Evan Dissinger wins the sixth Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014

Round 1
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Maya Hall	22.1	2:10	0.0	22.1
EJ McCormick	21.1	3:30	-1.5	19.6
Jeff Berger	14.9	3:32	-1.5	13.4
Leano Rice	25.7	3:38	-1.5	24.2
Gary Every	23.8	4:11	-3.5	20.3
Dan Seaman	28.1	4:33	-4.5	23.6
Gabbi Jue	23.7	2:26	0.0	23.7
Joe Griffin	24.0	1:25	0.0	24.0
Cindy Rowe	24.8	1:07	0.0	24.8
The Klute	26.7	2:55	0.0	26.7
Valence	27.5	2:44	0.0	27.5
James Gould	27.1	2:18	0.0	27.1
Evan Dissinger	29.0	3:23	-1.0	28.0
Joy Young	27.7	3:05	0.0	27.7
Josh Wiss	25.9	2:52	0.0	25.9
Round 2
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Josh Wiss	28.3	2:19	0.0	28.3
Joy Young	28.4	3:10	0.0	28.4
Evan Dissinger	28.6	2:13	0.0	28.7
James Gould	27.0	1:50	0.0	27.0
Valence	28.2	2:36	0.0	28.2
The Klute	26.5	3:07	0.0	26.5
Cindy Rowe	24.7	0:48	0.0	24.7
Joe Griffin	25.5	1:18	0.0	25.5
Gabbi Jue	28.0	2:29	0.0	28.0
Dan Seaman	28.3	3:46	-2.0	26.3
Gary Every	26.4	5:34	-7.5	18.9
Leano Rice	26.2	2:39	0.0	26.2
Jeff Berger	20.3	2:13	0.0	20.3
EJ McCormick	25.8	2:45	0.0	25.8
Maya Hall	26.9	2:33	0.0	26.9
Round 3
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Evan Dissinger	27.9	2:31	0.0	27.9
Valence	28.1	1:52	0.0	28.1
Joy Young	28.0	2:56	0.0	28.0
Josh Wiss	28.6	2:03	0.0	28.6
James Gould	28.6	2:50	0.0	28.6
Final
Poet	Score
Evan Dissinger	84.5
Joy Young	84.1
Valence	83.8
Josh Wiss	82.8
James Gould	82.7
The Klute	53.2
Gabbi Jue	51.7
Leano Rice	50.4
Dan Seaman	49.9
Joe Griffin	49.5
Cindy Rowe	49.5
Maya Hall	49.0
EJ McCormick	45.4
Gary Every	39.2
Jeff Berger	33.7

Josh Wiss wins the fifth Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season

Josh Wiss wins the fifth Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season, held March 17, at Studio Live in West Sedona.

Josh Wiss of Flagstaff and Phoenix, wins the fifth Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season

Round 1

Random Draw

Calibration: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

Gary Every, of Sedona, 3:17, 24.5 (after 0.5 time penalty)
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago, 1:41, 23.0
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 3:23, 27.1 (after 1.0 time penalty)
Bradley Blalock, of Sedona, 1:46, 23.7
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:16, 26.3
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 1:57, 28.8

Teaser: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

Round 2

Reverse Order

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 1:40, 28.9, 57.7
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:22, 27.5, 53.8
Bradley Blalock, of Sedona, 2:30, 26.6, 50.3
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 1:35, 26.8, 52.9
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago, 1:02, 25.9, 48.9
Gary Every, of Sedona, 4:28, 26.0 (after 4.0 time penalty), 46.0

Host poet Christopher Fox Graham claims his Scots-Irish
heritage from Clan McElwee, from County Fermanagh,
in the province of Ulster.

Feature: Crìsdean Sionnach Greum for St. Patrick's Day

The March Sedona Poetry Slam falls on St. Patrick's Day, and will give the poets the added opportunity to celebrate two of Ireland's greatest contributions to the artistic world, poetry and whiskey.

Ireland is home to a numerous list of the world's best poets, including Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), Oscar Wilde (1845–1900), James Joyce (1882–1941), C.S. Lewis (1899–1963) and Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967), three Nobel laureates: W.B. Yeats (1865–1939), Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) and Seamus Heaney (born 1939), as well as poet and revolutionary Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais (1879–1916), one of the three leaders of the Easter Rising who was executed for his role in the rebellion that later led to Irish independence.

In celebration of his Irish heritage, Graham will host the slam and perform some Irish poems under his Gaelic name, Crìsdean Sionnach Greum.

