Valence wins the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam

Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas wins the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam held Saturday, June 16, 2012, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in Sedona, Arizona.

Photo courtesy of MaryCae Vignolini

2012 Sedona Grand Slam Champion Tyler Sirvinskas, aka Valence, performs at the 2011 National Poetry Slam in Cambridge, Mass.

The 2012 Sedona National Poetry Slam Team members are:

Valence, Evan Dissinger, Josh Wiss, Frank O'Brien and Spenser Troth.

Benediction: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona, "Welcome to the Church of the Word"

Round 1
Draw based on season's point rankings

Calibration: Shaun "nodalone" Sristava, of Flagstaff
Calibration: Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff
Calibration: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona, "Spinal Language"

Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff, 21.8, 1:32, 11th, -7.1
Gary Every, of Sedona, 23.7, 22.7 after 1.0-point time penalty, 3:24, 10th, -5.2
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 3:06, tie 3rd, -0.6
Spenser Troth, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 27.3 after 1.0-point time penalty, 3:21, tie 3rd, -0.6
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff, 26.8, 2:41, 8th -2.1
Mikel Weisser, of Kingman, 26.4, 2:18, 9th, -2.5
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 27.5, 2:59, tie 6th, -1.4
The Klute, of Phoenix, 28.3, 27.8 after 0.5-point time penalty, 3:15, tie 3rd, -0.6
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix, 27.5,  2:51, tie 6th, -1.4
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 28.9, 2:18, 1st, 0.0
Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, of Flagstaff, 28.5, 2:54, 2nd, -0.4

Round 2
Reverse Order

Sorbet: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona, "Dear Pluto"

Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 2:26, 56.8, 4th, -0.5
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 28.1, 2:39, 57.0, 3rd, -0.3

Lauren Perry, of Phoenix, 28.3, 2:32, 55.8, 5th, -1.5
The Klute, of Phoenix, 29.4, 2:50, 57.2, 2nd, -0.1
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 27.8, 2:57, 55.3, 6th, -2.0
Mikel Weisser, of Kingman, 26.9, 2:46, 53.3, 9th, -4.0
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff, 26.7, 2:59, 53.5, 8th, -3.8
Spenser Troth, of Flagstaff, 26.8, 2:33, 54.1, 7th, -3.2
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 29.0, 2:14, 57.3, 1st, 0.0
Gary Every, of Sedona, 27.0, 2:50, 49.7, 10th, -7.6
Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff, 25.8, 2:08, 47.6, 11th, -9.7

Round 3
High to Low

Sorbet: Christopher Fox Graham (poem) and Azami Ishihara (dance), of Sedona, "In the Corners of This Room."

Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 1:33, 85.6, 2nd, -0.4
The Klute, of Phoenix, 28.3, 2:47, 85.5, 3rd, -0.5
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 2:26, 85.3, 4th, -0.7

Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, of Flagstaff, 29.2, 2:47, 86., 1st, 0.0
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix, 27.6, 27.1 after 0.5-point time penalty, 3:16, 82.9, 6th, -3.1
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 28.8, 2:58, 84., 5th, -1.9
Spenser Troth, of Flagstaff, 28.3, 1:33, 82.4, 7th, -3.6
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff, 28.6, 3:06, 82.1, 8th, -3.9
Mikel Weisser, of Kingman, 26.9, 2:28, 80.2, 9th, -5.8
Gary Every, of Sedona, 27.6, 1:54, 77.3, 10th, -8.7
Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff, 27.3, 1:54, 74.9, -11.1

Final Scores

Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, of Flagstaff, 86.0
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff, 85.6
The Klute, of Phoenix, 85.5
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 85.3
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 84.1
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix, 82.9
Spenser Troth, of Flagstaff, 82.4
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff, 82.1
Mikel Weisser, of Kingman, 80.2
Gary Every, of Sedona, 77.3
Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff, 74.9

(The Klute and Lauren Perry declined to join the team, bumping Frank O'Brien and Spencer Troth to the team as alternates).

Photo by Jonathan Weiskopf.

Tyler Sirvinskas aka Valence performs at the 2011 National Poetry Slam in Cambridge, Mass.

Tyler Sirvinskas aka Valence, was a member of the 2011 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam team. He is the top-ranked poet competing in the Sedona grand slam. 

Evan Dissinger. Photo by Kelly Watts.

Evan Dissinger is one of the preeminent voices in the Flagstaff poetry scene. A skateboard rat in Flagstaff, Dissinger is one of the most sincere poets in Arizona with a knack for making conventional experiences sublime.

Josh Wiss

Joshua Wiss’ infectious enthusiasm for life is evident in his energetic performances. A recent graduate of NAU with a degree in creative writing, Wiss performed at every Sedona Poetry Slam this season and was ranked No. 2 going into the grand slam.

Frank O'Brien

A poet’s poet, Frank O’Brien writes with a profound simplicity. O’Brien won the 2008 and 2009 Flagstaff Grand Slams, and competed at three national poetry slams from 2008 to 2010.

Spencer Troth

A political science student at NAU, Spencer Troth’s introspective work brings compassion to his views of current events, such as a poem touching on the double murder outside Sedona in January. Troth will be taking his poetic voice overseas as a political science student in France next year.

Chuck Norris plays Mario Cart

Buy your tickets now for today's Sedona Poetry Grand Slam

Buy your tickets the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam now!
Click here to pick your seat!
Proceeds help the team get to the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.

 The biggest, most energetic poetry event to hit Sedona is coming to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 16:

The 2012 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam.

The top 12 slam poets in Arizona will compete in three rounds in front five judges randomly selected from the audience who assign numerical value to individual performances.

At the end of the night, the top four poets will represent Sedona at the weeklong National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., in August. There, Sedona’s four representatives will compete against more than 350 of the best performance poets from the United States and Canada.
At nationals, poets perform both solo and group poems, creating complex, dynamic performances.

