This is the official blog of Northern Arizona slam poet Christopher Fox Graham. Begun in 2002, and transferred to blogspot in 2006, FoxTheBlog has recorded more than 670,000 hits since 2009. This blog cover's Graham's poetry, the Arizona poetry slam community and offers tips for slam poets from sources around the Internet. Read CFG's full biography here. Looking for just that one poem? You know the one ... click here to find it.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

The 2013 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam is coming Saturday, June 1

The 2013 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam is coming Saturday, June 1

The biggest, most energetic poetry event to hit Northern Arizona is coming to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 1: the 2013 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam.



The top 12 slam poets from Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff and Phoenix will compete in three rounds in front five judges randomly selected from the audience who assign numerical value to individual performances.

At the end of the night, the top four poets will represent Sedona at the weeklong National Poetry Slam in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., in August. There, Sedona’s four representatives and an alternate will compete against more than 350 of the best performance poets from the United States and Canada. At nationals, poets perform both individual and group poems, creating complex, dynamic performances.
Sedona sent its first slam team to the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., last year.

For the last eight months, poets from all over Arizona have been competing in Sedona, earning points for the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam. Only the top 12 of the nearly 50 competitors made the cut for this invitation-only contest.

Poetry slam is unlike any other poetry event you’ve ever seen. Slam poetry isn’t confusing, enigmatic and esoteric like in a college literature class with rhyme and meter, but an energetic blend of spoken word, theater and performance art.

In each three-minute performance of their original work, poets aim to make audiences laugh, cheer, cry or get chills down their spines. The performers are not permitted to use props, costumes or musical accompaniment, relying instead on their own words and inflections.

Poems range from explosively humorous to deeply personal to wryly political, with styles from hip-hop to narrative storytelling. All types of poetry are welcome. Audience reaction is just as important to a high score as the poetry itself, so the crowd is encouraged to not remain silent, but cheer, boo and engage with the poets’ on stage.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam competitors:
• Joshua Wiss’ infectious enthusiasm for life is evident in his energetic performances. A graduate of Northern Arizona University with a degree in creative writing, Wiss was a member of the 2012 Sedona National Poetry Slam Team, performed at every Sedona Poetry Slam this season and is currently ranked No. 1.

• Ryan Brown is the former slammaster of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam and a member of the 2009 team which advanced the NPS semi-finals. Brown was member of the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 national teams before earning degree in English from NAU in 2012.

• Evan Dissinger is one of the preeminent voices in the Flagstaff poetry scene and a member of the 2012 Sedona team. A skateboard rat in Sedona and Flagstaff, Dissinger is one of the most sincere poets in Arizona with a knack for making conventional experiences sublime.

• A poet’s poet, Frank O’Brien writes with a profound simplicity. O’Brien won the 2008 and 2009 Flagstaff Grand Slams, and competed for Flagstaff at three national poetry slams from 2008 to 2010 and for Sedona in 2012.

• A film student at NAU, Josh Floyd is a passionate performer making his first play for the Sedona slam team.

• Tyler Sirvinskas, aka Valence, was a member of the 2011 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam team and Grand Slam Champion of the 2012 Sedona Slam Team.

• Ashley Swazey is a photographer and poet with a background as a speech and debate competitor and coach at a Glendale Community College.

• Author and poet Gary Every is one of Sedona’s most prolific writers, who has published more than 1,000 poems, short stories and articles in newspapers, journals, anthologies and six of his own books.

• Taylor Hayes is a mathematician and poet whose scientific mind finds unique ways to express scientific and social truisms the through artistic medium of poetry.

• Verbal Kensington is the founder and creative director of Necessary Poetry, a poetry collective based in Flagstaff.

• Nodalone, aka Shaun Srivastava, is a two-time member of the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team who currently competes in the Las Vegas poetry slam scene.

