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Michael: It was another rowdy Wednesday at the Cantab this past week! On the open mic, TJ Jones read a POV-shifting / stop-starting correspondence poem that was dedicated to (2025 slam finalist) Logan Lopez. Cameron and Jack Chasse surprised with a wholesome (not a bad word!) group piece that highlighted both their musical/rhyming abilities as well as celebrating friendship. This recapper also immediately got a text from Amy Argentar (more on Amy’s poems later!) saying that the group piece was like the “the first person who invented peanut butter and jelly because at first you’re like ‘what?’ and then you’re like ‘oh OF COURSE’.” Also, shoutout to open mic-er Kyle who faked everyone out with their intro, “This is my first time….adjusting the mic.”
We couldn’t have a Valentine’s show recap without mentioning Kai’s beautiful haiku swap goodie bags that they made for everyone! Hope you all enjoy your Kai-kus. And now, here’s tournament director Zeke Russell with all the info on the big SLAM!
Zeke: Hey there Cantabbers. Here’s your recap for the 2nd of two preliminary bouts in the 2025 BPS team selection tournament.
We had two blistering sacs kick off our night:
· Alex brought us a tale of retail therapy, mania and self-awareness. The score was a 25.9.
· Cameron destroyed the fabric of reality with a poem ostensibly about shoplifting and punishment which used the phrase “Ripe Tush” to incredible effect. It earned a 26.4 from the judges.
· Aparna Paul led off the slam proper with a Cantab Classic about family, identity and truth. The judges were starting to warm up a little and gave it a 28.5.
· Amy followed with a discussion of the body and the concept of fullness. The judges handed out another 28.5 for Amy.
· Brynna broke open the scores with a poem about whiteness, objectification and the Minnesota Freedom Fund. It earned a total score of 29.4.
· Next up was Otto with an examination of what it is to be an educator in modern America. It earned a 27.6.
· Katya followed up with an impassioned piece about grief and loss. The judges awarded a 27.3.
· Ilse told us about the relationship between time and love which earned the first 10 of the night and a sky high 29.5.
· Myles Taylor slowed down the tempo with a poem about queer identity and survival getting a 28.8 from the judges.
· Rene brought the audience some skilled wordplay and a poem about mortality and grief. The judges responded with a 27.3.
· Isaiah closed out the first round with a meditation on the act of voting, safety and the perennial TV favorite, Survivor. The judges seemed to be Love Is Blind fans and gave it a 27.3
Our host Zee rolled right into round 2!
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- Only separated from their round 1 performance by 2 poets, Myles told us about surviving capitalism as a working person and the perils of the bird flu.
- The judges gave the poem a 28.2. Amy’s second poem explored the nature and shape of both bodies and pain. The score was a 29.1
- Aparna’s final poem of the bout was a complicated form poem about place, humanity and rivers. The triple threat earned a 28.2.
- Otto returned to the stage with a piece about what it is to remember and forget. The judges forgot about high scores and gave it a 26.2, a score this writer felt did not reflect the poem.
- Katya took the patriarchy and the academy to task with a complex alliterative work that…after a one point time penalty…*shakes fist at linear time* scored a 26.9.
- Brynna’s encore of the night was a meticulously constructed piece about identity and flight. It scored a 28.8.
- Rene’s second poem about mortality and dreams earned the poet a 27.5.
- Next up was Isaiah who returned to Jeff Prost’s magnum opus to tell us about the nature of survival itself. The judges scored that poem a 28.5.
- Ilse closed out the show with a poem about family, queerness and self. The room and the judges were blown away. No need for math on this one as the poem got tens across the board for the rarely seen perfect 30 (really a 50 but who’s counting.)
After the smoke cleared the standings were (finalists in bold, runner up in italics invited to be the sacrificial poet for finals):
Ilse 59.5
Brynna 58.3
Amy 57.6
Myles 57.1
Aparna 56.7
Isaiah 55.6
Rene 54.8
Katya 54.0
Otto 53.9
Michael: This week, our feature is veteran Cantab/Slam Free or Die poet Mckendy Fils-Aimé! Mckendy is a New England based Haitian American poet, organizer, and educator. He has received fellowships from the Callaloo Writers Workshop, Cave Canem, The Watering Hole, and Periplus. Over the span of nearly two decades, Mckendy has competed in several regional and national poetry slams, often representing New England. Recently, Mckendy ranked 2nd overall at the 2024 Midwest Mashup Poetry Slam, 3rd at the 2024 NorthBeast Regional Poetry Slam, and 1st at the 2024 Vox Pop Regional Poetry Slam. Mckendy’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Adroit, American Literary Review, Bellingham Review, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. His debut poetry collection will be published by YesYes Books in 2026.
See ya!
– MFG🚪& Zeke ⚾
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