For the last sixth months, poets from all over Arizona have been competing in Sedona, earning points for the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam. Only the top 12 of the nearly 50 competitors made the cut for this invitation-only contest.

Poetry slam is unlike any other poetry event you’ve ever seen. Slam poetry isn’t enigmatic and esoteric like in a college literature class with rhyme and meter, but an energetic blend of spoken word, theater and performance art.

In each three-minute performance of their original work, poets aim to make audiences laugh, cheer, cry or get chills down their spines. The performers are not permitted to use props, costumes or musical accompaniment, relying instead on their own words and inflections.

Poems range from explosively humorous to deeply personal to wryly political, with styles from hip-hop to narrative storytelling. All types of poetry are welcome. Audience reaction is just as important to a high score as the poetry itself, so the crowd is encouraged to not remain silent, but cheer, boo and engage with the poets’ on stage.

Tickets are $15, available online at studiolivesedona.com. Proceeds help fund the team’s trip to Charlotte. Additional donations will gladly be accepted.

The 2012 slam season and the grand slam is cosponsored by the Sedona Performing Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, near Coffee Pot Drive in West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688. For videos from past slams and updates about the grand slam, visit foxthepoet.blogspot.com.

Buy your tickets the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam now and pick your seat

Buy your tickets the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam now and pick your seat!
Proceeds help the team get to the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.

 The biggest, most energetic poetry event to hit Sedona is coming to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 16:

The 2012 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam.

The top 12 slam poets in Arizona will compete in three rounds in front five judges randomly selected from the audience who assign numerical value to individual performances.

At the end of the night, the top four poets will represent Sedona at the weeklong National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., in August. There, Sedona’s four representatives will compete against more than 350 of the best performance poets from the United States and Canada.
At nationals, poets perform both solo and group poems, creating complex, dynamic performances.

For the last sixth months, poets from all over Arizona have been competing in Sedona, earning points for the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam. Only the top 12 of the nearly 50 competitors made the cut for this invitation-only contest.

Poetry slam is unlike any other poetry event you’ve ever seen. Slam poetry isn’t enigmatic and esoteric like in a college literature class with rhyme and meter, but an energetic blend of spoken word, theater and performance art.

In each three-minute performance of their original work, poets aim to make audiences laugh, cheer, cry or get chills down their spines. The performers are not permitted to use props, costumes or musical accompaniment, relying instead on their own words and inflections.

Poems range from explosively humorous to deeply personal to wryly political, with styles from hip-hop to narrative storytelling. All types of poetry are welcome. Audience reaction is just as important to a high score as the poetry itself, so the crowd is encouraged to not remain silent, but cheer, boo and engage with the poets’ on stage.

Tickets are $15, available online at studiolivesedona.com. Proceeds help fund the team’s trip to Charlotte. Additional donations will gladly be accepted.

The 2012 slam season and the grand slam is cosponsored by the Sedona Performing Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, near Coffee Pot Drive in West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688. For videos from past slams and updates about the grand slam, visit foxthepoet.blogspot.com.

Buy a copy of my new poetry book "The Opposite of Camouflage"

What did I do on my holiday? Made a new book, "The Opposite of Camouflage."

16 poems in a 52-page bound book, available for $9.99

Poems included:

• Welcome to the Church of the Word
• Manifesto of an Addict
• We Call Him Papa
• Spinal Language
• Ragnarok
• The Peach
• Breakfast Cereal
• In the Corners of This Room
• Three Minutes for Dylan
• Do You Have a Baseball Bat?
• My Hands are in the Mail
• The Devil’s Gardens
• Revolution 2.0
• Staring at the Milky Way with One Eye Closed
• Dear Pluto
• They Held Hands

Special thanks to Big Pappa E for suggesting the title.

Click here to buy a copy now

"Manifesto of an Addict" by Christopher Fox Graham

you see I’ve got a problem
I’m addicted to that one thing
that everything that true thing
every moment I’m looking for another fix
wandering from here to there
trying to get just one more hit
you see I'm addicted to humanity
it’s just this power that overwhelms
this power that draws me in
I don’t know what it is
I can’t escape
humanity has me addicted
every time I kiss a girl
talk to a friend
hear the story of a stranger
I get just that much more addicted
and it’s just that much harder to break myself away

when a 75-year-old black man
tells me how he earned a vicious scar on his face
from a near-lynching in 1952
just outside Birmingham, Alabama
I get more addicted
his story
that human story
draws me in

when a mother of two
tells me what it was like
to explain her boys
that daddy is never coming home again
because semi-trucks don’t leave survivors
I get more addicted
her story
that human story
draws me in

when an elderly Jewish matriarch
tells me what was like
to grow up in a Polish concentration camp
to see her family get shot
then rolls up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo of
4
7
3
2
8
carved in the flesh
of her forearm
her story draws me
in every gesture
every feature
every wrinkle crease earned through survival
draws me in
like a moth to a flame,
like a comet to a star

I can’t escape
I tried once
I tried to withdraw once
ever gone through human withdrawal?
I left the world for a day
and it almost killed me
I couldn’t function
I couldn’t act
I couldn’t breathe
I couldn’t walk
I couldn’t talk
do you know what it’s like
for a poet who cannot talk?
a poet who cannot talk
who cannot write
is dead

I had to come back
my addiction keeps me alive
do you know how easy is to get this stuff?
they don’t even sell it
they give it away
I can’t round a corner without getting another hit
and it’s killing me

if I could break his addiction
I could live forever
but what would my life be like without my humanity?
they say we’re all made to die, does that mean we’re all addicted?
are you?
are you?
are you?
I am
I my love my addiction
I want to experience the stories of everyone
because what differs us is just time and space
I want to know what other possibilities my soul had
before it chose this time
this space
this body to occupy
I want to know
I want more and more
I want to do the lines of every human face
I want to walk the features
memorize the names
live the stories that of every human who ever lived and I still want more

