1E6ExcYv_VLh7tMJ_JAYY1n0cnSli4wTlgxSOop_cFKojpwk8gEdDkm_A8I5wn0Sse6D8/w640-h460/Green_Mill_Cocktail_Lounge_exterior.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Slam poets have opened at the Winter Olympics, performed at the White House and at the United Nations General Assembly and were featured on "Russell Simmons' Def Poets" on HBO.</p><p>Sedona has sent four-poet teams to represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Cambridge, Mass., Oakland, Calif., Decatur, Ga., Denver and Chicago.</p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-82167798523547864992023-09-16T13:00:00.004-07:002023-09-16T13:00:00.157-07:00"Lessons I Learned From Selena" by Gigi Bella, at Project X, Bronx N.Y.<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6SYES1DGwic" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">"Lessons I Learned From Selena" by Gigi Bella, at Project X, Bronx N.Y.</h2><p>https://www.SlamFind.com is a simple yet powerful platform for you to find live spoken word venues near you and watch slam poetry performance videos from around the world</p><p>Follow Gigi Bella at: @gigibellag</p><p>Filmed at Project X in Bronx NY: https://www.facebook.com/theBXproject/</p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-9752043243301641792023-09-03T13:00:00.019-07:002023-09-03T13:00:00.158-07:00"OCD" by Neil Hilborn<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vnKZ4pdSU-s?si=frbSEPOaQFYs53MR" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">"OCD"</h1><div style="text-align: left;"><h4 style="text-align: left;">by Neil Hilborn</h4>The first time I saw her,<br />Everything in my head went quiet.<br />All the ticks, all the constantly refreshing images just disappeared.<br />When you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, you don’t really get quiet moments.<br />Even in bed, I’m thinking:<br />Did I lock the doors? Yes.<br />Did I wash my hands? Yes.<br />Did I lock the doors? Yes.<br />Did I wash my hands? Yes.<br />But when I saw her, the only thing I could think about was the hairpin curve of her lips.<br />Or the eyelash on her cheek—<br />the eyelash on her cheek—<br />the eyelash on her cheek.<br />I knew I had to talk to her.<br />I asked her out six times in thirty seconds.<br />She said yes after the third one, but none of them felt right, so I had to keep going.<br />On our first date, I spent more time organizing my meal by color than I did eating it, or talking to her.<br />But she loved it.<br />She loved that I had to kiss her goodbye sixteen times or twenty-four times at different times of the day.<br />She loved that it took me forever to walk home because there are lots of cracks on our sidewalk.<br />When we moved in together, she said she felt safe, like no one would ever rob us because I definitely lock the door eighteen times.<br />I’d always watch her mouth when she talked—<br />when she talked—<br />when she talked—<br />when she talked;<br />when she said she loved me, her mouth would curl up at the edges.<br />At night, she’d lay in bed and watch me turn all the lights off.<br />And on, and off, and on, and off, and on, and off, and on, and off, and on, and off.<br />She’d close her eyes and imagine that the days and nights were passing in front of her.<br />But then.<br />She said I was taking up too much of her time.<br />That I couldn’t kiss her goodbye so much because I was making her late for work.<br />When she said she loved me, her mouth was a straight line. When I stopped in front of a crack in the sidewalk, she just kept walking.<br />And last week she started sleeping at her mother’s place.<br />She told me that she shouldn’t have let me get so attached to her; that this whole thing was a mistake, but.<br />How can it be a mistake that I don’t have to wash my hands after I touch her?<br />Love is not a mistake, and it’s killing me that she can run away from this and I just can’t.<br />I can’t go out and find someone new because I always think of her.<br />Usually, when I obsess over things, I see germs sneaking into my skin.<br />I see myself crushed by an endless succession of cars.<br />And she was the first beautiful thing I ever got stuck on.<br />I want to wake up every morning thinking about the way she holds her steering wheel.<br />How she turns shower knobs like she opening a safe.<br />How she blows out candles—<br />blows out candles—<br />blows out candles—<br />blows out candles—<br />blows out—<br />Now, I just think about who else is kissing her.<br />I can’t breathe because he only kisses her once -<br />He doesn’t care if it’s perfect!<br />I want her back so bad,<br />I leave the door unlocked.