Round 3

High to Low

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 1:12, 28.5, 86.2
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:42, 28.0, 81.8
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 2:50, 27.9, 80.8
Bradley Blalock, of Sedona, 1:23, 27.1, 77.4
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago, 1:28, 27.1, 76.0
Gary Every, of Sedona, 3:34, 26.2 (after 1.5 time penalty), 72.2

Sorbet: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

Victory: Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff

Final Scores

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 86.2

Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 81.8

Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 80.8

Bradley Blalock, of Sedona, 77.4
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago, 76.0
Gary Every, of Sedona, 72.2

Sedona National Poetry Slam Team

Slamoff Point Standings

12 points

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff✓✓

9 points

Ryan Brown, of Flagstaff✓✓

The Klute, of Phoenix

7 points

Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff

Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff

Joy Young, of Phoenix

6 points

Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

4 points

Leo Bryant, of Richmond, Calif.✓

3 points

Charles Levett, of Phoenix

Jeremiah Blue, of Phoenix

2 points

Ashley Swazey, of Phoenix

Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff

Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood

Gary Every, of Sedona

Lauren Perry, of Phoenix

Lynn Gravatt, of Sedona

1.5 points

Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff

Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff

Valence, of Flagstaff

1 point

Bill Campana, of Mesa

Bradley Blalock, of Sedona

Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark.

Jackie Stockwell, of Flagstaff

Jasmine "Jazz" Sufi Wilkenson of Santa Cruz, Calif.

Jordan Ranft, of Santa Rosa, Calif.

Ky J. Dio, of Flagstaff

Lauren Deja, of Phoenix

Little Blue Lyon-Fish, of Phoenix

nodalone, of Flagstaff

Robert Gonzales, of Flagstaff

Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix

Slammy D, of Flagstaff

Susan Okie, of Washington, D.C.

Tom Lamkin, of Chicago

Vincent Vega, of Flagstaff

✓ = won a Sedona Poetry Slam

Get your tickets now for Sedona Poetry Slam tomorrow

Jeremiah Blue features at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, Feb. 16

The current lineup:

Ryan Brown
Talyne Corlyn
Ky J. Dio
Evan Dissinger
Sammy Dominguez
Lileana Fangz
Josh Floyd
The Klute
Taylor Hayes
John Quinonez
Austin Reeves
Jackie Stockwell
Ashley Swazey
Joy Young

Sedona's Studio Live hosts a poetry slam Saturday, Feb. 16, starting at 7:30 p.m. featuring Phoenix poet Jeremiah Blue and hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham.

Tickets are $10 if you buy them today. Tomorrow, the day of the slam, tickets are $12, so buy them by midnight!

The Feb. 16 poetry is slam is also the qualifier for Sedona's representative to
the International Women of the World Poetry Slam

All poets are welcome to compete for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. The prize is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporter Jeanne Freeland.

The slam is the fourth of the 2012-13 season, which will culminate in selection of Sedona's second National Poetry Slam Team, the foursome and alternate who will represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., in August.

The local poets will share the stage with 300 of the top poets in the United States, Canada and Europe, pouring out their words in a weeklong explosion of expression. Sedona sent its five-poet first team to the 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.

To compete in the slam, poets need at least three original poems, each three minutes long or shorter. No props, costumes or musical accompaniment are permitted. All types of poetry are welcome.

The slam will be hosted by Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on six FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012.

Contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up to slam.

Jeremiah Blue

Jeremiah Blue features at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Jeremiah Blue is a Phoenix-based poet that has organized, hosted, and performed in the poetry slam scene since 2006. He has performed at a variety of venues throughout the country.

Currently, Blue co-hosts a weekly poetry slam in downtown Phoenix at Lawn Gnome Bookstore.

In 2007, he earned the title of Phoenix Poetry Slam Champion and has represented Phoenix twice at the National Poetry Slam. He also became the Individual Poetry Slam Champion for Phoenix in 2012, earning him the slot to represent the city at the Individual World Poetry Slam.

You can reach him on Facebook or you can email him at jsblue@gmail.com for more information or booking.

Women of the World Poetry Slam Qualifier

This slam is also the qualifier for Sedona's representative to the International Women of the World Poetry Slam, to be held in Minneapolis from March 6-9. The highest ranked female or female-identified poet from earns Sedona's WOWps slot.

