NPS Recap #1

[jwbaz]

Overall, a pretty good NPS.

I want to do an extensive recap but I'm feeling a little too emotionally pummeled and exhausted to really get into it.

I will say, though, that I liked more poems this year than I have in years past. In every bout/event I attended there were at least two times where I nodded my head and said, "that's a good poem."  There

Comments

[johnnylexicon]

Geez, thanks, man. But you know I've always favored "the turn" as my weapon of choice.

This is a really useful highlights list. Because I didn't see any of these poems -- not even the ones in Finals -- and now I know who to bug for poems that I missed. I never seem to get to the side events, and I have a hard time really listening when I'm competing.

As far as what I heard that I liked:

Megan Thoma, Providence, Night 1: "Michelle Obama is my BFF." She's got almost a Shanny-esque mastery of understated creepiness in a poem that starts with babysitting for the First Lady to doing unmentionable things to her during slumber parties.

Jack Tapestry, OKC, Night 3: His piece about being a soldier, and having killed three Iraqis, and knowing that every day there are three Iraqi mothers who pray for his death, was just heartwrenching.

Tufik Shayeb, Mesa, Night 1: Got a bitter love poem with some killer metaphors. Watch that kid.

The Klute w/Team PHX, Night 3: "Supervillains." Hearing Ed Mabrey as Klaw from "Inspector Gadget" was worth the price of admission. They just obviously loved the shit out of that piece.

6is9, St. Paul, Finals. I heard it more than I saw it, but I was moved by the writing, the acting, and the concept. I'd love to hear a view from the audience on that one.

As far as things that made me want to pull out a notebook and write? Not too many. It was great to finally hear Karen Finneyfrock's "New Colossus," which I've read before, and which is just stupendous. And I'd heard it before, but I really like the piece BPE read at the Erotic, "Letter to the 13-year Old Son I Probably Won't And Should Never Have." (I kid, but I really admire the piece, to the point of jealousy.)