<br />I leave the lights on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><h1 class="poet-name entry-title" style="background-color: #f1f0ef; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; display: inline-block; font-family: utopia-std, Rubik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "fira sans", "droid sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif; font-size: 2.5rem; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Neil Hilborn</h1><p class="poet-bio-social" style="background-color: #f1f0ef; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; font-family: Rubik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "fira sans", "droid sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><a href="https://buttonpoetry.com/neilhilborn/neilicorn" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit; transition-duration: 0.2s;">Website</a> | Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/neilicorn/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit; transition-duration: 0.2s;">@neilicorn</a> | Facebook <a href="https://facebook.com/neilhilborn" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit; transition-duration: 0.2s;">@neilhilborn</a> | Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/neilicorn" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1d1b1b; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit; transition-duration: 0.2s;">@neilicorn</a></p></div><div>Get Neil’s book, THE FUTURE: http://bit.ly/neilfuture</div><div><br /></div><div>Neil Hilborn is a College National Poetry Slam champion, and a 2011 graduate with honors from Macalester College with a degree in Creative Writing. He has two full-length collections of poetry: Our Numbered Days (Button Poetry, 2015) and The Future (Button Poetry, 2018). His chapbook, Clatter is also available.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS_5juRk-efq8BAS27Y7qJPN9RD9TGBOshnh7NkERgmwoauPOUcC69i6X4Sdn3DyNxBCr4UzKqNyCNOz07dKcJJVWH10X56kPdVQJnbdoYaUHtbthGtPdTLTDHdW6yRW5iOkG-Iu8JFNYZ_dNE3QXQm17gnzy8yUNDId1lQi949pzx5vz53eOTpKAb-hCH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="585" data-original-width="585" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS_5juRk-efq8BAS27Y7qJPN9RD9TGBOshnh7NkERgmwoauPOUcC69i6X4Sdn3DyNxBCr4UzKqNyCNOz07dKcJJVWH10X56kPdVQJnbdoYaUHtbthGtPdTLTDHdW6yRW5iOkG-Iu8JFNYZ_dNE3QXQm17gnzy8yUNDId1lQi949pzx5vz53eOTpKAb-hCH=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div></div><div>Neil was a member of the 2011 Macalester Poetry Slam team, which ranked first in the nation at the 2011 College National Poetry Slam. He co-coached the 2012 Macalester team, leading them to a second place finish nationally. He was also a member of the Minneapolis adult National Poetry Slam team in 2011, which placed 5th out of 80 teams from cities across the country at the adult National Poetry Slam. He is the co-founder of Thistle, a Macalester literary magazine, and has run numerous writing workshops with college and high school students. His work has been featured in publications such as Borderline Magazine and Orange Quarterly.</div></div>FoxThePoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261979793062551850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-43333860288624795562023-08-26T13:00:00.003-07:002023-08-26T13:00:00.140-07:00"In Which I Do Not Fear Harvey Dent" by Brenna Twohy<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n4MBiH7lNIU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><p> </p><p><b>"In Which I Do Not Fear Harvey Dent" by Brenna Twohy</b></p><div>Subscribe to Button: <a href="http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry">http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Get Brenna’s book, SWALLOWTAIL: <a href="http://bit.ly/brennaswallowtail">http://bit.ly/brennaswallowtail</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Button Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry">http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry">http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry">http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button tumblr: <a href="http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com">http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com</a></div><h2>About Button:</h2><div>Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.</div><div><br /></div><div>We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.</div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-72817780798132441052023-08-19T13:00:00.015-07:002023-08-19T13:00:00.140-07:00Hanif Abdurraqib, poet and 2021 MacArthur Fellow <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO57Ps7dgyN2UWwaFL9zUodXtIYCiyxvEvvCHt1Beiq6vF2CQNNQNHMde2Vt0achhsKBnOrw517qCXH5Yt3yl-jbaK81XZEoN_UKb8XmoI4NWwXEW8hUwAm4wO0gd_aVDNc6RnXyRXzGmmJ3TccaxIMYcBEF62GUrIzzYU1dbFAWpD3w7-Zr46EEAbsUk/s1000/Hanif%20Abdurraqib.