Eligibility: Poets who live their lives as women are eligible to participate in the Women of the World Poetry Slam. Competitors are eligible from certified venues or as individuals from areas without certified venues (a.k.a. “Storm” poets). Certified venues have a window of time to enter before individuals not associated with certified slams are able to enter. All certified venues must have a competition to determine their contestants.

All competitors must be PSI members in good standing and must agree to participate in the event following the rules of Slam as well as the Code of Honor, and must allow for PSI to videotape their performances for PSI owned product.

What is Poetry Slam?

Founded in Chicago in 1984, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets' contents and performances.

Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe.

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 their audience with their creativity.

2013 Sedona National Poetry Slam Team

Competing poets earn points with each Sedona Poetry Slam performance between September and May. Every poet earns 1 point for performing or hosting. First place earns 3 additional points, second place earns 2 and third place earns 1.

Based on points, the top 12 poets in May are eligible to compete for the four slots on the Sedona Poetry Slam Team, which will represent the community and Studio Live at the 2013 National Poetry Slam in Boston. Poets can compete for multiple teams during a season and still be eligible to compete in the Sedona team.

For poetry slam standings, videos from past slams, and updates, visit foxthepoet.org.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the event, available online at studiolivesedona.com.

Studio Live is located at 215 Coffee Pot Drive, West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688.

O'Brien, Dissinger, Cassady and Kerouac

Frank O'Brien and Evan Dissinger, 2012

Neal Cassady and Jack Kerouac, 1952

An unintentional homage.

Just sayin' ....

"Love, Stoplights, Drugs" by Josh Wiss and Evan Dissinger, music by Robert Gonzales

Geeking out with poets in Flagstaff, planning our new anthology and poetry cooperative. This was one of the first projects we will be incorporating on the new website and digital anthology.

"Love, Stoplights, Drugs" a merger of poems first by Josh Wiss, then Even Dissinger

Robert Gonzales on the beat

Josh Wiss wins the second Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season

Josh Wiss wins the second Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season, held Nov. 17, at Studio Live in West Sedona.

Josh Wiss of Flagstaff and Phoenix, wins the second Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam season

Round 1

Random Draw

** Unfortunately, I saved over the November slam's scores with the December slam's scores. From the video, I was able to rebuild the later half of the slam, but the first half of the slam only has the poems, not the scores. Where applicable, I have the scores listed. **
Calibration: Valence, of Phoenix
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 22.5
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff
Charles Levett, of Phoenix
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 24.5
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff
Gary Every, of Sedona
Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
Leo, of Camp Verde
Joy Young, of Phoenix
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff
The Klute, of Phoenix

Teaser: Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark.

Round 2

Reverse Order

The Klute, of Phoenix
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff
Joy Young, of Phoenix
Leo, of Camp Verde
Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
Gary Every, of Sedona
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff, 24.0
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 27.9
Charles Levett, of Phoenix, 25.1
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff, voluntarily disqualified for peforming Shane Hawley cover poem
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 28.7

Slam poet Houston Hughes from Fayetteville, Ark., featured at Sedona's Studio Live
on Saturday, Nov. 17

Feature: Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark.

Sorbet: Christopher Fox Graham, of "Oil & Deep Water, Part II: Étouffée"

Round 3

High to Low

Joy Young, of Phoenix, 26.3, 79.7
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 26.9, 79.3
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 28.7, 80.8
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 28.5, 79.7
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 28.7, 77.6

Tied for second place at 79.7, Joy Young, of Phoenix, beat Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, in a Haiku Death Match.

Victory: Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff

Final Scores
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 80.8
Joy Young, of Phoenix, 79.7 (2nd after Haiku Death Match)
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 79.7 (3rd after Haiku Death Match)
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 79.3
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 77.6

The Klute, of Phoenix

Leo, of Camp Verde
Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
Gary Every, of Sedona
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff

Charles Levett, of Phoenix
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff

Scorekeeper: Jackie Stockwell, of Flagstaff
Camerawoman: Azami, of Sedona

Sedona National Poetry Slam Team

Slamoff Point Standings

6 points

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff ✓

4 points

Ryan Brown, of Flagstaff ✓
The Klute, of Phoenix
3 points

Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff

Joy Young, of Phoenix
2 points 

Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff
Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
Charles Levett, of Phoenix
Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona
1 point

