WordParty June 21, 2011 - Highlights

For some reason the June installment of the WordParty was a wild madhouse. Could it be because I printed out the old sign-up sheet, which had more slots for poets than the allotted time? Sorry Jonathan... I promise to bring the right sign-up sheet this month as we went 1/2 hour over our regularly scheduled time slot at Viracocha, but we were just having too much fun! Some of the highlights of the night were Harmon Leon bringing his special brand of poetic comedy and laptop humor by running a slide show of his famous "ironic, not ironic" piece. Rudy Waltz gave us a great "farewell" poem as he was heading out of town for a little bit. Kirk Lumpkin graced our stage with his wonderful jazz poem and many, many more... Here are two photos of some more favorites: Steve Arnston and friends who gave us a poem with interpretive dance:

and our very own Geordie Van Der Bosch, conga player - who read an intuitive poem from the top of his head which he dedicated to the one and only Gil Scott Heron, R.I.P. called "This Poem Will NOT be Read" after Gil's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." We're trying to get Geordie to give us a copy of his poem, but apparently he doesn't want it to be read, ha ha! 

See you - 3rd Tuesday in July at Viracocha where Bear will be my guest co-host running with the theme of poetry inspired by music! Come on down. –  Jennifer Barone

National Poetry Month at the WordParty!

I don't know what to say, last night was just AMAZING. High-energy, lots of laughs, inspiring poetry and jazz. Something must be in there air because everyone was amped and no one wanted to leave, we ran a 1/2 hour over, but our friends at Viracocha didn't seem to mind too much as they were having a good time too. EK Keith stopped by to do a lottery drawing for one lucky poet to read at the upcoming Poems Under the Dome at City Hall. We are proud to announce that one of our favorites - CaraVida - was the winner! WordParty regular Ted Walker showed up with a poem he wrote just for the night, see below. Hope you are continuing to write a poem every day... - the Word Party


This Happening at the V-Cave
by Theodore Walker

We kids drop down to the V-cave,
spitting words and daring brave.
Dudes dressed in retro duds and
birds displayed to impress studs
with retro flair
they toss their hair.
Hipster shoes and
moody blues and
cats too cool for school.
Where word-party love
fits jazz on like a glove
banging sounds from GVB
tapping tight on congas-whee!
Colin-stands up and slaps bass
hits it so hard, I lose my place!
Dan Heffez, man..whats to say?
blowin the sax, listen to him play!
Carl sometimes sits in and with a grin
laying down Gabrielite horn to my chagrin.
Man, you just have to see
this happening at the Vee!

I’m not kiddin’ I’m not foolin’
I mean, yeah this site is coolin
me out. V-cave filled with hipsters
tricksters, and finger-poppin daddies
like Lord Buckley, and man we had it!
We sang outta key, outta tune
we sang through Poetry Month into June
and beyond.

So cats, lemme hip ya to the scene
here at V-cave it’s always a scream
and thank you to Jennie B
and Ingrid that mama to be
Hang on babies, give up hollers and shouts
to the Word Party, Poetry month, and I’m out!

The WordParty Relaunches Website

Hello Everyone,

Just in time for National Poetry Month, we here at the WordParty are proud to announce the relaunch of our newly redesigned website!  

Please go to http://thewordparty.com to check it out!

Sparring with Beatnik Ghosts Rd 13 Re-cap

Photos by C. Theodore Walker. Drawing of Jennifer Barone & Daniel Heffez by Ann Cohen. Click here for more photos of the show.

Sparring with Beatnik Ghosts Rd 13 was on fire in a heavenly place. I had never been to the First Unitarian Universalist Church (Martin Luther King Room, 1187 Franklin) in San Francisco, but not only is it a gorgeous and open church, the Universalists seem to be open to many belief systems and there were boards with a Pagan circle gathering and other spiritualist paths announced. This made us feel at home to read anything we wanted to and just be ourselves. Gracious hosts: Daniel Yaryan and guest host Kirk Lumpkin, who ended the night with an ode to the beats - conjured the spirits with music and an eclectic mix of local poets including: Latif Harris w/ Phil Deal on sax, Joyce Jenkins, Sam Sax, Kathleen Wood, Tom Stolmar, Dee Allen, Steve Arnston and WordParty congo player - Geordie Van Der Bosch and yours truly - Jennifer Barone & Daniel Heffez on sax performed and had a great time!

National Women's History Month

It is March, and the birds are singing. Spring is just around the corner, and we are ready to celebrate! This month is also National Women's History Month, so please bring poems that celebrate women and womanhood to read at this month's installment of WordParty poetry & jazz open mic!

October Events 2007

The WordParty organized some poetry events this month as well as participated in some outstanding events organized by our vibrant poetry scene co-horts. It was a collaboration of everything poetry!