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO57Ps7dgyN2UWwaFL9zUodXtIYCiyxvEvvCHt1Beiq6vF2CQNNQNHMde2Vt0achhsKBnOrw517qCXH5Yt3yl-jbaK81XZEoN_UKb8XmoI4NWwXEW8hUwAm4wO0gd_aVDNc6RnXyRXzGmmJ3TccaxIMYcBEF62GUrIzzYU1dbFAWpD3w7-Zr46EEAbsUk/w640-h426/Hanif%20Abdurraqib.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><b><a href="http://www.abdurraqib.com/" target="_blank">Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio.</a></b> His poetry has been published in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American, and various other journals. </p><p>His essays and music criticism have been published in The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York </p><p>Times. His first full length poetry collection, The Crown Ain't Worth Much, was released in June 2016 from Button Poetry. It was named a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Prize, and was nominated for a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. With Big Lucks, he released a limited edition chapbook, Vintage Sadness, in summer 2017 (you cannot get it anymore and he is very sorry.) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FgGNElOciiU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">"All Of The Ways I've Kept Myself Alive" by Hanif Abdurraqib</h2><p>His first collection of essays, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, CBC, The Los Angeles Review, Pitchfork, and The Chicago Tribune, among others. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ4W_HHcYvt127xC0U4h9zcL3y7qC2XEsbFh-sXJcyCLnswi-dudcjGuobqmc2v7JNWpFCSyQVdLHWpk4Kwe-DZUbpJWzr7SynNVhA9WMyF5i1f7OHHtaMgqYx2VuvqNO56gKTJ6u9mMaiJeLIZrHG_e0JyGvlJwX52h2FzZ265h47Xgw48-olQ-fcHY/s600/They-Can_t-Kill-Us-Until-They-Kill-Us_2048x2048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="443" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ4W_HHcYvt127xC0U4h9zcL3y7qC2XEsbFh-sXJcyCLnswi-dudcjGuobqmc2v7JNWpFCSyQVdLHWpk4Kwe-DZUbpJWzr7SynNVhA9WMyF5i1f7OHHtaMgqYx2VuvqNO56gKTJ6u9mMaiJeLIZrHG_e0JyGvlJwX52h2FzZ265h47Xgw48-olQ-fcHY/w472-h640/They-Can_t-Kill-Us-Until-They-Kill-Us_2048x2048.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><p>His second collection of poems, A Fortune For Your Disaster, was released in 2019 by Tin House, and won the 2020 Lenore Marshall Prize. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-rOAjX3ejpQgUmEzX0axmtmsa4hhTGW9M3MbVA34JWyGS-SAIvj7tk9DM3zTqup71Dls4rdjHfFBWzE2LI19RvwAXxjfRhOtPwlkBuKCEqka8ED6SDkq-JHr_k5uUbp1XyarxnJ1aguAHnlIAsTnCjSCbPWkaT_uNbRukw6WRvlR01r0Tg_7_KNRZEI/s1200/A%20FORTUNE%20FOR%20YOUR%20DISASTER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-rOAjX3ejpQgUmEzX0axmtmsa4hhTGW9M3MbVA34JWyGS-SAIvj7tk9DM3zTqup71Dls4rdjHfFBWzE2LI19RvwAXxjfRhOtPwlkBuKCEqka8ED6SDkq-JHr_k5uUbp1XyarxnJ1aguAHnlIAsTnCjSCbPWkaT_uNbRukw6WRvlR01r0Tg_7_KNRZEI/w534-h640/A%20FORTUNE%20FOR%20YOUR%20DISASTER.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>He released Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest with University of Texas press in February 2019. The book became a New York Times Bestseller, was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and was longlisted for the National Book Award. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEVeIvX_kaHp6g2cbdbSvxOYvwuBd45AMcXZre6gcMIIu0fq0RNptwKHHDD7VrEnGOpYUeJNO0F0C1J6HHDC5i3jQdk9fUx25ufFJa_AhS_tnJ0qLoLjwIS3AffsCcjAyrgx1QctMqgzXTrG4f1qUixS2Bz5hzLEj3_HywIJmBZNqVwyiLDPtnHfdLQo/s472/GO%20AHEAD%20IN%20THE%20RAIN%20NOTES%20TO%20A%20TRIBE%20CALLED%20QUEST.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="350" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEVeIvX_kaHp6g2cbdbSvxOYvwuBd45AMcXZre6gcMIIu0fq0RNptwKHHDD7VrEnGOpYUeJNO0F0C1J6HHDC5i3jQdk9fUx25ufFJa_AhS_tnJ0qLoLjwIS3AffsCcjAyrgx1QctMqgzXTrG4f1qUixS2Bz5hzLEj3_HywIJmBZNqVwyiLDPtnHfdLQo/w474-h640/GO%20AHEAD%20IN%20THE%20RAIN%20NOTES%20TO%20A%20TRIBE%20CALLED%20QUEST.png" width="474" /></a></div><br />In 2021, he released the book A Little Devil In America with Random House, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the The PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1bwkd-ViF3T8Rw_S11qtsjR73p8xqDUPUwUfZBFXyS1sSMpghy701jq1N3aEHsT0g0gVYg4UbCquGlh4ve2jSwSqzLVKJI4wj2oQIJbGTpLwlvt9XThqZoiDGa_P-Tn7--xIq5P6a4jBYk53RHZ_wcZdCNJmy8GmLNdxJ_m1kE0YlBRW3ds2cJm5_6I/s1000/A%20LITTLE%20DEVIL%20IN%20AMERICA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1bwkd-ViF3T8Rw_S11qtsjR73p8xqDUPUwUfZBFXyS1sSMpghy701jq1N3aEHsT0g0gVYg4UbCquGlh4ve2jSwSqzLVKJI4wj2oQIJbGTpLwlvt9XThqZoiDGa_P-Tn7--xIq5P6a4jBYk53RHZ_wcZdCNJmy8GmLNdxJ_m1kE0YlBRW3ds2cJm5_6I/w640-h640/A%20LITTLE%20DEVIL%20IN%20AMERICA.