Ashley Swazey, of Phoenix
Gary Every, of Sedona
Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark.
Jackie Stockwell, of Flagstaff
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff
Jeremiah Blue, of Phoenix
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff
Lauren Deja, of Phoenix
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix
Little Blue Lyon-Fish, of Phoenix
Lynn Gravatt, of Sedona
nodalone, of Las Vegas
Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff 

0.5 points
Vincent Vega, of Flagstaff

✓ = won a Sedona Poetry Slam

Poets at GumptionFest VII

Friday, Sept. 14, 7 p.m., @ Szechuan Martini Bar:

Christopher Fox Graham, host of the Sedona Poetry Slam and member of the 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Teams

Christopher Fox Graham, photo by Harley Deuce

Christopher Fox Graham is a poet living in Sedona, Arizona.
Beginning his performance poetry career in 2000, Graham has been a member of six Flagstaff National Poetry Slam teams, representing Flagstaff in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012. Graham won the Flagstaff Poetry Grand Slam championship in 2004 and 2012.
Graham was part of the Save the Male Tour, a four-man international spoken word tour in 2002 that performed in 26 states over three months.
In 2005 and 2006, Graham’s teams won the Slab City Slam at Arcosanti, the state’s poetry slam team championships.
Since 2006, Graham has been the poetry coordinator of GumptionFest, a free, grassroots arts festival in Sedona.
In 2008, he founded the Sedona Poetry Slam and became a slammaster in 2012, sponsoring the inaugural Sedona National Poetry Slam Team. Graham was a featured performer at the invitation-only 2012 Desert Rocks Music Festival.
Graham has published five books of poetry and a spoken word CD, and been published in six anthologies of spoken word and in two DVDs of Grand Slam Championships. He has been featured in two films on the
Sedona art scene.
Graham has performed poetry for MTV, The Travel Channel and at venues in nearly 40 states, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain.
His blog, FoxThePoet.Blogspot.com, features his work and those of other national poets and Sedona artists, recording more than 2,000 hits a week.

Friday, Sept. 14, 10 p.m., @ Olde Sedona Bar & Grill:

Evan Dissinger, a member of the 2012 Sedona National Poetry Slam Team.

Evan Dissinger, photo by Kelly Watts

Acrylic tattooed skateboards, the sound of concrete waves crashing, rock ’n’ roll to pass the time, marijuana cigarettes, and candle light dinners eaten alone.
Evan Dissinger like to paint and laugh in kinetic conversations.
He enjoys watching Atlas shoulder tomorrows promises, no sun rise should be taken for granted.
Dissinger and his cat, Azula, both smile at serendipitous psychedelic situations. He doesn’t believe in cops, bosses or politicians, some call that anarchism, He calls it having a fucking heart that beats. He believes in being honest, especially if it means being wrong, self-reliance is a product of self-responsibility.
Joe Strummer said his motivation to wake every morning was the ability to think. That gift is the one certainty we have in this life, the simple knowledge that we are here, right now, everything else should be subject to question.
Dissinger is infatuated with the human experience. There is no wrong way to live life as long as you can recognize fleeting moments of true lucid beauty.
Don’t check out early, there are great stories and warm coffee here, there is no way the next life will be as vivid visceral.
Live as if this were a dream and nothing can stop you from knowing who you are.

Saturday, Sept. 15, 5 p.m., @ Szechuan Martini Bar:

4th annual Haiku Death Match

The GumptionFest VII Haiku Death Match is open to all attendees of GumptionFest VII.

What is haiku?

Haiku (俳句) is a form of Japanese poetry consisting of 17 syllables in three metrical phrases of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.
Japanese haiku typically contain a kigo, or seasonal reference, and a kireji or verbal caesura. In Japanese, haiku are traditionally printed in a single vertical line, while haiku in English usually appear in three lines, to parallel the three metrical phrases of Japanese haiku.

What is slam haiku?

lam haiku used in a Haiku Death Match is far simpler: Use of three or fewer lines of 17 syllables. Slam haiku can be anything from a single 17-syllable line or simply 17 words.

What are the Haiku Death Match rules?

