Slam last night
Last night was the first prelim slam for 2011's Nats season. Packed list, full house, good times.
I was almost late for the show because I was still writing my new poem for the slam, "To the 12 Mugshots of Ted Williams". It's ekphrastic, but you don't need the picture to get into the poem, which makes it okay to slam with. But just for kicks, here it is:
I've pretty much been thinking about and drafting lines for this poem for weeks, but didn't do any real work on it until - sound the trumpets - yesterday. And not even at work; AFTER work. Which means I needed to complete it in the hour and a half between work and the show. I was writing parts of that poem in the car, son. Got home, jumped in with both feet and ended up with a draft at least 1 minute over time. I cut the poem in half. That somehow only got it down to 3 minutes-ish. Whatever, had to go, list was filling up, mmmbyebye.
Got a comfy draw in the first round, and placed mid-field for the second round, which I also like doing. Caught a TP in round one, but only of .5. I find I like the poem, and will do the full version for features or shows. Still needs to lose a few lines for Slam though.
Round 2 I did "Son" which is old, but not performed often, and slammed almost never. Felt good to do that one. hadn't rehearsed either of these pieces, so it was good to have one I felt comfy in to fall back on. Still cut it in action though, but I do that a lot anyway, drop words and lines in action. It's all jazz to me anyway, so I play the music. I came in third, so I'm on the board with a point!
We have a new derivation of the no-repeat rule this year which is you can't repeat a poem at all during the season, even in the Grand Slam. Big whoop, I say. I wanted to make the rule one appearance all year, regardless of season, but I didn't want a revolt. Next year maybe. Personally, I'm trying not to do any old work this year for slams. I hope the other poets do that too. Some of them I don't need to hear again just because somebody wants to make a trip to a national event on our dime. I'd prefer our representatives were actually representative of the values we tend to big-up. Deep pockets is a key WB value. Poets rise up, 'cause I'm calling your old poem bluff and sweeping legs.
I was almost late for the show because I was still writing my new poem for the slam, "To the 12 Mugshots of Ted Williams". It's ekphrastic, but you don't need the picture to get into the poem, which makes it okay to slam with. But just for kicks, here it is:
I've pretty much been thinking about and drafting lines for this poem for weeks, but didn't do any real work on it until - sound the trumpets - yesterday. And not even at work; AFTER work. Which means I needed to complete it in the hour and a half between work and the show. I was writing parts of that poem in the car, son. Got home, jumped in with both feet and ended up with a draft at least 1 minute over time. I cut the poem in half. That somehow only got it down to 3 minutes-ish. Whatever, had to go, list was filling up, mmmbyebye.
Got a comfy draw in the first round, and placed mid-field for the second round, which I also like doing. Caught a TP in round one, but only of .5. I find I like the poem, and will do the full version for features or shows. Still needs to lose a few lines for Slam though.
Round 2 I did "Son" which is old, but not performed often, and slammed almost never. Felt good to do that one. hadn't rehearsed either of these pieces, so it was good to have one I felt comfy in to fall back on. Still cut it in action though, but I do that a lot anyway, drop words and lines in action. It's all jazz to me anyway, so I play the music. I came in third, so I'm on the board with a point!
We have a new derivation of the no-repeat rule this year which is you can't repeat a poem at all during the season, even in the Grand Slam. Big whoop, I say. I wanted to make the rule one appearance all year, regardless of season, but I didn't want a revolt. Next year maybe. Personally, I'm trying not to do any old work this year for slams. I hope the other poets do that too. Some of them I don't need to hear again just because somebody wants to make a trip to a national event on our dime. I'd prefer our representatives were actually representative of the values we tend to big-up. Deep pockets is a key WB value. Poets rise up, 'cause I'm calling your old poem bluff and sweeping legs.