Write a poem inspired by the unclaimed items at the lost and found.
Feature for February 29, 2012: Neiel Israel
Neiel Israel on the mic at our sister slam, the Lizard Lounge.
Neiel Israel, Boston native, is fresh to the art of slam. In less than a year’s time, this powerful, lyrical voice became both a member of the 2011 Lizard Lounge National Poetry Slam Team and representative for the Lizard Lounge at the 2012 Women of the World Poetry Slam. She is an artist, poet, expressionist, singer and playwright.
Doors for the show open at 7:15. The open mic begins at 8:00 and the feature performs at approximately 10:00. An open poetry slam in the 8×8 series will follow. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $3.
Cantab Recap for Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Cantabbers, is your heart broken? Does your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth when you try to string two metaphors together? Do you find that your inner monologue has taken on the rise and fall of a New York City barker selling incense on the streets of Ann Arbor? Well, you may be suffering from acute withdrawal from Angel Nafis, last night’s brilliant and engaging feature, who hung out and shot the snark with us for one mind-blowing night before heading to Oklahoma to begin her tour with the Dirt Choir.
Angel may be a tough show to follow, but if you stayed for the slam, you know the competition gave her a run for her money; with spring team qualifications inching closer, our open slams are getting hotter and hotter. Last night’s featured Maya Phillips pulling out a win in the final round against Sophia Holtz. Daaaayyyyyyyum.
Still waking up in the middle of the night craving good words? The only fix for what ails you is to come back next week! Our feature will be the Lizard Lounge’s famous Neiel Israel, and we’ll have another open poetry slam in the 8×8 series.
Feature for February 22, 2012: Angel Nafis
Brooklyn poet Angel Nafis.
Angel Nafis is an Ann Arbor, Michigan native, where she resided as the VOLUME youth poetry project’s Poet in Residence at the Neutral Zone Teen Center for two years. She represented Ann Arbor in the Brave New Voices festival two years in a row as a member of the Youth Slam Team, performing on the final stages at the San Francisco Opera House and the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Her work can be stumbled upon in FOUND Magazine’s Requiem for a Paper Bag, Decibels, GirlSpeak Webzine, The Bear Rivers Writing Conference Online Magazine, and Muzzle.
In 2011, she represented the LouderArts poetry project at both the Women of the World Poetry Slam and the National Poetry Slam. She is an Urban Word NYC Mentor. Her chapbook BlackGirl Mansion will be released through Red Beard Press in 2012. She currently curates and hosts a poetry reading series in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. She’s never leaving Brooklyn.
Doors for the show open at 7:15. The open mic begins at 8:00 and the feature performs at approximately 10:00. An open poetry slam in the 8×8 series will follow. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $3.
Cantab Recap for Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Meaghan Ford suggests there just might be some joy in sex. Who's arguing with this lady? Photo by Marshall Goff.
Folks, we have somehow survived another Erotic Poetry Night at the Cantab Lounge! It was another night of poets mixing the sensual with the slutty, subtlety with straight-up (or not) sex, and erotica with neurotica… Let’s just say we’re pretty sure Congress doesn’t have a panel to deal with ANY of the propositions we heard last night. Thanks to all our open mic readers, especially the first-timers who chose this particular night to finally give in and come down to the show!
Wow, even slam host Kevin Spak is disgusted with Adam Stone's haiku. Photo by Marshall Goff.
Thanks in no small part to producer Gary Hoare, as well as improvising haiku host Kevin Spak, the Head-to-Head Dirty Haiku Slam was a raging (not infection-like, more hurricane-like) success! An extremely competitive first round saw the elimination of local favorites Cassandra de Alba, and April Penn, as well as warmly-welcomed Worcester guest Jessica Lovina O’Neill. The controversial fourth elimination of the ribald and tipsy Jade Sylvan (at the hands of Patrick S.) actually forced a one-haiku death-match round in which Patrick cemented his win… Only to go down to Harlym125 in the next round of semis. After dirty girl Brandi MacDonald gave it up to Adam Stone in the second semi, it was 125 vs. Adam in the head-to-head.