• Titles: Haikusters can read their haiku titles before they read the haiku. (This gives the haikusters technically more syllables to put the haiku in context, but the haiku itself must still be only 17 syllables. While this is not “pure” Haiku Death Match rules, it’s much more fun for the audience.
• Originality: Poets must be the sole authors of the haiku they use in competition. Plagiarized haiku are grounds for disqualification. We all love Matsuo Bashō, but he’s 300 years too dead to compete.
• On-page or memorized?: Poets can read from the page, book, journal, notepad, etc.
• Preparation: Poets can have haiku written beforehand or write them in their head while at the mic. As long as the haiku are 17 syllables, we don’t care how, when or from where the haiku originates.
• Rounds: Will be determined by the number of haikusters who sign up to compete.
• Quantity of haiku needed: Depends on the number of rounds. 30 haiku will likely be enough for poets who push rounds to the last haiku needed and go all the rounds, but 50 to 100 gives haikusters enough material to be flexible in competition. Most veteran haikusters have several hundred to compete with.
• Censorship: Adult themes and language are acceptable. There may be children present so you may have to deal with their parents afterward, but that’s your call.
• Register early: E-mail Christopher Fox Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com.

Saturday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., @ Szechuan Martini Bar:

The Klute, a member of the 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 Mesa National Poetry Slam Teams, the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 Phoenix National Poetry Slam Team, a two-time National Poetry Slam semi-finalist, and winner of the 2010 GumptionFest Haiku Death Match

The Klute, photo by Jessica Mason-Paull

The Klute, aka Bernard Schober, competed at the National Poetry Slam six times, for the Mesa Slam Team in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, and the Phoenix Slam Slam Team in 2008 and 2009, 2010 and 2012. He has led two of those teams to the NPS semi-final stage, ranking him among the best of the best nationwide. He was also the Mesa Grand Slam champion in 2005 and 2010.
Standing more than 6 feet tall and always bedecked in
a black trench coat, the Klute is hard to miss. When
poetry escapes his lips at full blast, he’s hard not to hear.
In an era when most artists and poets shy away from confronting politics, the Klute stands apart.
He has earned a reputation for in-your-face political commentary and over-the-top humor targeting Neo-Conservative politicians, crass laissez-faire commercialism and Goth subculture.
Originally from south Florida, The Klute writes almost exclusively in free verse, making his poetry conversational and relevant to even those who see poetry as something to avoid.
Standing more than 6 feet tall and always bedecked in a black trench coat, the Klute is hard to miss. When poetry escapes his lips at full blast, he’s hard not to hear.
The Klute has released three poetry chapbooks, “Escape Velocity,” “Look at What America Has Done to Me” and “My American Journey,” which prompted a cease and desist order from the attorneys of former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
“Despite the heat, [The Klute] wears a black trench coat almost everywhere he goes and if the setting permits, he’ll blast through enough slanderous commentary to make Andrew Dice Clay blush,” according to Phoenix 944 Magazine. “Today, his addiction for getting in front of the microphone and spitting out everything from a Dick Cheney haiku to a long-winded prose on race car driving to the late Hunter S. Thompson is as strong as his love for vodka and absinthe. If anyone’s seen ‘The Klute’ in action, they’d know it. If they haven’t, they must.”

Saturday, Sept. 15, 9:30 p.m. @ Oak Creek Brewing Co.:

Ryan Brown, a member of the the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Teams, and 2008 National Poetry Slam semi-finalist

Ryan Brown, photo by Tara Graeber

Born twenty-three years ago in Phoenix, Arizona, Ryan Brown has been writing and performing poetry in Northern Arizona for nearly five years.
After discovering Flagstaff’s FlagSlam in 2007, Brown began writing poetry with a small group of like-minded young people, eventually taking over as the slam’s Slammaster in the fall of 2008. That year, the Flagstaff poetry scene saw features such as Gypsee Yo and Andrea Gibson hit Flagstaff stages for the first time, reinvigorating a slam community that pulled poets from Northern Arizona University, Sedona, and Phoenix to create one of the largest consistent poetry slams in Arizona.
After slamming at his first National Poetry Slam in 2008, Brown began to focus his writing more on the ideals of community, social networking, and the ever-cliché but always boundless topics of love, intimate relationships, and human connection.
Teaming up with Frank O’Brien on Flagstaff nationals teams in 2008, 2009, and 2010, Brown worked on herb and coffee farms in Hawaii in late 2010, eventually coming back to NAU to get an English degree with the class of 2012. The
FlagSlam took place at Sundara Boutique for the 2011-12 season, thriving in an all-ages scene that draws upwards of 75 people on a schoolnight, poets flocking from miles away.
Currently the Flagstaff Slammaster, Brown’s passion for poetry and poetic expression can be rivaled by his love of baseball, skateboarding, and patio conversations with a few good friends, or a couple of brothers.
He cites John Cartier, Frank O’Brien, Jessica Guadarrama, Aaron Johnson, and Josh Wiss as his biggest influences, both in poetry and in life, and would like to give a shout-out to his pug-terrier Pip, whom he passed on to another family before taking off to Hawaii.
Peace, homie.

