Cantab Recap for Wednesday, April 10, 2019

National Poetry Month rolls on, poets: we had a rare and exciting four-part show this past week, beginning with a genuinely joyful generative workshop with Siaara Freeman and finishing up with the much-anticipated Last Chance Slam: in between, of course, holding our weekly open mic and getting into a full set from headliner Siaara. We were very lucky to get a set from this only-gently-touring poet, who drove our workshoppers to stay in their joy for an hour before the show and pinned the rest of the audience to their seats with her own, shared, for the half hour of her set. Thanks especially to our audience who bought Siaara clear outta books: if you didn’t get enough (we know you you didn’t get enough), you will definitely want to watch for her full-length work, Raised by the Dead forthcoming this fall from Honeysuckle Books.

We finished our heckuva night with a seven-poet slam, modeled after Prelims but with just one winner qualifying to advance to Semi-Finals on April 24! After two rounds of lightning-quick poems, Ilyus Evander stood as the top scorer, with Yehya and Dahlia tying for second and Cali Stenson placing just behind. Congrats to Ilyus, who is invited to enter our semi-final series in just under two weeks.

Next Wednesday: it’s a party! It’s a book! It’s a book release party! We are honored and pleased and in fact hella thrilled to be hosting a release event for Brandon Melendez’s full length release, Gold That Frames the Mirror from Write Bloody. Come sing along and show your joy for this Boston Poetry Slam Team member, House Slam Team member, Emersonian coach and beloved part of the community.