Here in Worcester, we're undergoing a renaissance in the performance poetry/spoken word scene. On Sunday, Sept. 20, we're supporting that renaissance with two big events: the launch of a compilation CD of the current scene, and the formal launch of a central Web presence for it all.

This announcement (more or less) will be appearing on the Poets' Asylum Website on Sunday, courtesy of the tireless Bob Gill and the efforts of many many others:

"Worcester currently supports four weekly poetry readings, a monthly storytellers gathering, adult & youth slam teams and more. The performance poetry venues in Worcester have formed a collective to celebrate that diversity and help foster cooperation in spreading the word about words.

This weekend the Collective will be distributing a Spoken Word CD at stART on the Street 2009:

http://www.startonthestreet.org .

The CD includes some of the best performance poetry to be found at the local poetry venues.

We've also put together a website to collect basic info about the performance poetry venues in the CD. Think of it as a starting point to explore the wealth of words waiting to be heard.

Please check it out at:

http://poetsasylum.org/collective.

We hope to see you soon."

I won't personally be around this weekend; other things call. But you should be out there, checking us out this weekend and throughout the coming weeks.

And PS: the CD is DOPE...performances from Alex Charalambides, Duende, Bill MacMillan, Sou MacMillan, Dave MacPherson, Mike McGee, Ryk McIntyre, and many many others with no "Mac" or "Mc" in their names. ;-) It's a vital and well-done scene document. Hit the stART on the Street Festival on Sunday to get one of the thousand free copies we'll be distributing there...and keep your eyes peeled for more. It's an exciting time.

"A Letter From Philadelphia" , and "Unfinished Business."

Last post on every individual poem I post there.  From now on, I'll do them in batches till the site gets its own following without my constant plugging...and then, it'll be only as I'm particularly proud of them.  

In other words, you can stop rolling your eyes now.  ;-)

And a response, of sorts, to Victor's eminently sensible and mostly true post:

The one thing I feel about it all is this:  that when slam began to take itself seriously as a legitimate competition and when careers could be built almost solely through slam, we lost something: a major incentive within the system to take risks and to play.

Not across the board, and not everyone.  But I do think that's true.  And while I get it, and understand it, and realize that if you're looking for a careers there's a major incentive to do what works, I too often miss that anarchy.  I think it's a lot harder to generate it now, and it's too bad, because it was a great playground.  It still is for a lot of people, I know.  But it feels so...safe, now.  I miss the danger.

Have at it.  I won't be responding to anything here.  How I feel is how I feel.  It is what it is.

-- No cell at the moment.  Hit me through the Interwebz if you need me.  Will be heading to the store later today to find out what's up with the mofo.

-- New poem, "So You Think You Can Dance," up here.  Slammiest thing I've written in eons.   I blame pop culture.  All of it!  But there are far less slammy things on that blog too, if it's not your taste. 

-- Remember that tomorrow night at midnight (after Saturday is done, for you literalists out there) this journal becomes friends' only.  Last chance.

-- See you later...

Received this in my spam box this AM:

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SPECIAL INFORMATION:YOU WILL SEND THE FEE FOR THE HARD DISK FIRST BEFORE I MAKE YOUR TRANSFER.DONT CONTACT ME IF YOU CAN NOT SEND THE HARD DISK FEE FIRST.AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE DISK WILL COST YOU.

Do get in touch with me immediately.


Regards,
 Jane James.
Computer Scientist

Koko Taylor has passed...

and now who's got the blues?