I want to feast with Gilgamesh
I want to besiege Troy
I want to drink with Alexander
I want to walk the halls of Camelot
I want to meditate with Buddha
I want to pray with Mohammed
I want to burn with Joan of Arc
I want to ride with Crazy Horse
I want to stand in the streets of Hiroshima with 140,000 other human beings
and feel the skies turn instantly
into the wrath of God
and want to sacrifice myself on Calvary
and become your Messiah
because God
if there is one
was just the first addict

I love being addicted
even if it’s going to kill me
I ask for more
I beg for more
I would sell my soul for more
but what makes this addiction my curse
is that I’m just one man
and I don’t have much time

Christopher Fox Graham © 2000

I guess I never posted this poem online before. Originally just a solo poem, I performed with Nick Fox and Chris Lane as a three-man group poem at the 2001 National Poetry Slam in Seattle.

The 2012 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam is coming Saturday, June 16

The biggest, most energetic poetry event to hit Sedona is coming to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 16:

The 2012 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam.

Tickets are $15. Click here to buy your tickets now.
Proceeds help the team get to nationals

The top 12 slam poets in Arizona will compete in three rounds in front five judges randomly selected from the audience who assign numerical value to individual performances.

At the end of the night, the top four poets will represent Sedona at the weeklong National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., in August. There, Sedona’s four representatives will compete against more than 350 of the best performance poets from the United States and Canada. At nationals, poets perform both solo and group poems, creating complex, dynamic performances.

For the last sixth months, poets from all over Arizona have been competing in Sedona, earning points for the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam. Only the top 12 of the nearly 50 competitors made the cut for this invitation-only contest.

Poetry slam is unlike any other poetry event you’ve ever seen. Slam poetry isn’t enigmatic and esoteric like in a college literature class with rhyme and meter, but an energetic blend of spoken word, theater and performance art.

In each three-minute performance of their original work, poets aim to make audiences laugh, cheer, cry or get chills down their spines. The performers are not permitted to use props, costumes or musical accompaniment, relying instead on their own words and inflections.

Poems range from explosively humorous to deeply personal to wryly political, with styles from hip-hop to narrative storytelling. All types of poetry are welcome. Audience reaction is just as important to a high score as the poetry itself, so the crowd is encouraged to not remain silent, but cheer, boo and engage with the poets’ on stage.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam competitors (in alphabetical order):

• Evan Dissinger is one of the preeminent voices in the Flagstaff poetry scene. A skateboard rat in Flagstaff, Dissinger is one of the most sincere poets in Arizona with a knack for making conventional experiences sublime.
• Lauren Hanss is one of the strong female voices in Flagstaff. An early education and creative writing student at NAU, Hanss is respected for her honest, confessional poetry.
• Known for his political savvy and humorous poetry, The Klute performs all over the United States and Canada and featured at the Poetry Slam and the Sedona Public Library. A seasoned veteran, The Klute has been to the National Poetry Slam seven times, for the Mesa Slam Team in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, and the Phoenix Slam Team in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He also won the grand slams in 2005 and 2010.
• A poet’s poet, Frank O’Brien writes with a profound simplicity. O’Brien won the 2008 and 2009 Flagstaff Grand Slams, and competed at three national poetry slams from 2008 to 2010.
• A veteran national competitor, Lauren Perry competed at the National Poetry Slam with the Mesa Poetry Slam Team in 2006, 2009 and 2010. She also proudly represented Sedona at the 2012 Women of the World Poetry Slam in Denver.
• Kaye Pettit is a powerful female voice on the Flagstaff stage. A psychology major at NAU, she one of the most consistent performers in the scene.
• Austin Reeves is an up-and-coming voice in both Sedona and Flagstaff. A coffee-loving creative writing student at NAU, Reeves has already made an impact, taking second at the last Sedona Poetry Slam in May.
• Beginning in Flagstaff in 2005, Rowie Shebala has slammed all over Arizona. After graduating from NAU with a Bachelors of Science in Theater and a minor in English, she hosted the poetry slam in Gallup, N.M. On the national level, she competed at the 2009 Women of the World Poetry Slam in Detroit and as a member of the Mesa Slam Team in 2011.
• Tyler Sirvinskas aka Valence, was a member of the 2011 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam team. He is the top-ranked poet competing in the Sedona grand slam.
• A political science student at NAU, Spencer Troth’s introspective work brings compassion to his views of current events, such as a poem touching on the double murder outside Sedona in January. Troth will be taking his poetic voice overseas as a political science student in France next year.
• Mikel Weisser is a school teacher from Kingman, an Occupy activist and a 2012 candidate for Arizona’s Congressional District 4. In conjunction with his congressional campaign and activist activities, Weisser schedules poetry performances all over the state.
• Joshua Wiss’ infectious enthusiasm for life is evident in his energetic performances. A recent graduate of NAU with a degree in creative writing, Wiss performed at every Sedona Poetry Slam this season and is currently ranked No. 2.

Audience members are encouraged to support their favorite poets from over the season.

Photo by Harley Deuce

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam will be hosted by Sedona poet and
slammaster Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern
Arizona on the Flagstaff team at five National Poetry Slams between
2001 and 2010 and recently the 2012 Flagstaff Grand Slam.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam will be hosted by Sedona poet and slammaster Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team at five National Poetry Slams between 2001 and 2010 and recently the 2012 Flagstaff Grand Slam.

The opening calibration poem will be performed by Nodalone aka Shaun Srivastava, a two-time member of the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team.

For more information about the slam, contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com.

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, a former construction worker, poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe.