• The Klute, aka Bernard Schober, competed at the National Poetry Slam six times, for the Mesa Slam Team in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, and the Phoenix Slam Slam Team in 2008 and 2009, 2010 and 2012. He has led two of those teams to the NPS semi-final stage, ranking him among the best of the best nationwide. He was also the Mesa Grand Slam champion in 2005 and 2010.

• Three poets from the Phoenix slam scene – Lauren Perry, Jeremiah Blue and Joy Young – are also eligible for the Sedona Slam Team, pending the results of the Phoenix Grand Slam later in May.

Audience members are encouraged to support their favorite poets from over the season.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam will be hosted by Sedona poet and slammaster Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team at six National Poetry Slams between 2001 and 2012 and recently won the 2013 Flagstaff Grand Slam.

The opening calibration poems will be performed members of the Flagstaff and Phoenix National Poetry Slam teams.

For more information about the slam, contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com.

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, a former construction worker, poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe.

Tickets are $15, available online at studiolivesedona.com. Proceeds help fund the team’s trip to Boston. Additional donations will gladly be accepted.

The 2013 slam season and the grand slam is cosponsored by the Sedona Performing Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, near Coffee Pot Drive in West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688. For videos from past slams and updates about the grand slam, visit foxthepoet.blogspot.com.


Hosted by Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on six FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012

Monday, May 20, 2013

Buy your tickets now for the Sedona Grand Slam

The biggest, most energetic poetry event to hit Northern Arizona is coming to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 1: the 2013 Sedona Poetry Grand Slam.



The top 12 slam poets from Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff and Phoenix will compete in three rounds in front five judges randomly selected from the audience who assign numerical value to individual performances.

At the end of the night, the top four poets will represent Sedona at the weeklong National Poetry Slam in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., in August. There, Sedona’s four representatives and an alternate will compete against more than 350 of the best performance poets from the United States and Canada. At nationals, poets perform both individual and group poems, creating complex, dynamic performances.
Sedona sent its first slam team to the National Poetry Slam in Charlotte, N.C., last year.

For the last sixth months, poets from all over Arizona have been competing in Sedona, earning points for the Sedona Poetry Grand Slam. Only the top 12 of the nearly 50 competitors made the cut for this invitation-only contest.

Poetry slam is unlike any other poetry event you’ve ever seen. Slam poetry isn’t confusing, enigmatic and esoteric like in a college literature class with rhyme and meter, but an energetic blend of spoken word, theater and performance art.

In each three-minute performance of their original work, poets aim to make audiences laugh, cheer, cry or get chills down their spines. The performers are not permitted to use props, costumes or musical accompaniment, relying instead on their own words and inflections.

Poems range from explosively humorous to deeply personal to wryly political, with styles from hip-hop to narrative storytelling. All types of poetry are welcome. Audience reaction is just as important to a high score as the poetry itself, so the crowd is encouraged to not remain silent, but cheer, boo and engage with the poets’ on stage.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam competitors:
• Joshua Wiss’ infectious enthusiasm for life is evident in his energetic performances. A graduate of Northern Arizona University with a degree in creative writing, Wiss was a member of the 2012 Sedona National Poetry Slam Team, performed at every Sedona Poetry Slam this season and is currently ranked No. 1.

• Ryan Brown is the former slammaster of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam and a member of the 2009 team which advanced the NPS semi-finals. Brown was member of the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 national teams before earning degree in English from NAU in 2012.

• Evan Dissinger is one of the preeminent voices in the Flagstaff poetry scene and a member of the 2012 Sedona team. A skateboard rat in Sedona and Flagstaff, Dissinger is one of the most sincere poets in Arizona with a knack for making conventional experiences sublime.

• A poet’s poet, Frank O’Brien writes with a profound simplicity. O’Brien won the 2008 and 2009 Flagstaff Grand Slams, and competed for Flagstaff at three national poetry slams from 2008 to 2010 and for Sedona in 2012.

