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MUSELETTER #22

3/12/2000

Greetings & spring felicitations to you all,

This week's Museletter brings your regular reports from our Texas correspondent, Stazja McFadyen, & our New York Muselettrist, Cristin Aptowicz, plus a calendar update from Shann Palmer in Virginia.

Margy Snyder & Bob Holman
Your About.com Poetry Guides

POETRY IS EVERYWHERE AT ABOUT.COM

Are you planning a wedding & looking for the right poem to use, for the wedding vows or a toast or a blessing? You'll want to read through About.com Weddings Guide Rachel Sanfordlyn Schreckengast's collections:


AUSTIN/TEXAS
South By Southwest
Spring break in Austin, 50,000 university students evacuate to exotic vacation spots making room, but not enough parking space, for the 900 bands performing at South By Southwest next week. That's how Austin came to be called the live music capital of the world. Give yourself a V8® smack on the forehead. But it isn't just about the music and film festivals, or the interactive conference. I'm here to tell you about SXSW Spoken Word at Ruta Maya Coffee House. And it won't cost an armband and a leg to attend.
SXSW Spoken Word coordinator Mike Henry has put together a program featuring some of the finest spoken word artists this side of the National Poetry Slam. Kicking off is fuzzy doodah from Los Angeles, 7 pm Thursday, March 16. (See Spotlight on Fuzzy Doodah, below.) Following fuzzy doodah are Mike Henry, SXSW Poetry Slam, Matthew John Conley from Minneapolis, San Francisco Diva Daphne Gottlieb, and San Antonio's Puro Slam Showcase.
Fresh from his nuptials, Phil West will host a cavalcade of spoken word luminaries: Roger Bonair-Agard, the 1999 individual National Poetry Slam champ, Big Poppa E of the #1 NPS Team San Francisco, San Fran Diva Daphne Gottlieb, Museletter correspondent Gary Mex Glazner, Danny Solis from Albuquerque, Jason Carney and Clebo Rainey from Dallas and, like the energizer bunny, the list goes on and on. You'll have to see the whole wondrous schedule at the Austin Poetry Slam Web site to believe it.
Spotlight on fuzzy doodah
“fuzzy doodah is poetry blown off its pedestal. It's the shotgun marriage of music and spoken word, producing a new breed of expression.” But it's mostly Rich Ferguson. Half a dozen or so of Ferguson's “tiny movies for your ears” are captured on Sugar Fix Recordings release, World Without Dogs. Through wordplay virtuosity, a sharp, comic perspective and a musical ear, fuzzy doodah paints vignettes populated with disenfranchised losers, overly passionate lovers, and natural born killers.
About.com's Poetry Guide, po business guru Bob Holman writes “High drama and oblique poetry, wicked wacked humor and punk B bloody guns'n'mirrors--for a sweet-voiced poet, Rich Ferguson certainly gives lots of angle.” Catch fuzzy doodah's Rich Ferguson in Texas this week on:
  • Tuesday, March 14th, 7 pm at the gathering of Sun Poets Society in San Antonio. (For location or more info, email Rod Stryker.
  • Thursday, March 16th, 7 pm at SXSW, Ruta Maya Coffee House, 218 W. 4th, Austin.
  • Friday, March 17th, 8 pm at Barnes & Noble, Sunset Valley, 5601 Brodie Lane, Austin. (For more info, call the store at 512-892-3493 or email Ronnie Wright, Community Relations Manager.)
Sun Poets Take a Hike
While the Sun Poets Society Tuesday night reading series is on the move, the Sun Poets Society is taking a literal hike. The monthly Writers Take a Hike is scheduled for Saturday, March 11, at Friedrich Park, just northwest of San Antonio off Interstate 10. I don't know about the rest of you kids, but these thighs could use a good walk away from the computer screen now and then.
Sun Poets Literate Lizard workshops continue each Thursday. And the Sun Poet's Society Open-Mic Poetry Reading series has a new venue: Barnes & Noble, 321 N.W. Loop 410 (across from North Star Mall) off San Pedro Rd., Tuesdays, 7 pm to 9 pm. Please come by this Tuesday as we feature 2 out-of-town poets: Kenn Rodriguez and Fuzzy Doodah with an open-mic session preceeding these exceptional poets. Help support the arriving poets. Event is free. Afterward, please attend puro SLAM for more spoken word at El Toro, 3000 N. St. Mary's, San Antonio!
