"Go Fish" by Thadra Sheridan

Published on Mar 10, 2014. For full poems, more videos, and booking information visit thadrasheridan.com

"Go Fish"

 by Thadra Sheridan

I don't have any track marks.
Hard drugs are for the cowardly and uncreative.
The only interesting thing about doing them
is not doing them any more.
I hear that's hard.
And, maybe,
coming up with enough cash to fund a good solid
mom-busts-into-your-room, intervention, re-hab-bound habit.
But you can just scramble for rent
and save your septum.
Self abuse isn't radical.
It's just lazy.
You want to be real hard-core?
Do your laundry and make it to work on time.
Look at your own dying face in the mirror.
My father
chased every day of his life since thirty with a bottle of scotch.
I am not impressed.
He just saved himself the trouble
of having to raise his own children.
And everyone noticed.
Where's the subtlety in that?
You can knock decades off your life with a little ingenuity,
and noone'll be the wiser.
See the trick is...
Having the balls to devour your own flesh while everyone's watching.
Now that
is BAD ASS!
Cries for help are for the weak.
I don't even ask for directions in small towns.
Oh, I'm not saying I aint had it hard.
I've had to build closet organizers
to accommodate my skeletons.
But I don't need to
torture myself with butcher knives and sleeping pills, I just
get out of bed every morning.
There are a thousand imaginative ways to push yourself to the edge.
Time is helping me along.
I don't have patience for the maudlin and painfully obvious.
My mother is proud of her child.
I am a responsible and upstanding citizen.
But i have invented fifty-three silent killers,
and they're eating me alive while you watch.
My therapist says.....
I DON'T HAVE A FUCKING THERAPIST!!
I write poetry
and spend that hundred dollars an hour
on new shoes.
I wear two rapes on my lapel
like merit badges.
I drink
to prove I don't have to be my father.
At any given moment there are
fifteen monkeys
poised to jump on my back.
But not one of them can quite get a grip, because
there isn't a drug harder to master
than self-control.
So you want to shove needles up your arm, or
whittle yourself away, vomiting ex-lax?
Be my guest.
That just clears you off my teetering path
across the winking eyelid of doom.
And I'll be damned if I don't make it
to the opposite tear duct.
You see in life,
you have two choices:
You can take every short stick you've been handed
and build crutches to limp around on.
You won't get far,
but you'll get pity.
Or you can use them
as a tool
to chisel a mark so deep in posterity
you'd have to sandblast right through to erase it.
I take every bad card I've been dealt
and play a marathon game of go fish
with the demons from my waking reality.
I run tragedy through my head
like a laundry list of reasons I'm still
walking under the weight.
I drag every fucked-up thing that's ever happened
behind me like a dead chain gang.
And I'm not cutting one of them loose.
They're helping me build muscle mass.
I don't have hope.
I've got tenacity,
and an insight into this fresh hell that'd put a newborn puppy on prozac.
So what're you going to do?
You going to let that demon win?
Carve "Uncle" across your chest
with razor blades and cigarette burns?
Or you going to look him straight in the eye and say,
"Go Fish"

Copyright © Thadra Sheridan

Live from the Starry Plough in Berkeley, California

Video process by Wolf and Holmes Studios

Slam poetry gets the "Colbert Bump" thanks to Steven Colbert's interview of Saul Williams

The Colbert Report
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A leading voice on the spoken-word scene, Saul Williams began astonishing open mic audiences with his impassioned tongue-twisting verse in the mid-1990s and eventually became a grand slam champion at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. 

In 1996, he led the four-person New York team to the finals of the National Poetry Slam competition, a fierce battle of verse that was chronicled in the documentary film "Slamnation." Two years later, in a role that featured many of his own compositions, Williams played an imprisoned street poet in the award-winning film, Slam, for which Esquire magazine deemed him a "dreadlocked dervish of words."