• A film student at NAU, Josh Floyd is a passionate performer making his first play for the Sedona slam team.

• Tyler Sirvinskas, aka Valence, was a member of the 2011 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam team and Grand Slam Champion of the 2012 Sedona Slam Team.

• Ashley Swazey is a photographer and poet with a background as a speech and debate competitor and coach at a Glendale Community College.

• Author and poet Gary Every is one of Sedona’s most prolific writers, who has published more than 1,000 poems, short stories and articles in newspapers, journals, anthologies and six of his own books.

• Taylor Hayes is a mathematician and poet whose scientific mind finds unique ways to express scientific and social truisms the through artistic medium of poetry.

• Verbal Kensington is the founder and creative director of Necessary Poetry, a poetry collective based in Flagstaff.

• Nodalone, aka Shaun Srivastava, is a two-time member of the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team who currently competes in the Las Vegas poetry slam scene.

• The Klute, aka Bernard Schober, competed at the National Poetry Slam six times, for the Mesa Slam Team in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, and the Phoenix Slam Slam Team in 2008 and 2009, 2010 and 2012. He has led two of those teams to the NPS semi-final stage, ranking him among the best of the best nationwide. He was also the Mesa Grand Slam champion in 2005 and 2010.

• Three poets from the Phoenix slam scene – Lauren Perry, Jeremiah Blue and Joy Young – are also eligible for the Sedona Slam Team, pending the results of the Phoenix Grand Slam later in May.

Audience members are encouraged to support their favorite poets from over the season.

The Sedona Poetry Grand Slam will be hosted by Sedona poet and slammaster Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team at six National Poetry Slams between 2001 and 2012 and recently won the 2013 Flagstaff Grand Slam.

The opening calibration poems will be performed members of the Flagstaff and Phoenix National Poetry Slam teams.

For more information about the slam, contact Graham at foxthepoet@yahoo.com.

Founded in Chicago in 1984 by Marc Smith, a former construction worker, poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe.

Tickets are $15, available online at studiolivesedona.com. Proceeds help fund the team’s trip to Boston. Additional donations will gladly be accepted.

The 2013 slam season and the grand slam is cosponsored by the Sedona Performing Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, near Coffee Pot Drive in West Sedona. For more information, call (928) 282-2688. For videos from past slams and updates about the grand slam, visit foxthepoet.blogspot.com.


Hosted by Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on six FlagSlam National Poetry Slams in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Sedona Poetry Grand Slam: Are You Ready?

Sedona Poetry Grand Slam - Saturday, June 1.
In Haiku:
 
12 poets enter.
Battle with their best poems.
Four leave champions.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Sedona Poetry Slam final rankings


Sedona Poetry Slam final rankings. Names in bold are eligible for the Grand Slam, held at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in Sedona, on Saturday, June 1. Private invitations will be sent to the poets on the list. Feature poets are eligible to compete as per our guidelines.




Oct Nov Dec Feb Mar Apr
Poet Total Points Rank 10/13/12 11/17/12 12/1/12 2/16/12 3/12/12 4/12/12
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff 15 1 2 4 1 1 4 3
Ryan Brown, of Flagstaff 9 2 4
1 4

The Klute, of Phoenix 9 2 3 1 3 2

Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona 8 4 1 1 1 1 2 2
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff 8 4 1 2 1 1 2 1
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff 8 4
1 2 1 3 1
Joy Young, of Phoenix 7 7
3 1 3