Ingrid debuts Toward the Light

TOWARD THE LIGHT- A new book of poetry by Ingrid Keir debuts at Adobe Books, October 3rd, 2007

Ingrid Keir brought the Nova Jazz band with her to celebrate the release of her new book of poetry titled Toward the Light. It was an intimate and exciting reading full of friends, fellow poets and lovers of the word who came out to support and snag a personalized copy of their own.

Toward the Light was created in collaboration with Kyle Knobel who designed and also featured his photography in the book. The books are made partially with handmade paper on the inside cover which make each book unique and the covers, printed with gold foil stamp, come in four different colors.

Toward the Light is a glimmer through the authors personal history but most importantly a vibrant look toward the future. In her whimsical, dreamy verse she shares her loves, her struggles and her hopes. A beautiful book, sold at local San Francisco bookstores, go get yo-self a copy!

Phillip T Nails, kicks off Visual Voices

Jennifer & Artist

Ingrid & Artist

VISUAL VOICES - Art and poetry exhibit at ARTworkSF gallery
October 4th, 2007

Philip T. Nails, host of Amnesia's Red Light Series, poet and performer extraordinaire, invited us to take part in a very special art exhibit at ARTworkSF Gallery titled Visual Voices. Local poets were able to view fine art submissions and select their favorites to craft an original poem about the art.

The opening night was a blast! Philip lead the poets into a live performance of their work in the middle of the gallery to an enthusiastic crowd. The poets including Ingrid Keir, Jennifer Barone, Ledbetter, Steven Gray and more. We had a chance to meet the artists in person and mingle with an eclectic and vibrant crowd. It was great fun! The exhibit will be up till the end of October 07, go check it out!

Ingrid, Jennifer & Charlie @ SF Zinefest

SF ZINE FEST at the Women's Building 

October 5th and 6th, 2007

The SF ZineFest this year was so much fun! We had a table for the first time which we shared with artist Kyle Knobel and also Charlie Getter of Thursday's 16th and Mission reading series. It was full of poetry books from the poets who read at our night and we even gave live and intimate performances to those who bought our books! We also gave away some WordParty buttons and handed out fliers for our night, but most importantly we got a chance to hang out, have fun and meet lots of crafty locals who made everything from handmade bags, postcards and stationary sets to zines. It was a great time!

Jennifer outside Immigration Nation

IMMIGRATION NATION at the Brava Theater 

October 14th, 2007

Dottie Payne knows how to put on a grand performance with a cause! The Brava theater was absolutely enormous, beautiful and seamlessly organized. Some of the best and brightest from the Mission neighborhood came out to perform including Jorge Molinas, Maria Medina Serafin, Meklit and Todd from Red Poppy Arthouse and a host of musical acts. Jennifer Barone came to represent her mother land of Italy and read two pieces about her family immigrating to America and also a piece about the first time she saw the town where her family came from. It was a truly invigorating show with powerful performances and a powerful message behind it, America is an Immigration Nation!

MAPP - Candlelit room

Pablo Rosales & a pirate at MAPP

MAPP - Mission Arts and Performance Project 

October 20th, 2007

The Red Poppy Arthouse asked us to host a poetry space at the MAPP for the first time this year. Todd and Meklit graciously hooked us up with an Untitled space that is soon to be turned into a beautiful music and arthouse in the Mission run by Joe Lewis, former 16th & Mission alumni!

We gathered all our resources and friends and threw together a very last-minute, but fun-loving space to do our thing - which is perform our poetry anywhere and everywhere of course! We brought balloons, candles, candy and Bear supplied a feast for the senses of cupcakes (with the poets initials on them!) guacamole, chips, pasta salad and thensome.

Our performers were some of our closest friends and vibrant members of the local open mic scene. Charlie Getter and Guinevere helped Jennifer Barone with the hosting duties as well as perform. We had Philip T. Nails and Elisabeth Millican perform a short play about their illegal excursion to Cuba! We had Bear perform the longest and most prolific poem about cheese ever written, Cara Vida, Monique De Magdalena, Pablo Rosales, Jacques Korn, Mattie Bamman, Tatiana Molinar, Brandon Loberg, all gave us their best. Maria Medina arrived with her drum and Dottie Payne performed as Joe Lewis was holding it down with his stand-up bass.

Afterwards, we cruised on over to some of the other MAPP events. We heard a lot of music and saw some funky art. The Red Poppy Arthouse was packed with friends and there was some great music from Todd and Meklit and a lovely band names Lulacruza. Go get their album! It's beautiful.