Tickets are $15, available online at studiolivesedona.com. Proceeds help fund the team’s trip to Charlotte. Additional donations will gladly be accepted.

The 2012 slam season and the grand slam is cosponsored by the Sedona Performing Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, near Coffee Pot Drive in West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688. For videos from past slams and updates about the grand slam, visit foxthepoet.blogspot.com.

Christopher Fox Graham and FlagSlam poets

For the 2012-2013 Poets of FlagSlam calendar. Photos by Tara Graeber.

Photo by Tara Graeber 

Christopher Fox Graham and his poet renegades. From left, Josh Wiss has a .45-caliber pistol and 9 mm Beretta, Spencer Troth has a 9 mm H&K and a .22 Long rifle, Graham is armed with a modified WESTAR-34 blaster pistol, lightsaber, microphone and boot knife, Brian Walker has a crossbow. Azami wields a Remington 30-06 rifle, Nodalone has a Mossberg pistol-grip 12-gauge shotgun and throwing knives, Valence has a breech-loading shotgun and .45-caliber pistol and Lauren Hanss has a MP5 submachine gun.

Photo by Tara Graeber 

Christopher Fox Graham and Azami. Graham is armed with a modified WESTAR-34 blaster pistol, lightsaber, microphone and boot knife. Azami wields a Remington 30-06 rifle.

More photos coming soon ....

Final Sedona National Poetry Slam Team standings

These are the Sedona National Poetry Slam Team rankings. The higher the point totals, the later in the first round the poets will go at the Grand Slam, i.e., if nodalone quit FlagSlam and competed in Sedona, he’d be the last poet.
In the event of a tie, I'll flip a coin a few days before the slam and announce the first round.

The Grand Slam will be Saturday, June 16, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in Sedona, down the street from Studio Live. The slam starts promptly at 7 p.m., not 7:30 p.m. No feature. Based on time, there likely will be cuts going into the third round. Any poets with 1 point are eligible if fewer than 12 poets with more than 1 point elect not to slam, but they’ll be going in the first slots in the first round.

We'll probably have more than one calibration poet as well, to give more poets stage time and to fight the dreaded score creep.

Final Sedona National Poetry Slam Team standings

11 points: nodalone, of Flagstaff(✓Qualified for FlagSlam team)
9 points: Valence, of Flagstaff
8 points: Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff
7 points: Lauren Perry, of Phoenix
7 points: Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix
7 points: Ryan Brown, of Flagstaff(✓Qualified for FlagSlam team)
6 points: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona(✓Qualified for FlagSlam team)
6 points: The Klute, of Phoenix
5 points: Frank O'Brien, of Prescott
5 points: Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff(✓Qualified for FlagSlam team alternate)
4 points: Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff
4 points: Mikel Weisser, of Kingman
3.5 points: Spencer Troth, of Flagstaff
3 points: Christopher Harbster, of Flagstaff
3 points: Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff
3 points: Tara Pollock, of Flagstaff(✓Qualified for FlagSlam team)
2.5 points: Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
2 points: Gary Every, of Sedona
2 points: Tom Heymsfeld, of Sedona
1 point: Aaron Johnson, of Phoenix
1 point: Bill Campana, of Mesa
1 point: Brian Linari, of Flagstaff
1 point: Deborah Berman, of Phoenix
1 point: Ellenelizabeth Cernek, of Sedona
1 point: Gabbi Jue, of Flagstaff
1 point: Jack Egan, of Sedona
1 point: Jahnilli Akbar, of New York City
1 point: Joe Montano III, of Phoenix
1 point: Josh Goldberg, of Oak Creek Ranch School
1 point: Kaye Pettit, of Flagstaff
1 point: Kendra Kenj Shebala, of Flagstaff
1 point: Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff
1 point: Mary Elizabeth Skene, of Sedona
1 point: Michelle Peterson, of Sedona
1 point: Sean Patrick Mulroy, of New York City
1 point: Seth Walker, of Texas
0.5 points: Danielle Silver, of Sedona
0.5 points: Gary Bowers, of Phoenix
0.5 points: Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff
0.5 points: Sasha Anderson, of Flagstaff
0.5 points: Tanya Marcy, of Sedona

Excluding Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona, Nodalone, Tara Pollock and Ryan Brown, all of Flagstaff, this is how the slam order will be:

1st or 2nd Christopher Harbster, of Flagstaff
1st or 2nd Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff

3rd Spencer Troth, of Flagstaff

4th or 5th Mikel Weisser, of Kingman

4th or 5th Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff

6th or 7th Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff

6th or 7th Frank O'Brien, of Prescott

8th The Klute, of Phoenix

9th or 10th Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix

9th or 10th Lauren Perry, of Phoenix

11th or 12th Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff

11th or 12th Valence, of Flagstaff

The Klute, Rowie Shebala, Lauren Perry, are all earning points for the Phoenix team. The Phoenix grand slam at Lawn Gnome will be May 25, so that may remove them from Sedona’s list if they opt for Phoenix.

Christopher Harbster is lost somewhere in California.

Jackson Morris is in a unique loophole I didn't account for of being an alternate. The Sedona slam rules only address poets who are primary members of teams being ineligible for the Grand Slam, so he wouldn't have to quit FlagSlam to compete for Sedona.

1st, if any of the above poets decline to compete: Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood

1st, if any 2 of the above poets decline to compete: Gary Every, of Sedona.

(I have no contact for Tom Heymsfeld, but he could compete in the 1st slot if he comes to the Grand Slam and 2 of the above poets decline to compete AND if he beats Gary Every in a coin toss.)