Frank O'Brien, of Prescott 4 8




4
Leo Bryant, of Richmond, Calif. 4 8

4


Charles Levett, of Phoenix 3 10 1 1 1


Jeremiah Blue, of Phoenix 3 10 1
1 1

Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff 2.5 12
1 0.5

1
Valence, of Flagstaff 2.5 12
0.5
1
1
Ashley Swazey, of Phoenix 2 14 1

1

Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff 2 14 1 1



Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood 2 14 1 1



Gary Every, of Sedona 2 14
1

1
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix 2 14 1
1


Lynn Gravatt, of Sedona 2 14 1
1


MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona 2 14




2
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff 1.5 21
1 0.5


Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff 1.5 21 0.5 1
Bill Campana, of Mesa 1 23 1
Bradley Blalock, of Sedona 1 23 1
Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix 1 23 1
Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark. 1 23 1
Jackie Stockwell, of Flagstaff 1 23 0.5 0.5
James Gould, of Sedona 1 23 1
Jasmine "Jazz" Sufi Wilkenson of Santa Cruz, Calif. 1 23 1
Jordan Ranft, of Santa Rosa, Calif. 1 23 1
Ky J. Dio, of Flagstaff 1 23 1
Lauren Deja, of Phoenix 1 23 1
Little Blue Lyon-Fish, of Phoenix 1 23 1
nodalone, of Flagstaff 1 23 1
Robert Gonzales, of Flagstaff 1 23 1
Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix 1 23 1
Slammy D, of Flagstaff 1 23 1
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff 1 23 1
Susan Okie, of Washington, D.C. 1 23 1
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago 1 23 1
Vincent Vega, of Flagstaff 1 23 1

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

National Poetry Month: "A Finger, Two Dots Then Me" by Derrick Brown



Produced by Duality Filmworks and Write Bloody Publishing

Written and performed by Derrick Brown
Shot, cut and directed by David and Daniel Holechek

Winner - Crystal Heart Award, 2011 Heartland Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Film, 2012 Boulder International Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Film, 2012 Maui Film Festival
Winner - CINE Golden Eagle Award, Fall 2011
Winner - CINE Special Jury Award, Best Short Film, 2011
Winner - CINE Master's Series Award, Best Independent Production, 2011
Winner - Best Film, 2011 San Jose Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Film, 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Film Festival
Winner - Best Film, Best Directors, Audience Favorite, 2011 Milwaukee Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Film, Audience Favorite, 2012 Love Your Shorts Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Film, 2012 Sacramento International Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Experimental Film, 2012 Sonoma International Film Festival
Winner - Audience Favorite, 2011 DC Shorts Film Festival
Winner - Audience Favorite, 2012 Tumbleweed Film Festival
Winner - Audience Favorite, 2012 Rochester International Film Festival
Winner - Best Drama, 2012 Dam Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Experimental Film, 2011 Miami Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Experimental Film, 2011 Illinois International Film Festival
Winner - Best Experimental Film, 2012 Big Easy International Film and Music Festival
Winner - Best Experimental Film, 2012 River Bend International Film Festival
Winner - Best Editing, 2012 Festivus Film Festival
Winner - Gold Award, 2012 Media Film Festival
Winner - Award of Merit, 2011 Best Shorts Competition
Winner - Best "Open" Film, 2012 The MIX International Short Film Festival
Runner Up - Best Short Film, 2012 Warrambeen Film Festival (AUS)
Runner Up - Best Super Short, 2011 Anchorage International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Seattle International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Sedona International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Charleston International Film Festival
Official Selection -- 2012 Edmonton International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 AMC Kansas City Filmmaker Jubilee
Official Selection - 2012 Ashland Independent Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Spokane International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Big Island Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Byron Bay International Film Festival (AUS)
Official Selection - 2012 Garden State Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Omaha Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Durango Independent Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Fort Myers Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 LA Film + Music Weekend
Official Selection - 2012 Buffalo-Niagara International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Myrtle Beach International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival "Night of Award Winning Shorts"
Official Selection - 2012 Rushes Soho Shorts (UK)
Official Selection - 2012 Carolina Film and Video Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Big Easy International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Fargo Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Westchester Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Humboldt Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Derby City International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Macon Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 High Desert Short International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Spirit Quest Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Crested Butte Film Festival
Official Selection - 2012 Couch Fest
Official Selection - 2012 Tumblweed Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 Lone Star International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 River's Edge International Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 Northern California Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 San Diego Christian Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 Coney Island Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 Director's Circle Short Film Awards
Official Selection - 2011 Wanderings Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 California International Short Film Festival
Official Selection - 2011 Asheville Cinema Festival