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The book won the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and the Gordon Burn Prize. Hanif is a graduate of Beechcroft High School.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nRBeMHvbs6c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">"A Poem In Which No Black People Are Dead" <br />by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib</h2><p>Get Hanif's book, THE CROWN AIN'T WORTH MUCH: <a href="http://bit.ly/hanifcrown">http://bit.ly/hanifcrown</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8cl-7aiT8tc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">"Some I Love Who are Dead" by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib</h2><p>Become a Member for exclusive perks and videos: <a href="https://bit.ly/ButtonMember">https://bit.ly/ButtonMember</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6e8AwvnOthg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">"Ok, I'm Finally Ready To Say Sorry For That One Summer" by Hanif Abdurraqib</h2><div><div><br /></div><div><h1 class="content-block__title has-top-margin" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Adobe Garamond Pro", Georgia, Garamond, Times, serif; font-size: 50px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;"><a href="https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2021/hanif-abdurraqib" target="_blank">Hanif Abdurraqib</a></h1><h2 class="content-block__subtitle has-top-margin" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Adobe Garamond Pro", Georgia, Garamond, Times, serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;">Music Critic, Essayist, and Poet | <a href="https://www.macfound.org/fellows/results?&fellow_class=2021" style="color: #2953c3; text-decoration-line: none; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;"><strong style="transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;">Class of 2021</strong></a></h2><div class="content-block__intro has-top-margin" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Adobe Garamond Pro", Georgia, Garamond, Times, serif; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin-top: 0.75em; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;"><p style="margin-bottom: 0px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;">Forging a distinctive style of cultural and artistic criticism through the lens of popular music and autobiography.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: background-color, border-color, box-shadow, color, opacity, text-shadow, transform; transition-timing-function: linear;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2MUBmS5RZco" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Hanif Abdurraqib is a music critic, essayist, and poet using the lens of popular music to examine the broader culture that produces and consumes it. With an intimate and welcoming writing style that establishes an immediate connection with readers, he blends autobiography, social history, and keen insights into specific technical and emotional aspects of a song, an album, or a performance.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many of the essays in Abdurraqib’s first collection, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us (2017), grew out of reviews and articles he wrote while a journalist; taken together, they form a deeply personal consideration of self-identity and the continued suffering inflicted on Black bodies at the hands of police and others. For example, he writes about attending a Bruce Springsteen concert days after visiting a memorial for Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, and struggling to reconcile his technical appreciation of the music with the racialized and gendered stories told by the lyrics. In his book Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest (2019), Abdurraqib traces the three-decade history of the pioneering hip-hop group and its impact within the larger hip-hop movement. He writes with clear affection for the group, and his assessment of the social and political atmosphere in which it operated includes reflections on how those same forces shaped his childhood and his experience of the music. Some sections are stylized as personal letters directed to members of the group, while others analyze its shifting aesthetic practices, such as how and why their wide-ranging use of sampling in early releases was later curtailed. Abdurraqib delves more deeply into historical research for his most recent book, A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance (2021). His thought-provoking observations on key artists and cultural moments in music, film, dance, and comedy—ranging from William Henry Lane, a nineteenth-century minstrel dancer who performed for White audiences in blackface, to Beyoncé’s 2016 Super Bowl appearance and the dance and music television show Soul Train—form a focused analysis of Blackness and a celebration of Black identity. Abdurraqib uses particular events and personal experiences, such as a live performance by a Black punk band or reminiscences about Wu Tang Clan, to explore themes such as Black anger and the entertainment industry’s long history of exploiting and abusing Black artists.