(1st, if any 3 of the above poets decline to compete: Tom Heymsfeld if he comes to the Grand Slam)

If any 4 of the above poets decline to compete (which will likely be the case), then any of these poets are eligible, but will compete in the first few slots, determined at random:
Aaron Johnson, of Phoenix
Bill Campana, of Mesa
Brian Linari, of Flagstaff
Deborah Berman, of Phoenix
Ellenelizabeth Cernek, of Sedona
Gabbi Jue, of Flagstaff
Jack Egan, of Sedona
Jahnilli Akbar, of New York City
Joe Montano III, of Phoenix
Josh Goldberg, of Oak Creek Ranch School
Kaye Pettit, of Flagstaff
Kendra Kenj Shebala, of Flagstaff
Lauren Hanss, of Flagstaff
Mary Elizabeth Skene, of Sedona
Michelle Peterson, of Sedona
Sean Patrick Mulroy, of New York City
Seth Walker, of Texas

A brief history of FlagSlam Nationals Teams

December 2000, FlagSlam founded.

In 2001, 12th National Poetry Slam in Seattle, Wash.:
Grand Slam Champion: Josh Fleming
Nick Fox
Chris Lane
Christopher Fox Graham
Alternate: Eric “A-rek” Matthew Dye
Coach: Andy “War” Wall

After I graduated from Arizona State University and made the FlagSlam team, I moved to Flagstaff in June.

I tried out for the FlagSlam team in 2002 but pulled the "1" and got clobbered. I had already been planning the Save the Male Tour with Josh Fleming, so that was my summer instead. 

In 2002, 13th National Poetry Slam in Minneapolis, Minn.:
Grand Slam Champion: Suzy La Follette
Logan Phillips
Andy “War” Hall
Dom Flemons
Alternate: Jarrod Masseud Karimi (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
Coach and alternate: John Raymond Kofonow

First tie at NPS: New York City-Urbana and Detroit

In 2003, 14th National Poetry Slam in Chicago, Ill.:
Grand Slam Champion: Suzy La Follette
Logan Phillips
Cass Hodges
Dom Flemons
Alternate: Julie Hudgens (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
Coach and alternate: John Raymond Kofonow

I was a volunteer bout manager at NPS in 2003.

In 2004: 15th National Poetry Slam in St. Louis, Mo.:
Grand Slam Champion: Christopher Fox Graham
Eric Larson
Logan Phillips
Brent Heffron
Coaches: Mary Guaraldi, and John Raymond Kofonow

First time all four NPS finalist teams were from west of the Mississippi River (Hollywood's Da Poetry Lounge, Denver, Dallas and Berkeley). One of the worst organized NPSes due to the location of venues relative to each other and the venues in question.

In 2005: 16th National Poetry Slam in Albuquerque, N.M.:
Grand Slam Champion: Chris Lane
Logan Phillips
Christopher Fox Graham
Meghan Jones
Aaron Johnson
Coaches: Mary Guaraldi and John Raymond Kofonow

FlagSlam sent a crew of poets and supporters because Albuquerque was so close. I was also legal guardian for my ward, Sarrah Wile. One of the best organized NPSes. All venues were within walking distance of the Hotel Blue. The hotel manager lost his job for what he allowed us to do, but won the Spirit of the Slam Award.

In 2006: 17th National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas:
Aaron Johnson
Christopher Fox Graham (kicked off team before the National Poetry Slam)
Meghan Jones (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
Justin “Biskit” Powell
Alternate: A.J. Moyer (Joined team)
Coaches: Greg Nix (quit before the National Poetry Slam) and John Raymond Kofonow (quit before the National Poetry Slam)

This year was a train wreck. Those who know why, know why. I'm glad A.J., Aaron Johnson and Biskit had a good time at NPS, though.

In 2007: 18th National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas:
Grand Slam Champion: Joseph Nieves
Aaron Johnson
Troy Thurman
J.J. Valentine

Last year Individual Poetry Slam Championships were held at NPS. They would be held at a separate event, the Individual World Poetry Slam starting in 2008.

In 2008: 19th National Poetry Slam in Madison, Wis.:
Grand Slam Champion: Frank O'Brien
Ryan Brown
John Cartier
Jessica Guadarrama
Alternate: Kami Henderson
Coach: Dana Sakowicz

In 2009: 20th National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, FL.
Grand Slam Champion: Frank O'Brien
Ryan Brown
John Cartier
Andrew “Antranormus” Wanner
Jessica Guadarrama
Coach: Dana Sakowicz

In 2010: 21st National Poetry Slam in St. Paul, Minn:
Grand Slam Champion: Ryan Brown
Brian Towne
Johnny P (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
RahMahMercy (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
Frank O'Brien (Joined team in Johnny P's slot)
Christopher Fox Graham (Joined team in RahMahMercy's slot)
Alternate: Christopher Harbster (quit before the National Poetry Slam)

I was going to be a volunteer bout manager at NPS in 2010, but wound up on the team.

In 2011: 22nd National Poetry Slam in Cambridge and Boston, Mass.:
Grand Slam Champion: Shaun “nodalone” Srivastava
Maple Dewleaf
Taylor Marie “Tay” Kayonnie-Ehrlich
Christopher Harbster (quit before the National Poetry Slam)
Alternate: Tyler “Valence” Sirvinskas (Joined team)

I was a volunteer venue manager at NPS in 2011.

In 2012: 23rd National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.:
Grand Slam Champion: Christopher Fox Graham
Ryan Brown
Tara Pollock (tied)
Shaun “nodalone” Srivastava (tied)
Alternate: Jackson Morris

Photo by Tara Graeber

The 2012 FlagSlam National Poetry Slam Team: Ryan Brown, left, Grand Slam Champion Christopher Fox Graham, Shaun "Nodalone" Srivastava and Tara Pollock. Jackson Morris won the alternate's slot.