Friday, April 26, 2013

I attended the talk between Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. John McCain at the Sedona Forum

Washington, DC -- The McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University today announced that Vice President Joe Biden will participate in a conversation with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) during the opening dinner of the Institute's annual Sedona Forum this Friday, April 26th in Sedona, Arizona.

A story on the talk will appear in the Wednesday, May 1, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.

"We at Arizona State University are proud to have Vice President Biden and so many other distinguished leaders involved with the McCain Institute," said Arizona State University President Michael M. Crow. "Their participation in the Sedona Forum ensures a thought-provoking weekend."

The Sedona Forum is an annual, high-level conclave of national and international leaders from the public and private sectors brought together by the McCain Institute for focused discussions on national security and foreign policy issues, promoting economic freedom and prosperity and advancing human rights around the world.

"I am very pleased that Vice President Joe Biden, my friend of many years, will speak at this year’s Sedona Forum," said Senator John McCain. "From his decades of experience in foreign policy in the Senate to his critical role in the White House today, Vice President Biden has a unique perspective on America's role in this complex and dangerous world. We are pleased that he is joining this important gathering in Sedona and look forward to hearing from him."

The theme for this year's Forum, held April 26-28 at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona, is, "How Can We Promote Freedom and Democracy Effectively?" Participants in this year's Forum will include GE Chairman and CEO and McCain Institute Board Member Jeff Immelt, Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon, Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, former Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, former Belarus Presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, former NBA star and humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo, General Jack Keane (Ret.), Arizona State University President Michael M. Crow, Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jon Kyl (R-AZ, Ret.), Joe Lieberman (I-CT, Ret.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), among many others.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

National Poetry Month: Valence performs "Tonight"




Tyler “Valence” Sirvinskas is a performance poet and new media artist based in Arizona. Spoken word, performance art, electronic music, and visual art are all elements of Valence’s artistic vision. In 2011, he began competing in poetry slams, and represented Flagstaff at the 2011 National Poetry Slam. In 2012, he won the Sedona Grand Slam and a spot on Sedona’s National slam team.

Valence has lived in Arizona for eight years, but was born in and spent his childhood in Chicago. Part of the last generation to know first-hand what life was like before the internet, Valence is grateful for anything that makes people turn off their smartphones.

In the future, Valence has plans for touring, albums, books, and a new style of performance art that combines spoken word with live video and music. At only twenty-two years of age, his creative development has only begun.

At only 21 years of age, his creative development has only begun.

Like Valence and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

National Poetry Month: Ashley Swazey performs "Invincible"




Ashley Swazey is an aspiring wedding photographer studying photography at Northern Arizona University. She’s 19 and has been writing angst poetry before she was a teenager. She has her own photography business and loves to sing, sew, and create.

Fun fact: Swazey made her own prom dress. She’s obsessed with seafoam green and has obnoxiously red hair that bleeds in the shower.

She went to Arizona State University for a year and a half, before realizing she hated everything about it.

Another fun fact: Swazey has a pet snake.

She hopes to live in Seattle when she grows up and she wants to adopt a baby from Africa.

Swazey’s mother is a flight attendant so she can fly anywhere practically for free. She likes to brag about having been to Ireland, London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Austria, Prague, Czech Republic, and Germany.

Last fun fact: Swazey is often told she resembles Julia Styles, a comment she detests.

Swazey is very involved in the speech and debate scene, having participated for two years in high school and coached for a year and a half in college. This is where she discovered the art of slam poetry.

She began writing and performing her own poems in competition, which is incidentally completely against the rules. But she only lives once.

