Gosh, 19 readers! Everyone did a great job, as usual. Before I go into them in detail there are a couple of announcements to be made.
First of all, the contest has been indefinitely delayed. It will be happening the the near future, though, so make sure to write your open letter to the BP about the oil spill. The new voting date will be announced at the next open mic.
Secondly, the Anomic Press website's skeleton is up. Patrick and I are working on the important things as we speak, but they probably won't be up for a week or so. Check it out at http://anomicpress.com
So, without further adieu:
Davi–Troubadour – This was Troubadour’s first night, but not David’s. He shared a poem about “maggot words,” “words made digital,” and other generally angry words.
Clayton Cooper – Clay dropped his usual Cat in the Hat on Viagra persona tonight to read some older poems about love and Zoloft. “It’s like a shroud, or a veil, even…” He also pitched a new gum to us, which apparently had the ability to turn you into “a badass, rad mother fucker.”
Kevin Koontz – This was the first time I had heard anything from Kevin, and it was quite interesting. Among his poems were introspective poetical spits that danced with both balance and nature.
Jonathan – “Herb has an H in it.” A nice, BP-based rant followed by a realistic kick in the ass.
West – The only new reader of the night. His name was very fitting, for he was from the West Coast. He sang some songs to us that would probably have made him famous if he lived in the 70’s. “Absence of essence.”
John Ellis – John talked about spring cleaning and read some Haiku. “Are we living in a never ending story? If you’re offering.”
Matthew – We were blessed with three poems, the most memorable one was about some inhumanly disgusting beard; another spoke of very hellish jelly beans; and the final was a very beautiful piece about butterflies and flowers, which contrasted pretty well with the others.
Dustin Toney – Dusty laid down a freestyle-poem hybrid that, for one reason or another, was a lot like jazz… On a side note, he is no longer attracted to white women.
Stephanie – Stephanie gave a eulogy to an angelic child. She also gifted us with a very accurate portrayal of a confusing (is that word a bit redundant?) dream.
Charles – We were told some very touching and saddening things about his father. “When did a father become a villain? Worse than a villain! When did a father become apathetic?” “Is it my job to hang myself on the gallows of my family tree?”
Barrett “ ” White – The usual, wordy, epic poems came from poor little Blank, but how can one ever tire of them? “If we died on a thousand mile highway, there would be a spot for us in heaven.”
Erika – “Today is butterfly day, just so you know.” She left us with a marvelous and depressing description of modern life.
Jill – Jill dedicated deep, feminist-esque a poem to her nieces. “Your mother has been afraid to be a woman. So have I.”
Anna Hubbard – “I could already feel my knees bruising up with geometric patterns from the tile.” Anna shared a story about a rather awkward experience with us, but it was very well written, nonetheless.
Travis “Mariah” – I read, but wished that Pat, Alex Colston, or Travis Cummings were reading instead.
Jimi – Her poem was titled “The Last Time I Read at Poetry Night, it got Me Pregnant.” She shared a poem about motherhood, or so it seemed. “Leaking love through tender tits.”
Meghan – She read some Haiku. “Haiku on a Racist
See you guys next week,
Travis "Mariah"