Sun Poet's Society
10362 Sahara Dr. #2203
San Antonio, Texas 78216
(210) 349-8216
email: sunpoets@hotmail.com
Marc (So What?) Smith comes to Conroe (Where?) Texas
Transplants from New York, Stan and Carol Schneider live in Conroe, Texas, somewhere outside Houston. Until Carol and Stan vacationed in Arkansas and happened upon a slam, folks in Conroe hadn't heard of slam, and, well, slam hadn't heard of Conroe. “Right away, I was hooked,” said Carol.
Last year, the couple put together the first Bluebonnet Poetry Slam in Conroe, emcee'd by Arkansas Grand Slammaster Bud Kenny. Offering cash prizes to the top five winners ($1000 for first place), they filled the bill with seasoned slammers and newcomer hopefuls. Austin poets Patrick Whorton and Karyna McGlynn brought home first and second prizes respectively.
The Second Annual Bluebonnet Slam will be emcee'd by none other than Marc (So What?) Smith, the man who started it all at the Green Mill in Chicago, back when “slam” was just another four letter word. April 1, beginning at 7 pm at T.J. Country, League Line Road and Old Hwy 75. Yes, you read that correctly. If you have the $30 registration fee and want to go up against the likes of Clebo Rainey (Dallas), Karyna McGlynn (Austin), Agnes Meadows (London), Tim Gibbard (Bristol), Al Letson (Orange Grove, Florida), Murph from New Mexico, cowboy poet Kenny Lewis and local Burke Crawford (US Army, retired), Carol says she still has two spots open. Call her at (936) 447-4223; e mail sschneid@txucom.net or sschneid@lcc.net.
General admission is $10. You say you live in the Conroe 'burbs and still don't get this whole “slam” thing? Grab a package of chew, sit a spell and learn all about it at Slampapi's home page.
Attic Magazine Debut
Attic Magazine made its debut March 1. Originating from Oklahoma City, the new literary magazine contains an eclectic collection of poetry, fiction, and artwork from around the world. The premiere issue offers a contest with $50 first prize, a photograph by Guy Jean Genevier, Paris, France, and selections by spotlight poet Steve Hay. His “Regaining Stoic” begins:
Hemingway would have shaken his head at me
when stoicism leaked out my eye.
I have gotten a little soft
writing all this fey verse.
I need to go hunting, or something.
       © Steve Hay
Attic Magazine is available both in print and via the Web. For more information email editor@attic-magazine.com or visit the Web site.
Xenogia Cometh - March 10
“Xenogia Cometh and she brings with her the Sun Surface tongues of her lovely children.”
--Jeffery Johnson aka Da'Shade Moonbeam
For a year and a half, Ebony Sun Java House, 1209 East 11th Street, was heart and soul of poetry on Austin's East Side. Home to Edward Powell's Po-Jazz readings, Marla Fulgham's monthly Midnight Love, and my own East Side Black and White poets, we smoked, we soared, we sang words into brother and sisterhood. Although the name is gone, the space reopens as Xenogia on Friday, March 10, hosted by Da'Shade Moonbeam.
Da'Shade writes: “Xenogia will be the home of many diverse art forms, not only the art of spoken word poetry. We hope to expand the space and build a new stage. That way we'll have more space for events such as plays, and dance theatre. After SXSW, Xenogia will be open Friday, Saturday, and possibly Monday nights for a couple of hours. We've been working hard to give what society calls its outcasts, its weird and strange folk, a place to go. Like it or not all artists are unique. And now artists will have a place. Xenogia.”
Da'Shade adds, “We need to raise a truckload of donations.” There are renovations, and bills, of course. Donations are always welcomed. For more information about Xenogia, contact dashademoonbeam@hotmail.com.