Like Ashley Swazey and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

Friday, April 19, 2013

National Poetry Month: Verbal Kensington performs "Earthquakes"



With a background ranging the spectrum from accounting to pyrotechnics, Meg (Verbal) Kensington shamelessly abandoned her previous brainchild, Verballistics, to step into her role as Necessary Publishing’s Creative Director. She’s also a writer, poet, artist, and mentor. Others know her as a verbal mercenary, with an uncanny knack for organization. Her most valued achievements include the ability to speak unabashedly in the third person, the precise calculation of road-trip gas mileage in her beloved vintage Subaru, and the unobtrusive creation of an amazing array of late-night snacks. She aspires to become more like her favorite animal, the platypus – the only earthly creature who is both astonishingly cuddly, and horrendously poisonous.

With her unique combination of extreme intelligence and stunning good looks, she plans to one day take over the world – starting today, with Necessary Publishing.

Like Verbal Kensington and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

National Poetry Month: Austin Reeves performs "Thing Like Love"



Austin Reeves is a 19-year-old Flagstaff poet studying to become an English professor. Born in Washington state at the height of the grunge movement — and quality ’90s music, Reeves moved to Arizona when he was 7. Then he was moved back to Washington. Then he was moved back to Arizona.

Having lived in and around the Phoenix area for far too long, Reeves opted to attend college at Northern Arizona University — a wise choice, he thinks.

It was in Flagstaff that Reeves truly discovered poetry, having dabbled in it at times before. Joining up with the FlagSlam and Sedona Slam family in late 2011, Reeves placed second in the last slam of the Sedona Poetry Slam season and went on to compete in Sedona’s Poetry Grand Slam, narrowly missing out on making the first-ever Sedona National Poetry Slam Team. In 2013, Reeves is back for blood and doing his best to systematically *cough* remove his rivals from the competition.

So far, Reeves has already established himself as Flagstaff’s 2012-2013 Haiku Death Match Champion. Austin won Flagstaff’s 2012-2013 Haiku Death Match in his underwear. Real stuff.

Reeves takes the greater majority of his inspiration from national slam poets Buddy Wakefield and Anis Mojgani.

Reeves is a guitarist, singer and drummer for Tempe-based post-rock band Ursus Colossus, with whom he has recorded two full-length albums. He has also been recorded on a number of tracks for Phoenix-based alternative rock band The Upper Strata. Reeves finds his musical inspiration in the bloodline of his musically inclined family. He also tries his hand at visual art forms occasionally. Currently, Reeves is attempting to make his way back into skateboarding and to make a hobby of electronic music production with Ableton, a musical performance and production software.

Reeves believes in poetry, music and art always.

Like Austin Reeves and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

National Poetry Month: "Father Benjamin," by Lewis Mundt



Lewis Mundt // Father Benjamin // A Poem Observed // Button Poetry

Button Poetry on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ButtonPoetry?ref=hl

Lewis Mundt performs Father Benjamin at Carleton College's Skinner Chapel in Northfield, Minnesota.
http://www.poetryobserved.com

Poetry Observed is committed to producing high quality videos of performance poetry, filmed off the stage. Our first series features Minnesota spoken word poets and was produced in collaboration with Button Poetry.





Like performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

National Poetry Month: "Unrequited Love Poem" by Sierra DeMulder


Sierra DeMulder // Unrequited Love Poem // A Poem Observed // Button Poetry

Purchase this track at the Button Store: http://store.buttonpoetry.com/track/the-unrequited-love-poem

Button Poetry on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ButtonPoetry?ref=hl

Sierra DeMulder performs Unrequited Love Poem in St. Paul, Minnesota.
http://www.poetryobserved.com

Poetry Observed is committed to producing high quality videos of performance poetry, off the stage. Our first series features Twin Cities based poets and was produced in collaboration with Button Poetry.






Like performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.