Cameron McHenry @ the Beat Museum

Poets & Writers Series @ The Beat Museum
Featuring: Jennifer Barone, Ruby Freja and Cameron McHenry
October 25, 2007

Jennifer was lucky to be included in such an intimate and exciting reading with two very lovely up-and-coming poets and authors, Ruby Freja and Cameron McHenry. These ladies were an ear as well as an eye full, truly a night of poetry goddesses. Mark Schwartz received a grant from Poets and Writers magazine to host a series of poetry readings at the Beat Museum and managed to provide us with a sweet spot. Jessica Loos came in to host the night, the first reading ever to be in the upstairs museum. It was a truly authentic North Beach poetry experience where you never know what to expect. It was a great night to hear new poetry from some fresh local poets.

Passion Food, a night of poetry + food to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox

September 23rd, 2007 at the Red Poppy Arthouse


by Jennifer Barone


A night of poetry + food was a thought seed in our minds for well over a year now and turned out to be an amazing and luscious night of verse. After the night was over we were asking ourselves "Why did we wait so long?" — in retrospect, we have no idea!!! Let's do it again!


There were a few auspicious moments that finally lead to the fruition of a delicious dream called "Passion Food." First, the idea was sparked from our love of food, of course! Second, there was the coming of the Autumnal Equinox, a perfect time to celebrate the harvest, to reflect on the year, enjoy the fruits of your labor and express gratitude. Third, the Red Poppy was pleased with our organizational skills from the Neruda anniversary party and were gracious enough to allow us their space and were very excited to help us organization and present it to the community.


With the universe on our side, what could go right? Everything! Not only did we have the support of the Arthouse, we had very enthusiastic and amazingly talented artists and poets ready to bring their best work and try their hand at some culinary skills for the audience.
Here were some of the highlights:


Jennifer Barone, your host for the night, went and cooked up an Italian family-style feast of the senses with poems highlighting her favorite ingredients from her dishes of mozzarella caprese (with orange tomatoes) and vegetable pasta. She opened with a poem about feeling like a tomato, the history of pignolis (pine nuts), basilico (fresh basil), and a very sultry poem about olive oil being poured over delicacies and lovers alike, wink, wink.


Jacques Korn, a fresh face on the open mic scene, a videographer / film maker and a man who truly loves French delicacies such as chocolate pearls and sweet baguettes! He completely charmed the audience with his "salad in three parts" and brought samples of the food he read about with a side of passion!


Adrian Arias, local artist and poet, who we were lucky enough to have been introduced to at the Neruda event, made his famous, fresh ceviche, which he prepared while he read in Spanish ("the bilingual part of the evening," as he joked) and passed it around for everyone to taste. He also made an ice cream dessert and ripped apart a strawberry like the poster we designed. He is a visual artist after all and he's also as sweet as his dish.


Guinevere brought a fresh fruit salad to which she phoned her Mom to see if she was supposed to add lettuce to it! Bad girl! But luckily she did not, and luckily for us she took a totally different spin on the theme and compared her lover to a piece of cold, leftover pizza laying in the fridge. She had us in stitches and made us smile till our face hurt.


Ingrid Keir brought a lovely setting of fresh pomegranates and a heaping bowl full of Nutella - the best chocolate hazelnut spread that we're lucky to find in the United States! She read some of her recent farmer's market poems and gave a dose of chocolate sweetness to the audience, topped with some cookies too. (I dipped my finger in the Nuttela, I couldn't help it!)


Steven Kopel was so enthusiastic about our food theme that he just made our night. He brought along tons of fresh dates, fruits and even bowls, plates and toothpicks for people to nibble with. Not only is he a "blatant wordsmith and a peddling poet (on his bicycle he means)," he's a very rare gentleman. He livened up our set with his unique brand of wordplay that made us blush, think and giggle.


Pablo Rosales just had to read about rice, as well as bring three different types of Philipino rice dishes that were nothing short of delicious. He also brought up four beautiful glasses and read a poem by Neruda about red and white wine.


Charlie Getter closed out our night, along with a giant pan of homemade macaroni and cheese that was licked clean. He read about his lover's sweet onion salad, which we found out was written with tons of sensual innuendos in mind. He also read about Paris and other travels with a nice glass of wine in his hand.


If you were to ask me, I would have liked for the night to keep on going it was so much fun. It was sexy, sensual, funny, quirky and most of all unique because of the people that were in the audience who were so gracious and the performers who were so into it. Maybe one day, we'll get to do it again!
One last thank you to everyone who showed up to perform and to listen, you made our little dream an amazing reality. Thank you to Todd, Meklit, Casey and Lorilyn at the Red Poppy Arthouse for helping us put this event together and allowing us to inhabit your magical space.

Jennifer Barone, host 

Pablo Rosales

Steven Kopel

Ingrid Keir

Guinevere Q

Charlie Getter 

Adrian Arias

Jacques Korn