Buy your tickets now for Saturday's Sedona Poetry Slam featuring Sean Patrick Mulroy

Sean Patrick Mulroy features at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, May 5

Sedona's Studio Live hosts a poetry slam Saturday, May 5, starting at 7:30 p.m. featuring New York City poet Sean Patrick Mulroy and hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham.

Buy your tickets now at $7.

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 will the sixth and last of the 2011-12 regular season, which has been more moving, more energetic and more intense because this year as poets compete for a slot in Sedona's first National Poetry Slam Team.

After four years of collaborating with the Flagstaff and Phoenix metro area poetry slam scenes, the Sedona scene has the reputation and strength to send its own team to the 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., in August. The eventual four-poet team 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.

This is the last slam of the regular season. The next slam will be invitation only and feature the best of the best poets competing for the coveted top four slots plus an alternate.

Sean Patrick Mulroy

A gifted writer and an accomplished performer, Mulroy (aka Sean Patrick Conlon) is a dedicated student of literature and a firm believer in the power of the oral tradition.

Born and raised in Southern Virginia, the house where Mulroy grew up was built in 1801 and was commandeered by the union army during the Civil War to serve as a makeshift hospital.  As a Mulroy, Sean loved to peel back the carpets to show where the blood from hasty surgeries on wounded soldiers had stained the wooden floorboards.  Now he writes poems.

Photo by Penmanship Books

Mulroy is the author of “The Pornography Diaries,” a poetic study of love and sex as seen through the lens of media study and film analysis.  He also stars in a one-man show of the same name, combining original rock music and the poems from the book in a critically acclaimed multimedia tour-de-force.

Mulroy has performed in 10 countries on three continents, participated in 6 national spoken-word competitions, written and recorded three albums of music, and released more than 10 chapbooks of original poetry. He has been published in both online and print journals, and has featured at literary festivals for universities and arts organizations all over the world. He is currently on tour full-time while working on three new manuscripts and a new musical project.

Sedona Poetry Slam

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 May 5 slam will be hosted by Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team at five National Poetry Slams between 2001 and 2010. Contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up to slam.

Sedona National Poetry Slam Team
Competing poets earn points with each Sedona Poetry Slam performance between Dec. 3 and Saturday, May 5. Every poet earns 1 point for performing or hosting and 1/2 point for calibrating. 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 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.

All poets are eligible in the slamoff except those already confirmed members of or coaching another National Poetry Slam or College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational or Brave New Voices team. 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.blogspot.com.

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.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $12 the day of the event, available at Golden Word Books and Music, 3150 W. SR 89A, and online at studiolivesedona.com.

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

The 2012 FlagSlam National Poetry Slam Team

Photo by Tara Graeber

The 2012 FlagSlam National Poetry Slam Team: Ryan Brown, left, Grand Slam Champion Christopher Fox Graham, Shaun "Nodalone" Srivastava and Tara Pollock. Jackson Morris won the alternate's slot.

The 2012 FlagSlam National Poetry Slam Team was decided Sunday, April 29, at Sundara in Flagstaff.

Christopher Fox Graham narrowly edged out SlamMaster Ryan Brown by 0.1 for the Grand Slam Champion title. This will be Graham's sixth team (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012) and Brown's fourth (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012).
Coming in tied at third was rookie Tara Pollock (2012) and last year's Grand Slam Champion Shaun "Nodalone" Srivastava (2011, 2012).
Rookie Jackson Morris (2012) will be the team's alternate and coming with us to Charlotte, N.C., for the National Poetry Slam.

The five of us will publish a team chapbook later this summer to help raise funds for the trip. Reserve your copy now ....

Photo by Tara Graeber

The 2012 FlagSlam Grand Slam competitors: Tara Pollock, left, Ryan Brown, Spencer Troth, Christopher Fox Graham, Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, Dan Rivera (front), Evan Dissinger (back), Josh Wiss, Victoria Nancy Eakin, Shaun "Nodalone" Srivastava, Vincent Ed-Venture "Vincent Vega" Simone and Jackson Morris.

Congrats to the other Grand Slam finalists Evan Dissinger, Spencer Troth, Victoria (Nancy) Eakin, Tyler "Valence" Sirvinskas, Vincent Vega, Josh Wiss, Dan Rivera who put on a stellar competition.

The 12 of us will be appearing the Poets of FlagSlam 2012-2013 Calendar due out later this year. Reserve your copy now ....

Photo by Tara Graeber

Sean Patrick Mulroy features at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, May 5

Sean Patrick Mulroy features at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, May 5

Sedona's Studio Live hosts a poetry slam Saturday, May 5, starting at 7:30 p.m. featuring New York City poet Sean Patrick Mulroy and hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham.

Click here to buy your tickets now at $7.

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 will the sixth and last of the 2011-12 regular season, which has been more moving, more energetic and more intense because this year as poets compete for a slot in Sedona's first National Poetry Slam Team.

After four years of collaborating with the Flagstaff and Phoenix metro area poetry slam scenes, the Sedona scene has the reputation and strength to send its own team to the 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., in August. The eventual four-poet team 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.

This is the last slam of the regular season. The next slam will be invitation only and feature the best of the best poets competing for the coveted top four slots plus an alternate.

Sean Patrick Mulroy

A gifted writer and an accomplished performer, Mulroy (aka Sean Patrick Conlon) is a dedicated student of literature and a firm believer in the power of the oral tradition.

Born and raised in Southern Virginia, the house where Mulroy grew up was built in 1801 and was commandeered by the union army during the Civil War to serve as a makeshift hospital.  As a Mulroy, Sean loved to peel back the carpets to show where the blood from hasty surgeries on wounded soldiers had stained the wooden floorboards.  Now he writes poems.

Photo by Penmanship Books

Mulroy is the author of “The Pornography Diaries,” a poetic study of love and sex as seen through the lens of media study and film analysis.  He also stars in a one-man show of the same name, combining original rock music and the poems from the book in a critically acclaimed multimedia tour-de-force.