Click here to help support our efforts on Kickstarter. A donation of even $10 or $20 gets us closer to our goal of our first publication and establishment of a nonprofit spoken word collective open to all.

Kickstarter challenge: $20 by April 20


Kickstarter Challenge: If you haven't yet a donated to Necessary Poetry's Kickstarter project, donate $20 by Saturday, April 20.

$20 ain't much and it could do so much.

Why give? 'Cause the project is awesome. Check it out here:


Then ask 20 of your friends to to the same.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

National Poetry Month: A little girl reads Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"



"Jabberwocky"
By Lewis Carroll

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.



Like children and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.

Frank O'Brien wins the sixth Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam Season

Frank O'Brien wins the sixth Sedona Poetry Slam of the 2012-13 National Poetry Slam Season.

Round 1
Random Draw


Calibration: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix, 2:28, 23.3
MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona, 2:34, 24.8
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 1:49, 21.6
James Gould, of Sedona, 3:03, 25.1
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 2:34, 27.3
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff, 3:01, 21.9
Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff, 3:16, 27.4 (after 0.5 point time penalty)
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:42, 23.0
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 1:49, 24.6

Teaser: Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona

Round 2
Reverse Order


Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 1:50, 27.0, 48.9
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:42, 26.6, 49.6
Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff, 1:54, 26.2, 53.1
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff, 2:00, 23.0, 44.9
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 2:50, 26.9, 54.2
James Gould, of Sedona, 3:09, 25.6, 50.7
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 1:41, 25.0, 46.6
MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona, 3:12, 27.5, 51.8
Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix, 2:17, 26.7, 50.0

Feature: Necessary Poetry Poets

The April 13 poetry slam featured many of the 15 poets involved in the Necessary Poetry project, a collective of 15 of the best performance poets in Northern Arizona. Necessary Poetry is currently raising money to publish its first anthology of poetry, which will include a printed book and an online version complete with high-quality video, audio versions of poetry put to music and visual arts by some of Northern Arizona best contemporary artists to enhance the poetry.

The Necessary Poetry collective will use its funds to host workshops for students, youth and seniors around Northern Arizona. For more information on the project and goals, visit Necessary Poetry, Necessary Publishing


 Features: Valence, of Flagstaff
Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff

Round 3
High to Low

Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 2:40, 26.7, 80.9
Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff, 4:06, 24.2 (after 3.0 point time penalty), 77.3
MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona, 3:16, 27.0 (after 0.5 point time penalty), 78.8
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 2:21, 27.3, 78.9
James Gould, of Sedona, 2:50, 26.8, 77.5
Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix, 2:01, 25.7, 75.7
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 2:12, 24.8, 74.4
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 2:08, 25.7, 72.3
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff, 1:54, 24.8, 69.7

Victory: Frank O'Brien, of Prescott

Final Scores

Frank O'Brien, of Prescott, 80.9

Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff, 78.9

MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona, 78.8

James Gould, of Sedona, 77.5
Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff, 77.3
Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix, 75.7
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff, 74.4
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff, 72.3
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff, 69.7