</div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to his writing on music, Abdurraqib is a noted poet. Pop culture and music feature heavily in his poetry, which ranges across subjects both personal and public and addresses themes of race, class, and the politics of our present moment. Omnivorous in his influences and prolific in his output, Abdurraqib is forging a new form of cultural criticism, one that is informed by lived experience and offers incisive social and artistic critiques.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fdh3JumuTG8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">"At My First Punk Rock Show Ever" by Hanif Abdurraqib</h2><div>performing at Camp Bar in Saint Paul, MN.</div><div><h2>About Button Poetry:</h2><p>Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.</p><p>We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.</p></div><div><br /></div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-29528169799080666932023-08-12T13:00:00.003-07:002023-08-12T13:00:00.138-07:00"It's A Lot" by Jon Sands<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4c7mc6LfhNE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">"It's A Lot" by Jon Sands</h2><p>reading at Berl's Poetry Shop in Brooklyn, December 12th, 2018. </p><p>Jon Sands is a winner of the 2018 National Poetry Series, selected for his second book, It's Not Magic (Beacon Press, 2019). He is also the author of The New Clean, and the co-host of The Poetry Gods Podcast. His work has been featured in the New York Times and anthologized in The Best American Poetry. He teaches a weekly writing workshop for adults at Bailey House in East Harlem (an HIV/AIDS service center), and has represented New York City multiple times at the National Poetry Slam. He lives in Brooklyn. </p><p>Order Jon's book, It's Not Magic, winner of the 2018 National Poetry Series, here: </p><p>Indiebound: <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/it-s-not-magic-jon-sands/8990766">https://bookshop.org/p/books/it-s-not-magic-jon-sands/8990766</a></p><p>Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Magic-Jon-Sands/dp/0807002259">https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Magic-Jon-Sands/dp/0807002259</a></p><p>Barnes & Noble: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-not-magic-jonathan-sands/1130068966?ean=9780807002254">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-not-magic-jonathan-sands/1130068966</a></p>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869433775702147571.post-65583711091519783872023-08-05T13:00:00.001-07:002023-08-05T13:00:00.139-07:00 "Tryouts" (Motionpoems) by Gary Jackson<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_8Nwq7nFenI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Feb 12, 2018</div><div>Subscribe to Button: <a href="http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry">http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Check out more beautiful films from Motionpoems: <a href="http://motionpoems.org">http://motionpoems.org</a></div><div>If you loved this poem, check out Hanif Abdurraqib: <a href="http://bit.ly/ImSorryforThatOneSummer">http://bit.ly/ImSorryforThatOneSummer</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Button Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry">http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry">http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry">http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry</a></div><div>Button tumblr: <a href="http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com">http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com</a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">About Button:</h2><div>Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.</div><div><br /></div><div>We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.</div>Foxthepoethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16235806759839234085noreply@blogger.com0