Come for the Poetry, Stay for the Coy Racism

Traffic was heavy headed to Kafe Kerouac last night. Was it the masses going to the Usher concert, the Ride of Silence up High Street or the multitudes headed to Writers' Block and the Rap Lyric slam?

Start time was late, Nordiq was spinning some tunes then Scott Woods burst out from behind the curtain dressed in a puffy coat and ball cap, looking like someone sitting in the back of the number two bus. As he broke out a stream of profanity you knew this night was going to be a bit, different.

It was not merely an ignorant night, but a night that took a few letters away from the alphabet.

It was ig...

I enjoyed having a DJ there again. Nordiq brought some more energy to the room. I've missed having a DJ but Kerouac is so small the music lasts for just a couple of steps until the poet hits the stage. Nordiq had a good flow going.

I'm editing this in to say what a pleasant surprise to hear Scott again. He's a doctor who was part of WB when I started out and he moved away for a better job a couple of months later. He's in Russia now and delivered a poem by phone at 5AM local time. Impressive poem and before his sunrise!

All was right as Tracy brought her sister Barbara with her to the mic, and Barbara brought another woman with her. The mystery woman read a poem in Italian, which Tracy translated. Turns out, it was The Humpty Dance, and it was hot. Hot in a Sophia Loren 1960 way.



Yes. That.

After all the merchandise on the table was mentioned Serius Add took to the stage to warm up the crowd for the slam. Six crazy fools took on the challenge. Claudia started it off then The Chet went on. Did Chet really do someone else's work, or did he slip in one of his own poems.

Again, I've been hearing the N-bomb dropped more in the past three months than I have in the last five years of WB. What is up with that?

My turn now. I had about four pieces to choose from, and my wife said to do this one.



Went over well.

I was hoping someone would kick in with the Wizard of Oz chorus, but it was not to be.

After me it was JG then Gina blew everyone away with her off paper Ice Ice Baby - which I did not recognize without the Under Pressure backing.

Sean FM did an original work with Tupac backing him up. Impressive stuff.

Judging was done in Gladiator Style, poets were eliminated and I was one of the last three standing with Sean and Gina. But when Gina got her applause I turned to Sean and said we should leave the stage.

She earned the win.

I drove a poet home afterwards, it was her first time at WB and she was not scared off. She'll be back. Call it a win.