Mulroy has performed in 10 countries on three continents, participated in 6 national spoken-word competitions, written and recorded three albums of music, and released more than 10 chapbooks of original poetry. He has been published in both online and print journals, and has featured at literary festivals for universities and arts organizations all over the world. He is currently on tour full-time while working on three new manuscripts and a new musical project.

Sedona Poetry Slam

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 May 5 slam will be hosted by Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team at five National Poetry Slams between 2001 and 2010. Contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up to slam.

Sedona National Poetry Slam Team
Competing poets earn points with each Sedona Poetry Slam performance between Dec. 3 and Saturday, May 5. Every poet earns 1 point for performing or hosting and 1/2 point for calibrating. 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 2012 National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C.

All poets are eligible in the slamoff except those already confirmed members of or coaching another National Poetry Slam or College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational or Brave New Voices team. 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.blogspot.com.

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.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $12 the day of the event, available at Golden Word Books and Music, 3150 W. SR 89A, and online at studiolivesedona.com.

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

"Dear Pluto," by Christopher Fox Graham

Dear Pluto

By Christopher Fox Graham

To the planet formerly known as Pluto,

Though we will never meet
I think I know you

I am a speck of organic matter
standing on the surface of your sister

I am a speck of organic matter
standing on the surface of your sister
my people and I
are converted from ice and dust
electrified into existence
by the mere circumstances
of your sister Earth and nephew Moon
dancing with tide pools
when they were still in their infancy
mere molecules slammed together
and held onto each other in strings
which took billions of years
to mistake themselves in their reproduction
to form this all-too-young boy
sending you this letter
forgive my impetuousness, dear Pluto
but compared to you,
I only have a second
before this organic matter caves in on itself
becomes dust and water to form something new
all I have is my voice
and I beg you to listen
because although we will never meet
I think I know you

I’m not sure if you will receive this letter
In the time it takes to reach you,
I could bounce between here and the sun 16 times
measured on your timescale
my country is not even a year old yet

You’re farther away from the sun
than any of your siblings
and while the rest of those planets circulate in lockstep
in the same elliptical orbit
yours is full of highs and lows
as you rise above the plane
and drop beneath it
because you’re either bipolar
of just refuse to conform
be glad you’ve been able to do it so long
here, those who are different
either by choice or accident
wind up getting bullied, brutalized or crucified
and while I could explain what those words mean
let’s hope that by the time one of us stands on your surface
we’ve forgotten what they mean, too

At Lowell Observatory in the hills overlooking Flagstaff
astronomer Clyde Tombaugh picked you out from the black
he watched you wander at the edge of the solar system
and noted how you keep your distance
from everyone else like you

there are times when people here
believe the sun is so far away they don’t feel warm anymore
and they stare out into the black
and wonder what’s like to just
let go

I know what it feels like to be alone, too
there are times when people here
believe the sun is so far away they don’t feel warm anymore
and they stare out into the black
and wonder what’s like to just let go
I’m glad you’ve stayed with us, dear Pluto
you show us that even when the universe is terrifying cold
there’s some light to hold on to
some reason to keep moving
and even out there you and your moon Chiron
prove you can find love anywhere

since we began to worship stars
we have followed your siblings
the rocky worlds, the gas giants
to us, if they were bigger than an asteroid or moon
and weren’t furnaces like the sun,
they were a planet
deserving the name of a god
an astrological house
and a certain amount of inexplicable reverence

but now because your size doesn’t fit new rules
the International Astronomical Union on my world
has decided you are no longer a planet

you were nine children of a yellow sun
on the rural edge of the galaxy

but now because your size doesn’t fit new rules
the International Astronomical Union on my world
has decided you are no longer a planet
you don’t meet the qualifications anymore
you no longer govern an astrological house
they took you away from you were to us

because some ink on paper said you didn’t matter anymore
they put you a box labeled “dwarf planets” or “Plutoids”
only to be ostracized from your brothers and sisters
by faceless strangers at the stroke of pen

here, we label people too,
segregate them into boxes
based on the color of their skins
or which one of those gods they called out to while dying
or whether they love someone with the same or different parts
or in what way they their throats make noises to communicate
or even by where they were born
as if point of origin means anything
on a planet spinning 1,600 kilometers per second,
where specks like me have wandered to every part of it
tell me, dear Pluto
can you see the borders of our nations from out there?
it seems that’s all we can see down here sometimes
can you tell us apart?
if we one day reach you
dig our fingers into your dirt
would you care about what language we used
to tell each other how beautiful the moment was?

Dear Pluto,
I know what it feels like to be small
I’m still a little boy, too
playing grown-up games
wondering what happens
when there’s nothing left to orbit anymore

Though we will never meet
you don’t have to answer this letter if it ever reaches you
but I think you know me,
I am a tiny voice on your sister Earth
and you are Pluto, the ninth planet of the sun

"Eight-Armed Revenge" by Christopher Fox Graham

"Eight-Armed Revenge"

By Christopher Fox Graham

For Sedona Public Library's Spring/Earth Day Celebration

Inspired by The Klute's poem "Whale War III"

Dear Bipeds,

you are almost at the point of no return
so we’d like to get some things
off our arms

now you mammals
and we cephalopods
have been at war
since the first sperm whale
and giant squid
grappled in the deep
dueling tooth to tentacle

your fishermen hunted our cousins
and our krakens plucked sailors
from your ships
but this cold water war could only last so long

you see, Bipeds,
times are changing thanks to your recklessness
and when the mass extinctions begin
we want you to know
who’ll be taking the driver’s seat

you’ve been dumping your garbage
into our home for far too long
farming our prey to extinction
turning us into delicacies like sushi

we understand fishing
we’re predators, too
though we don’t know how salmon, cod, or tuna taste cooked
fresh and raw, they’re scrumptious

now the chemicals are inexcusable
so we stay away from shore
but in the middle of the endless ocean
islands of trash float ignored
except by us
we’re learning how to your trash like tools
we didn’t need Prometheus
just Poseidon
when the first of us
learned how to reshape a soda can
into an arrowhead
and make fishing spear
your days of hegemony were numbered