Sedona National Poetry Slam Team
Slamoff Point Standings
15 points
Josh Wiss, of Flagstaff✓✓
9 points
Ryan Brown, of Flagstaff✓✓
The Klute, of Phoenix
8 points
Christopher Fox Graham, of Sedona
Evan Dissinger, of Flagstaff
Jackson Morris, of Flagstaff
7 points
Joy Young, of Phoenix
4 points
Frank O'Brien, of Prescott✓
Leo Bryant, of Richmond, Calif.✓
3 points
Charles Levett, of Phoenix
Jeremiah Blue, of Phoenix
2.5 points
Josh Floyd, of Flagstaff
Valence, of Flagstaff
2 points
Ashley Swazey, of Phoenix
Austin Reeves, of Flagstaff
Bert Cisneros, of Cottonwood
Gary Every, of Sedona
Lauren Perry, of Phoenix
Lynn Gravatt, of Sedona
MacKenzi Taylor, of Sedona
1.5 points
Taylor Hayes, of Flagstaff
Verbal Kensington, of Flagstaff
1 point
Bill Campana, of Mesa
Bradley Blalock, of Sedona
Frankie Marchi, of Phoenix
Houston Hughes, of Fayetteville, Ark.
Jackie Stockwell, of Flagstaff
James Gould, of Sedona
Jasmine "Jazz" Sufi Wilkenson of Santa Cruz, Calif.
Jordan Ranft, of Santa Rosa, Calif.
Ky J. Dio, of Flagstaff
Lauren Deja, of Phoenix
Little Blue Lyon-Fish, of Phoenix
nodalone, of Flagstaff
Robert Gonzales, of Flagstaff
Rowie Shebala, of Phoenix
Slammy D, of Flagstaff
Spicy Jack, of Flagstaff
Susan Okie, of Washington, D.C.
Tom Lamkin, of Chicago
Vincent Vega, of Flagstaff

✓ = won a Sedona Poetry Slam

National Poetry Month: Klingon Chancellor Gowron performs Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"



"Jabberwocky"
By Lewis Carroll

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.



Gowron, son of M'Rel, was Chancellor of the Klingon High Council in the late 24th century. He ruled during the Klingon Civil War, Klingon-Cardassian War, and the Dominion War. 

Before 2367, Gowron was a political outsider on the Klingon High Council, who often challenged their decisions. After the death of Chancellor K'mpec, Gowron and Duras, son of Ja'rod became the two leading candidates for leadership of the council. It was suspected that Gowron had in fact poisoned K'mpec to advance his career although many believe that K'mpec was indeed poisoned by Duras.

Duras attempted to kill Gowron during the Rite of Succession, but the attempt failed. Duras was killed by a Starfleet officer, Worf, thus ensuring Gowron's election as chancellor.

Following Gowron's election, Duras's sisters, Lursa and B'Etor attempted to challenge Gowron's office. They appealed to the High Council to install Toral, the illegitimate son of Duras, as Council leader. The resulting division of loyalty in the council sparked the Klingon Civil War in late 2367.

After a few weeks, Gowron's side was victorious. With the help of the Federation, Duras's family was exposed of having ties with the Romulan Star Empire. In addition, Gowron reinstated the House of Mogh because of the actions of Worf and his brother Kurn coming to his aid in the conflict.

After the Cardassians joined the Dominion in 2373, Gowron reinstated the Khitomer Accords, and posted a permanent contingent of Klingon officers on the Cardassian border at station Deep Space 9, commanded by Gen. Martok

In early 2374, Gowron was reluctant to involve the Empire in Operation Return. However, he was later persuaded to assist Captain Sisko's forces by Martok and Worf. The late arrival of the Klingon fleet proved critical in the battle, throwing the Dominion lines into disarray and allowed the Defiant to break through.

Martok's actions in the war had made him a prominent figure throughout the Empire and was regarded by the Klingon people as their savior. Threatened by Martok's growing political influence, Gowron took direct control of the Klingon Defense Force in 2375, and began to undermine Martok's military strategies.

Martok refused to challenge Gowron after such dishonorable actions. Instead Gowron was challenged by a member of Martok's house, Worf. Worf defeated Gowron in combat, killing him, and passed the leadership of the High Council to Martok. Despite his disapproval of Gowron's actions, Worf performed the Klingon death ritual for him, acknowledging the former chancellor as a Klingon warrior.



Like Gowron, Lewis Carroll and performance poetry? 
Donate to "Holy Spoken Word," Necessary Poetry's 1st Anthology:
A multimedia anthology, showcasing the amazing writing, artwork, and spoken-word performance of the Necessary Poetry collective, a group of poets from Sedona, Flagstaff and Prescott.