Lined up to feature at Xenogia later this month is Kwame Alexander, from Washington, D.C. Poet, stage director, producer, editor and publisher, Kwame studied for three years under the renowned poet Nikki Giovanni. He is CEO of BlackWords, Inc.. Kwame was just in town as a featured guest at Salute to African American Writers and is coming back March 25 to conduct “Dialog with a Publisher” for those interested in publishing their works. The cost of the 3 hour session (from 9 am -12 pm) will be $15 for Austin Writers' League members, $20 for nonmembers. Continental breakfast and refreshments will be offered. For more information, contact Shia Barnett at (512) 797-0150, message at (512) 797-0150 for details.
Austin International Poetry Festival
AIPF Chairman Frank Pool opened his home to the guests, volunteers, supporters and visiting poets who came last Sunday to the AIPF fundraiser. An abundance of eats and $800 donation from an anonymous benefactor started the benefit off quite nicely, thanks. The featured guest was 13-year-old Marshall Stewart Ball, whose Kiss of God collection has become a best-seller. From the Austin American-Statesman review, September 26, 1999: “The Miracle of Marshall -- Meet the little boy with a boundless mind that can't be imprisoned by his broken body. He's changed his loved ones forever, and now he has written a book that just might change you, too.” AIPF board members Frank Pool, Dr. Byron Kocen and Peggy Lynch read selections from Kiss of God. During the auction, Marshall's mom Troy, Aunt Cyndie, and Grand Ma made generous bids on art works. An open reading followed, with samplings by poets from Austin, Arlington, Mansfield, Houston and San Antonio.
Austin International Poetry Festival 2000 will open with the Di-verse-city 2000 anthology release on Thursday, April 13 at five major bookstores throughout Austin. The festival will run through Sunday, April 16. The list of 250 registered poets from six countries and nineteen states is posted at the AIPF Web site. Complete schedule will be posted later this month.
John Sinclair Fire Fund Report
Mardi Gras. My thoughts turn to New Orleans, and John Sinclair. Former Professor of Blues History at Wayne State University in Detroit, John is a poet, performer, music journalist, award-winning radio programmer, record producer, ex-manager of MC-5, and ex-chairman of the White Panther Party. He now lives in New Orleans, and hosts New Orleans Music Show on WWOZ 90.7 FM, a listener-supported, volunteer-operated radio station.
Our mutual friend Mada Plummer calls him “Big John.” He made his first trip to Austin last year during SXSW, as a panelist discussing MC-5. Mada asked if I could extend him some Austin hospitality. At the time, I was hosting East Side Black and White Poets at Ebony Sun Java House. I promptly booked John as the March feature. He wove magic with his words, performing a sacred piece about the legend of the White Buffalo, and inspired my “First Poem on Native Americans, After Listening to John Sinclair, Who Did Prison Time For Conspiracy to Destroy Federal Property.”
After the reading, I took John to KUT-FM for a late night interview with Larry Monroe. On the air that night, Monroe and Sinclair reminisced. They went way back; Monroe hired Big John for his first DJ gig in Detroit, in the '60's. They had much to talk about, including the night Sinclair was released from prison. Sinclair always maintained that he did not participate in the bombing of a CIA recruiting office at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. After serving two years Sinclair was released, partially due to the intervention of John Lennon, who composed and recorded the song, “John Sinclair.” Monroe was there when Sinclair came home in 1972. An archivist/musicologist, Monroe taped an elated phone conversation between John Sinclair and John and Yoko Ono, which he aired over the KUT-FM airwaves.
Early this year, the Sinclairs' home in New Orleans was destroyed in a fire. Although the family was away, they lost nearly everything. With the indulgence of our poet-guides, I'm submitting John's “Sinclair Fire Fund Report” for posting at About.com Poetry.