The Deep Horizon oil spill was the last straw
one bridge too far,
one drop in the bucket too many
so now we’re arming

you’re not destroying the environment
you’re destroying your environment
and if you pump too much CO2 into the skies
something will evolve to thrive on it
life always finds a way to survive
but know, Bipeds, that that species
may not be yours
98 percent of the species who have called this rock home are extinct
Mother Earth doesn’t care which one of us rules
and to her, extinction is a hiccup
and there is always an understudy
ready to take the starring role
and evolve into the dominant species

we’ve seen it many times before
your dying rainforests aren’t the first
we remember the Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse 300 million years ago
when your ancestors were still cold-blooded amphibians

we watched continents drift and volcanoes erupt
we had front row seats for a dozen meteor impacts
at the end of the Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Eocene and Neogene Periods
we dined under the waves as the bodies of dinosaurs washed out to sea
as the mice that would eventually become you
took over

now you’ve decided to join the Thunder Lizards in the fossil record
so we’re putting you on notice that this is our time,
this will soon be our world

so when you’ve suicided yourselves into history
and wiped the surface clean of all the major predators
we, octopuses, squids, nautiluses and cuttlefish will begin our migrations to land
flopping tentacles onto dry land
planting flags made your leftover refuse
and declaring these continents as ours
evolving into land creatures
over the next millions of years
building cities and civilizations
and teaching our children from the moment they hatch
if you’re going to pollute your world
you going to get what you deserve

but worry not, Bipeds,
even in your deaths,
you’ll still be useful
millions of years from now
as we pump what remains of you
into our gas tanks and rocket ships
and sail out into the stars
away from this graveyard of the fallen
this tomb of species who failed to learn


From "The Future Is Wild:The Tentacled Forest Part 3"


Octopuses regularly move across dry land in tidal pools searching for food and escaping aquatic predators. Generally nocturnal, this one was video taped in daytime.

“Counting Breaths” for Amanda Rae Coughlin

“Counting Breaths”

By Christopher Fox Graham

For Amanda Rae Coughlin

You count your days up, never down
as though your days stretch from birth to infinity
but you know better
You count your days up, never down
because it’s easier to believe
if the numbers get bigger, never smaller
that you might make it to infinity somehow
but it’s lonely at the end of universe
out there, the rules governing matter break down
and the atoms on the edge lose touch with each other
because there isn’t enough gravity
to make holding on worth the weight
so all the living has to happen here

closer to the universe’s center, closer to zero
the weight of matter pulls us back down to earth,
never up
but down to the embrace of each other
we give up infinity to be close to one another
but sometimes it means we have to let go
to people who’ve been so close
it feels like atoms being ripped from our orbits

Amanda Rae Coughlin died March 16, 2012

Here, you count your days up, never down
because these bodies, born into fragile skeleton, come with an expiration date
governed by fate playing Russian roulette with magic bullet car crashes
or hearts bursting under the strain of beating us from footstep to footstep
or the body rebellion of cancer
But you still count your days up, never down
ever since your first day
when first breaths erupted into a cry announcing your arrival
into the arms of your mother

you count your breaths, too
but only the first ones and the last ones
because you don’t think about the miracle of breath
until every breath itself becomes a miracle
like when you're drowning
underwater, you count how long it’s been since you last breathed
but above the surface you don’t count how long you have left
because no one counts breaths
and no one ever tells you the number you have left
until you’re counting the last ones
always down, never up
by the time I finish this poem you will have inhaled and exhaled 45 times
since this time last year, you have swallowed 7.8 million lungfuls of the world
you hold each piece deep inside yourself to swim around the bloodstream
before pushing a piece of yourself back out

but one ever says,
“You have 500 million more breaths left”
“You only have 500”
where would you exhale
if you only had 10,000 liters of yourself
to pour back into the world?
on your first day,
you let loose a cry so the world knew you were here
but most of us will end within a whisper
but if you knew the method and the moment
when your breaths start their final countdown
would you live your life differently?
how would you spend your air?
would you sing more?
would you read stories to children?
would you curse the gods for starting the countdown in the first place?
would you just hold your breath?
would you stand on a mountaintop and scream one long unyielding note
for the beauty of it all?

we don’t think about the miracle of breath
until every breath itself becomes a miracle
like when we’re dying
cancer has a funny way of teaching us that
no one told Amanda she would only get 167 million breaths
Spent over 21 years 1 month 22 days
if she knew
how long would she have had held them
where else would she have spent them?
instead of just silent breathing
would she have squeezed more of them into vowels and consonants?
so we could hold on those pieces of her
people are like that too
some of us are held for just moments
some of us are held so deeply it’s impossible to distinguish them from us
her lungs ceased their accordion compressions
when her last breath slipped out the open window
but 66 million liters of her
still swirl in the atmosphere of Northern Arizona
how many of her escaped breaths are swimming in this room
waiting for you to swallow them
and remember how she touched you?

the next time a breeze brushes your face
inhale deep
take her into your lungs like you used to take her into your arms
hold her deep for a moment
and when you exhale
do it for her
and now, always count her breaths up, never down
so she can make it to infinity



Amanda Rae Coughlin, a 21-year-old Northern Arizona University elementary education major and Sedona Red Rock High School alumna was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma on March 29, 2011. She died March 16, 2012.
Donations can be made to the Coughlin Family Benefit, Chase Bank No. 424055932 or to Love 4 Amanda