Sunday, Sept. 16 5:45 p.m. @ Szechuan Martini Bar:

Tara Pollock, a member of the 2012 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team

Tara Pollack, photo by Tara Graeber

Tara Pollock has been writing poetry since she was a young girl, and performing poetry on and off throughout her adult life.
She is excited to have the opportunity to be on Flagstaff’s 2012 National Poetry Slam Team. She seeks to inspire, liberate, and uplift through her words.
The creative force of poetry has been a catalyst for her personal evolution, as well as providing a medium through which she has come to know herself more deeply, and to share herself with her community. She is currently finishing her Biology degree at Northern Arizona University with plans to attend Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in the fall of 2013.
When she is not knee deep in books, pens, and paper, she can be found teaching yoga, hiking, dancing or cooking.

Sunday, Sept. 16, 9:30 p.m. Olde Sedona Bar & Grill:

Dan Seaman, longtime Prescott are poet and founder and host of the Slab City Slam, Arizona’s state poetry team championship from 2001-2007

Dan Seaman is a performance poet and fire dancer

Dan Seaman is a second-generation Arizonan who was encouraged to continue writing poetry … despite the obvious physical contradictions of his overtly masculine appearance and furrowed brow.
His work has been described as “realistic romanticism”… and his voice, as “an undertow of emotion”.
Dan was also a co-founder of the 2001-2007 Arizona State Championships held at Arcosanti, diligently planning, hosting, managing and overall making sure the best weekend of poetry is the state lived up to it’s pedigree …

Sedona Poetry Slam, bout two

Total Scores

Team	Rank	Score
Neo-Soul, Austin, Texas	1	114.3
ABQ Slams, Albuquerque, N.M.	2	112.2
WU Slam, St. Louis, Mo.	3	106
Sedona Poetry Slam, Sedona, Ariz.	4	104.6 (after 1.5 time penalty)

Rotation: 1

Team	Performer	Group	Score
ABQ Slams		Group	25.40
Sedona Poetry Slam		Group	25.50 (0.5 time penalty)
Neo-Soul	Danny Strack		27.00
WU Slam	Sam Lai		26.80

Rotation: 2

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Neo-Soul	Korim		28.70
ABQ Slams		Group	28.60
WU Slam	Adam Segal		25.60
Sedona Poetry Slam	Valence		26.30

Rotation: 3

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Neo-Soul		Group	29.30
Sedona Poetry Slam	Spencer Troth		25.50 (1.0 time penalty)
ABQ Slams		Group	29.90
WU Slam	Tayler Geiger		24.90

Rotation: 4

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Sedona Poetry Slam	Evan Dissinger		27.30
WU Slam	Freeman Word		28.70
ABQ Slams		Group	28.30
Neo-Soul		Group	29.30

Sedona Poetry Slam, bout one

Total Scores

Team	Rank	Score
Portland Poetry Slam, Portland Ore.	1	111.1
Red Dirt Poetry Slam, Oklahoma, Okla.	2	109
Sedona Poetry Slam, Sedona, Ariz.	3	108.3
MO Poetry Slam Springfield, Springfield, Mo.	4	106.1

Rotation: 1

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Red Dirt Poetry Slam	Michael Pearce		25.80
MO Poetry Slam Springfield	Gretchen Teague		25.50
Portland Poetry Slam	Doc Luben		28.20
Sedona Poetry Slam	Valence		27.30

Rotation: 2

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Portland Poetry Slam		Group	27.20
Red Dirt Poetry Slam	Grae Rose		26.70
Sedona Poetry Slam	Josh Wiss		26.00
MO Poetry Slam Springfield	Amber Culbertson-Faegre		26.70

Rotation: 3

Team	Performer	Group	Score
Red Dirt Poetry Slam	Rob Sturma		27.80
Sedona Poetry Slam	Evan Dissinger		26.80
Portland Poetry Slam	Will Stanford		27.80
MO Poetry Slam Springfield		Group	27.30

Rotation: 4

Team	Performer	Group	Score
MO Poetry Slam Springfield	Michelle Nimmo		26.60
Sedona Poetry Slam	Frank O'Brien		28.20
Red Dirt Poetry Slam	Melissa May		28.70
Portland Poetry Slam	Samantha Peterson		27.90