Naturally, the best-of-seventeen final round came down to an eight-to-eight tie. Despite Adam’s apparent inability to count to seventeen, 125’s [unprintable]bubbles ultimately lost out to the nastiest possible senryu version of the Dozens. Congrats to Adam Stone on his win! –and an extra round of applause for Harlym125, who no doubt has a little brother or sister on the way.
Next week: we’re back with Angel Nafis, rising star who comes to us from Brooklyn, plus an open slam in the 8×8 series. In the meantime, please enjoy this lovely photo set from the evening, courtesy of Marshall Goff.
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- Flashback to EPN 2012: host Jamei Bauer has her erotic poetry listening face on. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Harlym125 inquires as to if Adam Stone has merely eaten a canary, as his face suggests, or something more appropriate to the evening. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Weekly reader Christopher Kane makes an appearance on the erotic open mic. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Adam Stone wants YOU to come to next year’s Erotic Poetry Night! Either that, or he’s pointing out something unsightly in your hair… Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Meaghan Ford suggests there just might be some joy in sex. Who’s arguing with this lady? Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- We don’t know if it’s poetry, but it happened at Erotic Poetry Night. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Cassandra de Alba tells it like it is in seventeen syllables at the Dirty Haiku Slam. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- The audience gets a nicely lit view of Harlym125’s now-infamous beard. Photo by Marshall Goff.
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- Wow, even slam host Kevin Spak is disgusted with Adam Stone’s haiku. Photo by Marshall Goff.
Feature for February 15, 2012: Erotic Poetry Night with Head-to-Head Dirty Haiku
The Boston Poetry Slam's annual Erotic Poetry Night presents the Head-to-Head Dirty Haiku Slam! Logo by Gary Hoare.
It’s the Wednesday closest to Valentine’s, which means it’s time for our annual Erotic Poetry Night! Poets are encouraged to bring original erotic poems, poems about sex, or poems about naughtiness in general. This year’s event will also feature the Boston Poetry Slam’s first-ever Head-to-Head Dirty Haiku Slam, produced by Gary Hoare: eight haikusters will slam off in pairs to see who can pack the most nasty possible into seventeen syllables. Sign-ups for the slam must be in advance, but the rest of the mic time is wide open to everyone. Is it hot in here, or is it just you?
Slammers have been confirmed! Audience can expect a wild selection of raunch and trouble from Patrick S., Jade Sylvan, Adam Stone, Cassandra de Alba, Harlym125, April Penn, Jessica Lovina O’Neill, and Brandi Macdonald.
Doors for the show open at 7:15. The erotic-themed open mic begins at 8:00, featuring head-to-head dirty haiku matches throughout the night. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $3.
Cantab Recap for Wednesday, February 8, 2012
After the finish of last week’s huge World Qualifier Slams, we knew we’d have to bring in a major player to keep the Cantab’s momentum going. No problem! First our open mic got a spotlight visit from Joe Brundidge, famed Neo-Soul slammer from Austin, Texas, who teased us first with haiku, then tenderized us with his heartfelt work. Our headliner, featured poet Sierra DeMulder, finished the job like the two-time national champ and double-published author that she is; her newest book is available online at WriteBloody.com. Finally, a big slam finished up the night, with Ed Wilkinson surviving a semi-final round tie-breaker to ultimately take the win over Michael Monroe.
Next week: it’s finally time for our long-awaited Erotic Poetry Night! This year’s show will feature an extended (heh heh) open mic, as well as our first-ever Head-to-Head Dirty Haiku Slam, produced by Gary Hoare. Our eight slammers have been confirmed, and they are ready to horrify and delight: Patrick S., Jade Sylvan, Adam Stone, Cassandra de Alba, Harlym125, April Penn, Jessica Lovina O’Neill, and Brandi Macdonald. This night will sell out, so arrive early if you want an open mic spot or a seat, and be prepared to wait in line to enter.
Boston Poetry Slam Online