A self-proclaimed disciple of Bob Kaufman and Amiri Baraka, Williams combines the rhythms and themes of Beat and Black Arts poets in his work. His three collections of poetry--The Seventh Octave, Sãhe, and , said the shotgun to the head--tackle difficult social and political issues as well as intangible questions about religion and spirituality. In performance, his work is full of a pulsing frenzy, which the New York Times described as "mind-twisting cosmic rumination with hallucinatory science-fiction scenarios that the poet delivers with an incantatory fervor."

The undeniable beat in the poet's work led to an inevitable transition to music. Initially, he collaborated with DJs and hip-hop artists, reciting his verse to their backbeat. In 2001, he recorded his own album, Amethyst Rock Star, co-produced by Rick Rubin, the legendary producer of Public Enemy, Run DMC, the Beastie Boys, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as the co-founder of the record label Def Jam with hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons. In 2004, Williams released the self-titled album Saul Williams, for which, as he explained, he approached the music as a musician, not as a spoken-word artist. "The last [album] was about poetry over beats," he said in a recent interview, "and this is about the songs."

Despite his shift toward songwriting, the words are still of utmost importance to Williams. Demonstrating a political consciousness through his poems and songs is vital. He feels the current hip-hop culture has departed from the thought-provoking work of such artists as Public Enemy and De La Soul to a more inane preoccupation with materialism and a dangerous tolerance of what he calls "bullshit lyricism." He warns against the dangerous and passive acceptance of these negative lyrics transmitted through an infectious beat: "You start building a tolerance," he explained. "Because when you nod your head to a beat, you nod your head affirmatively."

On his own records, Williams has managed to marry hip-hop beats with sober lyrics. "Amethyst Rock Star has to do with the fact that when you're tuned into your spirit you realize that we are all stars by birth," the poet has said. "That's our birthright, literally." The band accompanying him is comprised of a violinist, a cellist, a bass player, a keyboard player, a DJ, and a drummer, resulting in an album that the Times of London named "Album of the Year."

The album Saul Williams was influenced by a wide range of artists including Jimmy Hendrix, Radiohead, and the Mars Volta, and resulted in a fusion that Williams calls "industrial punk hop." Brian Orloff, writing in Rolling Stone magazine, explained: "Musically, Saul Williams matches Williams's lyrics with gritty, frittered guitar and urgent rhythms. 'List of Demands (Reparations)' finds Williams singing, "I gotta list of demands written on the palm of my hands' over a staccato guitar riff that sounds like gunfire.'"

"I'm definitely a hip-hop head by nature," Williams has said. "I'm there in the mix, so I'm turned on by the same things, nod my head to the same things. Even if I'm writing a piece of prose, there is still an intrinsic rhythm that I'm looking for, even without rhyme, even without beats, even without music and microphones."

Sedona Poetry Grand Slam is Saturday, June 7

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam is Saturday, June 7.

The last slam of the regular season will be held Saturday, May 17. Earn your last points poets and compete for the Sedona National Poetry Slam Team.

Gabbi Jue wins the fifth Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014

Round 1
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Verbal Kensington	24.1	1:39	0.0	24.1
Andres Lopez	19.6	3:01	0.0	19.6
Josh Wiss	24.0	2:18	0.0	24.0
James Gould	16.7	2:33	0.0	16.7
Gabbi Jue	24.7	2:26	0.0	24.7
Issac Grambo	24.8	2:23	0.0	24.8
Danny McNulty	15.3	1:34	0.0	15.3
Doc	25.4	3:07	0.0	25.4
Dave Belkeiwitz	22.7	2:44	0.0	22.7
Rowie Shebala	24.4	2:42	0.0	24.4
Ryan Smalley	22.0	2:30	0.0	22.0
Claire Pearson	18.8	2:32	0.0	18.8
Tara Aitkin	16.2	1:24	0.0	16.2
Round 2
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Tara Aitkin	14.6	2:52	0.0	14.6
Claire Pearson	18.2	2:11	0.0	18.2
Ryan Smalley	23.1	2:51	0.0	23.1
Rowie Shebala	24.4	2:22	0.0	24.4
Dave Belkeiwitz	19.4	3:10	0.0	19.4
Doc	21.3	1:43	0.0	21.3
Danny McNulty	17.8	1:36	0.0	17.8
Issac Grambo	24.8	3:15	-0.5	24.3
Gabbi Jue	28.2	2:50	0.0	28.2
James Gould	20.1	2:55	0.0	20.1
Josh Wiss	21.7	2:41	0.0	21.7
Andres Lopez	23.9	3:24	-1.0	22.9
Verbal Kensington	24.5	3:08	0.0	24.5
Round 3
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Gabbi Jue	24.9	2:41	0.0	24.9
Issac Grambo	26.8	2:30	0.0	26.8
Rowie Shebala	28.5	2:44	0.0	28.5
Verbal Kensington	24.9	2:12	0.0	24.9
Doc	25.8	2:56	0.0	25.8
Final
Poet	Score
Gabbi Jue	77.8
Rowie Shebala	77.3
Issac Grambo	75.9
Verbal Kensington	73.5
Doc	72.5
Josh Wiss	45.7
Ryan Smalley	45.1
Andres Lopez	42.5
Dave Belkeiwitz	42.1
Claire Pearson	37.0
James Gould	36.8
Danny McNulty	33.1
Tara Aitkin	30.8