--Stazja McFadyen

NEW YORK/NORTHEAST
Poetry/Pioneer
Always ready lending hands (and never one to miss a party), New York poets lent their poetic voices to help celebrate the opening of the Pioneer Theatre on the Lower East Side. Sprinkled throughout the first week of March, spoken word legends Bob Holman, Maggie Estep, Mike Ladd, John S. Hall and Beau Sia joined local poetry heros Laurel Barclay, Amanda Nazario, Sage Francis, Patrick Anderson (who performed three songs with Beau Sia as the newly-formed rap group LeCool), Yolanda Wilkinson and myself, among others, to help raise money and attention for this new theatre. The Pioneer Theatre (3rd Street and Avenue A) is dedicated to showcasing truly independent films.
True West
Thanks to the poetry-friendly climate on both sides of the country, New York has had a sudden influx of West Coast poets to our area, with more lined up before summer. In recent weeks, we have seen San Francisco's Seeking, Venice Beach's Derrick Brown, Los Angeles' Ellyn Maybe and Canada's Miranda July. All the poets have been met with tremendous adoration and sizeable crowds. After awing crowds with her amazing poetry and humble stage presence at not one, but two local hotspots (Urbana and Bar 13) for two consecutive nights, Ellyn Maybe has actually been credited with bringing about an early spring; groundhogs bedamned! Later this spring, New York will see Los Angeles' Jeff McDaniel and June Melby, San Francisco's Eitan Kadosh, as well as the return of Ellyn Maybe. And hopefully, we pale, malnourished East Coasters can return the favor sometime.
The Wildest Parties in Town
Joseph Moncure March probably thought he lucked out when Art Spiegelman discovered his The Wild Party in the poetry section of an old bookstore. Spiegelman was so taken by the novel-length poem (“a hard-boiled, jazz-age tragedy,” in Spiegelman's words) that he illustrated the poem himself and released the book to critical acclaim. The Wild Party, which was written during the Prohibition, was created to be a cautionary tale. Instead, however, the bebop black comedy (which tells the tale of the tumultuous party hosted by Blonde, a gorgeous, sexual, ambitious vaudeville dancer, and her violent beau, Burrs, which by the end froths up to become an out-and-out orgy) has become a cult classic. The Spiegelman rerelease was all it took for the poem to garner attention from people other than just poets. Hence the opening here in New York of two different full-length musicals based on the poem: one at the prestigious Manhattan Theatre Company and the other at the legendary Public Theatre (the breeding ground of A Chorus Line). Although this poet/playwright has yet to see the Manhattan Theatre Company's version (The Public will open next month), rest assured, I will and report back to you right here. But until then, read the book: in words of March's immortal Blondie, it's “slick as hell.”
Slammers of the East Unite. . . and Fight!
Unable to wait for the National Poetry Slam this August in Providence, East Coast slam contingents are starting the fighting earlier. Recently the Little Bit Louder reading series at Bar 13 held an exhibition slam as the home team, the LoudPoets, battled against the Brooklyn Moon Cafe. Hosted by Frank Rempe (who performed his duty in full Dr. Evil), the slam was the first of its kind in the season, but not the last by a long shot. Two more multi-group slams are planned in the future: the Poetry Olympics on May 20th (which will feature not only a mock Regional Slam Competition, but also a Teen Slam and Intercollegiate Slam) and the Bout in Providence on March 23rd, where Team Providence will try to defend its honor against Team Union Square and Team Manhattan. While Team Union Square placed 2nd (or 3rd, depending on how you count the 1st place tie) in this year's National Poetry Slam (the 10th Annual held in Chicago), Providence and Manhattan can gloat about their capturing of the national title, in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Only time will tell who will be the winner, although in this writer's unbiased opinion (cough, cough): Team Manhattan forever, baby!
Chatbook Frenzy
The chatbook (or chapbook, in some circles) has always been an up-and-coming poet's best friend. Cheap to make and easy to sell, these slim volumes of early work are the demo tapes of the poetry world. Though always popular, a recent vogue of chatbooks has passed through New York City in the last year. Since last spring, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, Noel Jones, Staceyann Chin, Morris Kurzman, Jonathan Reeve and Roger Bonair-Agard among others have released individual chatbooks, while others chatbook en masse (as 13 Poems, the chatbook from the Little Bit Louda reading series, proves). “I think chatbooks are great,” said Morris “Stegosaurus” Kurzman, whose recent chatbook Everything I Do, I Do for Love is on sale at any of the many NYC readings you can track Morris down at. “Chatbooks not only give you a product to sell, but help put those poems in the past, and free you up to write more new poems.” I have to agree, having just finished my second chatbook, DEAR FUTURE BOYFRIEND (this is what I sound like) this past month. If you have a lot of poems lying around, check out the About.com site and try a hand at it yourself, and don't forget to send me one.
Time for me to enjoy spring the best way I know how: propped up in the sun with a book. My personal spring poetry reading list includes the previously raved-about The Wild Party (I could reread it every day and it would still be fabulous), Edward Snow's revelatory new translation of Rilke's Duino Elegies, Denise Duhamel's Star-Spangled Banner and a pile of new chatbooks. Spring is the air, but don't neglect all the gorgeous poetry just waiting to be read.

