Running a slam in Boston has always meant a lot of transition for the Cantab; poets come to the city for two, or four, or five years, make their mark on the community, and then depart for the next phase of their lives. It can be easy to focus most on the voices we miss, and the new voices we hope to make their mark… But there are plenty of folks whose constant presence help bolter our reading and make the greater community what it is. One of those NorthBEAST favorites featured for us last night: Slam Free or Die native and two-time Boston Poetry Slam Team member Mckendy Fils-Aimé. True to form, Mckendy showed off his performance chops and his famed penchant for short and formal work, reading from a so-limited-it’s-already-gone chapbook he produced just for this show. Best of all, you can catch Mckendy at our show on the open mic in coming weeks, as well as weekly at the Manchester slam, where he hosts, books, and runs a Saturday workshop at UNH. Lucky us!
Trying their luck in the slam after Mckendy’s feature were six poets, all hot for the ten-dollar prize and a shot at the upcoming Champion of Champions slam at the end of October. A hotly contested finals came down to Lesley poet Maps for Teeth editor Jess Riz versus another of New Hampshire’s vital organizer poets, Emily Eastman! Emily took the win and the super-lucrative cash prize, and earns a welcome back later in the fall.
Next week: World Qualifier Champion and Individual World Poetry Slam rep for the BPS Sean Patrick Mulroy will be our feature. Sean’s got extra time to stretch out an extended feature, so there’s no slam; cover charge will be $5 to help send Sean to Phoenix for the October 8 IWPS comp, plus you might want to pack a few extra bucks to pick up his newest chapbook. See you there!
Boston Poetry Slam Online