Poets from around Arizona will compete in Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, April 26

Poets are invited to compete at the fifth Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. State Route 89A, Suite A-3.

Click here to buy tickets.

Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists. While many people may think of poetry as dull and laborious, a poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays.

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 supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.

The slam is the fifth the 2014 season, which will culminate in selection of Sedona's third National Poetry Slam Team, the foursome and alternate who will represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Oakland, Calif., in August. Poets in the slam 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's Young Voices Be Heard slam group.

The last slam of the regular season will be held Saturday, May 17. The final Grand Poetry Slam takes place Saturday, June 7, to determine the team.

Slam poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted.

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.

The poets will be judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.

Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive.

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., and its second to the 2013 NPS in Boston and Cambridge, Mass.

The slam will be hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on seven FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2013. Graham has hosted the Sedona Poetry Slam since 2009.

Tickets are $12.

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

What is Poetry Slam?

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by construction worker Marc Smith, 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.

The Klute wins the fourth Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014

Round 1
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Verbal Kensingon	19.1	1:30	0.0	19.1
James Gould	20.4	2:48	0.0	18.4
Doc	19.5	2:23	0.0	19.5
Maple Dewleaf	22.6	3:13	-0.5	22.1
Tara	21.5	2:09	0.0	21.5
Gabbi Jue	23.0	2:47	0.0	23.0
Lauren Remy	20.0	2:42	0.0	20.0
Joe Griffin	20.1	1:23	0.0	20.1
Joy Young	25.8	2:55	0.0	25.8
Dave Belkiewitz	22.8	2:13	0.0	22.8
The Klute	24.4	2:53	0.0	24.4
Lauren Perry	25.1	2:57	0.0	25.1
Claire Pearson	23.5	1:55	0.0	23.5
Josh Wiss	25.5	2:40	0.0	25.5
Aleya Annaton	21.3	1:21	0.0	21.3
Kaylan Rosa	21.6	3:05	0.0	21.6
Valnce	24.5	3:13	-0.5	24.0
Round 2
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Valence	25.1	3:20	-1.0	24.1
Kaylan Rosa	23.8	1:56	0.0	23.8
Aleya Annaton	22.2	1:46	0.0	22.2
Josh Wiss	23.4	2:39	0.0	23.4
Claire Pearson	24.9	2:51	0.0	24.9
Lauren Perry	24.7	1:42	0.0	24.7
The Klute	26.0	2:45	0.0	26.0
Dave Belkiewitz	22.0	1:07	0.0	22.0
Joy Young	25.5	1:34	0.0	25.5
Joe Griffin	22.7	1:20	0.0	22.7
Lauren Remy	24.2	2:35	0.0	24.2
Gabbi Jue	24.4	2:34	0.0	24.4
Tara	25.4	2:18	0.0	25.4
Maple Dewleaf	24.6	1:50	0.0	24.6
Doc	23.8	1:56	0.0	23.8
James Gould	24.3	1:52	0.0	24.3
Verbal Kensingon	26.6	2:36	0.0	26.6
Round 3
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Joy Young	25.3	2:57	0.0	25.3
The Klute	26.7	3:03	0.0	26.7
Josh Wiss	25.3	2:22	0.0	25.3
Lauren Perry	25.3	3:00	0.0	25.3
Claire Pearson	25.2	2:22	0.0	25.2
Final
Poet	Score
The Klute	77.1
Joy Young	76.6
Lauren Perry	75.1
Josh Wiss	74.2
Claire Pearson	73.6
Valence	48.1
Gabbi Jue	47.4
Tara	46.9
Maple Dewleaf	46.7
Verbal Kensingon	45.7
Kaylan Rosa	45.4
Dave Belkiewitz	44.8
Lauren Remy	44.2
Aleya Annaton	43.5
Doc	43.3
Joe Griffin	42.8
James Gould	42.7

