Business / organizer stuff: This may or may not be of interest to general readers of this site, but if you’ve participated in the Slab City Slam / spoken word festival at Arcosanti in Arizona over the last seven years, you might be interested in these two letters explaining why the festival won’t be held [...]

Well chavos, we’re on the other side. 2008 already feels different, doesn’t it? It feels great. As do this year’s rhyming opportunities. Don’t be late. Or irate.
I’m in Arizona on vacation. Basically been AWOL for the last month. Sleeping, riding my bike, hiking, meditating. Trying to catch up with myself after an autumn that [...]

The grasses are always dancing in the median,
headbangers, seed sowers, dry spines twisting.
Freeway flowers face early decapitation—
guillotine tirewind, lit by skyfire:
here the sun is literally a star,
made of beaten copper, sharp, imperfect.
As the star pulls itself up again,
the sky goes streaked, the improbable
pattern of yellow-red, vivid.
The radio stations are just murmurs in the [...]

Her breath—
the one she’ll remember,
word-triggered by his
short, unexpected reply,
fewer syllables than she
would’ve liked. No.
That breath—
too loud in the theatre.
Everyone’s necks twist
around like old wood,
eyebrows compacted,
everyone’s tongue
either a question mark
or an exclamation
point.
A breath—
unable to fly,
pushed out of the nest
of her mouth, falling.
His hand, a five-word
consolation left unsaid,
kept to himself.
Unbreathing now,
all eyes. A moment
like [...]

I, the teacher with the twisted imagination
say draw yourself finding a treasure chest
just like Arnold Duncan.
And they, the students, eyes burning with kidfire,
flash bright teeth and smiles across their brown faces.
They know who Arnold Duncan is,
that old gringo with the beard from the story
we’re reading, another English story for English class
from our English textbook. And [...]

I’ll be hosting this great event in Tucson!
Saturday, January 12, 7 pm
Bentley’s 1730 E Speedway Tucson
Suggested donation $5
All ages
Hosted by your lovely self
Open to all women who have slammed in Tucson this season (since August 07)
The winner will be representing our slam at the Women of the World
Poetry Slam,
March 13-15, Detroit.

Feature at an open mic:

Vybe
Please join me and hop aboard the “SOUL TRAIN” every 2nd and 4th Tuesday @ The Door (9pm -12am)in Scottsdale for a grown night of Poetry, Neo-Soul, and intimate atmosphere.
~Wisdom
Date_add Date: Tue, Jan 8, 2008
Time: 9pm-12am
Hosted by: Wisdom Soul
Phone: (602) 714-2335
Place: The Door Lounge
Address: 1126 N Scottsdale Rd
City: Scottsdale
State: Az