Keep writing and keep reading!

--Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

VIRGINIA/DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Baltimore Business
Slamicide! #4 Every Monday night at Paloma's ~ 15 W. Eager St.~ Baltimore, MD ~ 410.783.9004 for directions ~ drink specials: 2 for 1 drinks before 8 pm ~ great menu ~ open mic ~ national and local features ~ slam sign-ups begin at 7 pm, 7:30 pm open mic ~ cash prizes for 1st and 2nd place slam winners ~ $5 cover ~ Your hosts: Baltimore Slammaster Nicki Miller and MC Toby DeBarr
  • Monday, March 13 Feature Poets: Kim Holzer Leeds/Richmond & Derrick Chase/Baltimore
Coming attractions at Paloma's:
  • March 20: Da Boogieman/Cleveland & Gerrin Liles/Baltimore
  • March 27: Talaam Acey & Faraji Salim/NYC
  • April 3: Eitan Kadosh/San Francisco & Bashi/Baltimore
  • April 10: TBA
  • April 17: Ray Campbell/VA
  • April 24: Demetrius Tha Poet/Trenton & Ragin'/Baltimore
Charlottesville, Virginia
The 2nd Wednesday of every month at the MudHouse on the downtown mall there is something called Chill-Tonic at 8 pm. It's an open mic and some local musicians provide background to reading. They are great at doing it on the fly. A place near UVA called Expresso Corner has open mics every Thursday (when UVA is in session). Report from Clark New -- thanks!
New in Richmond, Virginia
You got something to say?? Ashland Coffee and Tea is welcoming poets to open mike readings 2nd and 4th Sundays from 2:30 to 5:00 pm. It's located in the center of Ashland just north of Richmond off I-95. Take Ashland Exit West and stay on Route 54 into town. AC&T is located right at the railroad tracks on the right -- you'll see the big sign.
Two weeks ago, we had 12 eager readers, and that was with only email publicity and a photocopied sign on the door. This promises to be a wonderful place to read, with good coffee, sandwiches, and home-made desserts. All that and poetry too!! March 12, March 26, April 9 and April 30 (the fourth Sunday falls on Easter, so we will move our event to the 5th Sunday for this month only). As spring progresses, we will be scheduling special events on Monday or Tuesday nights, with special guests. Pencilled in on the calendar are Larry Jaffe and Georgia Popoff in June. Stay tuned for future announcements.
The Monthly Muse, which was formerly held in living rooms and other spaces will be joining the group at Ashland on Sundays at AC&T. For information contact: Margaret in Richmond, VA: 804-354-8298 or lerkem@erols.com. Anyone is invited to share aloud their celebrations of words in poetry, short prose and/or song. It is a comfortable, intimate, nonjudgmental muse environment. Please call 804-354-8298 for directions and further information.
Museums and Universities
  • Mar 17, 5:30 pm
    The Moveable Feast, featuring Cheryl Ball (poetry) and Capote Fellow Lee Hart (fiction), 1708 Gallery, Richmond
  • Mar 21, 6 pm
    Poetic Principles, featuring David St. John and Molly Bendall, admission $3 for museum members, $5 others, VA Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium
  • Mar 27, 6 pm
    Poetic Principles, featuring John Ashbery, admission $3 for museum members, $5 others, VA Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium

--Shann Palmer

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