Canadian slam poet R.C. Weslowski features at the Sedona Poetry Slam Saturday, March 29, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre

One of Canada's best known performance poets, R.C. Weslowski, features at the fourth Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. State Route 89A, Suite A-3.

Weslowski was the 2012 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion and has represented English Canada twice at the World Cup of Poetry in Paris, France, finishing second and fifth overall.

Weslowski has recently being performing his own one person shows "The Wet Dream Catcher" and "The Cruelest Phone Book in the World" at various Canadian Fringe Theatre Festivals. Weslowski has also been published in Quills, One Cool Word and most recently CV2. Weslowski also organizes youth poetry events inn Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and has co-hosted the poetry radio show Wax Poetic for the past 13 years.

As a performer R.C. Weslowski is a five-time member of the Vancouver Poetry Slam Team and has performed at Festival across Canada, including: The Calgary International Poetry Festival, The Winnipeg Writer's Festival, The Saskatchewan Festival of Words, The Vancouver Folk Festival, The Vancouver Storytelling Fesival, Music West, The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.

As an event organizer R.C. Weslowski was the artistic director for the 2005 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and the publicity coordinator for the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam.

Weslowski has also performed his poetry on the Eiffel Tower while snorting the remains of Orson Welles and along the Rhine River in Germany while debating Schopenhauer with a schnauser. But aside from all that he will literally blow your brain apart and put it back together again using nothing but his voice. Seriously

All Canadian nationals and expatriates living in and visiting Sedona and the Verde Valley are specially encouraged to attend.

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 and Jim Freeland.

The slam is the fourth the 2014 season, which will culminate in selection of Sedona's third National Poetry Slam Team, the foursome and alternate who will represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Oakland, Calif., in August. Poets in the slam come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, competing against adult poets from Sedona and Cottonwood and youth poets from Sedona Red Rock High School's Young Voices Be Heard slam group.

Future slams take place Saturday, April 26, and Saturday, May 17. The final Grand Poetry Slam takes place Saturday, June 7, to determine the team.

Slam poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted.

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.

The poets will be judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.

Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive.

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., and its second to the 2013 NPS in Boston and Cambridge, Mass.

The slam will be hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on seven FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2013. Graham has hosted the Sedona Poetry Slam since 2009.

Tickets are $12.

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

What is Poetry Slam?

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by construction worker Marc Smith, 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.

Verbal Kensington wins the third Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014

Round 1
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
The Klute	23.4	2:46	0.0	23.4
Evan Dissinger	23.5	2:50	0.0	23.5
Molly Shaheen	24.2	2:44	0.0	24.2
Lauren Remy	21.8	2:07	0.0	21.8
Jesus	26.9	2:03	0.0	26.9
Kaylan	24.8	2:54	0.0	24.8
James Gould	23.1	2:14	0.0	23.1
Verbal Kensington	29.5	2:36	0.0	29.5
Claire Pearson	26.8	2:30	0.0	26.8
Round 2
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Claire Pearson	27.4	2:25	0.0	27.4
Verbal Kensington	29.1	3:15	-0.5	28.6
James Gould	26.0	2:14	0.0	26.0
Kaylan	22.5	3:01	0.0	22.5
Jesus	25.3	2:01	0.0	25.3
Lauren Remy	24.4	2:38	0.0	24.4
Molly Shaheen	26.2	1:43	0.0	26.2
Evan Dissinger	28.2	2:50	0.0	28.2
The Klute	26.2	3:13	-0.5	25.7
Round 3
Poet	Score	Time	Penalty	Net Score
Verbal Kensington	29.5	3:14	-0.5	29.0
Claire Pearson	26.8	2:14	0.0	26.8
Jesus	27.4	2:31	0.0	27.4
Evan Dissinger	28.0	2:33	0.0	28.0
Molly Shaheen	27.9	1:40	0.0	27.9
Final
Poet	Score
Verbal Kensington	87.1
Claire Pearson	81.0
Evan Dissinger	79.7
Jesus	79.6
Molly Shaheen	78.3
James Gould	49.1
The Klute	49.1
Kaylan	47.3
Lauren Remy	46.2

Poet Zachary Kluckman features at the third Sedona Poetry Slam on March 8

Poet Zachary Kluckman features at the third Sedona Poetry Slam of 2014, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 8, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. State Route 89A, Suite A-3.

Zachary Kluckman

A performance poet since 2006, Kluckman is a two-time member of the Albuquerque, N.M., national poetry slam team, a Pushcart Prize nominee, and recipient of the Red Mountain Press National Poetry Prize.

When he is not amusing himself trying to untangle string cheese, Kluckman publishes poetry in anthologies and publications like the New York Quarterly, Cutthroat and Red Fez. Featured on more than 500 radio stations, with appearances on many of the nation's most notorious stages, he is an accomplished spoken word artist, as well as the Spoken Word Editor for the Pedestal. An activist, youth advocate and organizer, he has been recognized twice for making world history as the creator of the world's only Slam Poet Laureate Program and an organizer for the 100 Thousand Poets for Change program, the largest poetry reading in history.

As a youth advocate, Kluckman donates hundreds of hours a year to working with and empowering the youth. His first full-length collection, "Animals in Our Flesh," has received warm reviews from Jimmy Santiago Baca among others and his second collection, "Some of it is Muscle" has just been released by Swimming with Elephants Publications.

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 third the 2014 season, which will culminate in selection of Sedona's third National Poetry Slam Team, the foursome and alternate who will represent the city at the National Poetry Slam in Oakland, Calif., in August.

Future slams take place Saturday, March 29, Saturday, April 26, and Saturday, May 17. The final Grand Poetry Slam takes place Saturday, June 7, to determine the team.

Slam poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted.

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.

The poets will be judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.

Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive.

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., and its second to the 2013 NPS in Boston and Cambridge, Mass.

The slam will be hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on seven FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2013. Graham has hosted the Sedona Poetry Slam since 2009.

Tickets are $12.

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

What is Poetry Slam?

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by construction worker Marc Smith, 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.

Sedona on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Sedona made it on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
... While Stewart was slamming Arizona about SB 1062 ... but hey, we got on TV.

Danny Strack and Ruff Draft feature at FlagSlam on Wednesday, Feb. 12

Danny Strack:

Danny Strack has won individual and group slam championships at the national, regional and city levels.

Most recently, Danny was a member of the 2012 Austin Neo-Soul team, which won the National Group Poem finals.

He's the current Slammaster and executive director of the Austin Poetry Slam, and has written 10 books of poetry and two full length plays, both of which were presented in 2012 and 2013 by Austin's Sky Candy Aerial Circus Arts Collective.

Danny is also a juggler with Sky Candy, likes balloons, walking, and is happy to be alive.

Ruff Draft:

Thomas, son of Stephen, son of Richard, son of Stephen, son of George, son of Henry, son of William, grew up in Rhode Island. Ruff attended his first slam in 2000 in Burlington, Vt., and it changed his life.

From these humble beginnings, Ruff went on to become a member of the PDX 2003 National Slam.

Ten years ago, he was inspired to move to Austin by the APS Team's final's stage performance at NPS 2003 in Chicago.

He became a beloved poet and host at the Austin Poetry Slam, and now he's moving back to PDX after 10 years.