Take the 2012 WordParty Poetry challenge: Write a poem-a-day.
Yes, we know that is a tall order, so we will be posting prompts throughout the month to get the creative sparks flying. The point is to reset your creative muse, make writing an everyday a habit. Challenge yourself to write a poem whether it be short haiku or a long lyric poem commit yourself and get writing!
Check out our blog for the prompts, commentary and other tid-bits as we go through the month.
If you are a regular at the WordParty, feel free to send your responses to our prompts to wordparty@gmail.com We would love to see what writing comes out of the challenge! Bring your poems with you to read at our open-mic on April 17.
To get us started, let’s begin with this prompt:
Go to your local bookstore and find the most unfamiliar and strangest section. (Finance? Science? Cooking?)
Take notice the covers of the books, titles, any photos that catch you.
Use this as a jumping off point to write a poem about something unfamiliar.
For example, the weight-loss book with the read and yellow letters. Or, Suze Orman’s startled eyes which promise to get your finances in order.
We celebrated the month of March with the theme of Women’s History Month, poets came to read their poetry for and about women! Our first featured poet, the luminescent Susan Browne electrified the audience with her reading of “Braless” from her book Buddha’s Dogs. We also especially loved the poem “Dear John.”
Nova Jazz was SMOKIN’ hot and the poets were ecstatic to have them perform during the entire night! Thanks Daniel, Geordie, Leslie, Oliver, Sheldon & Herman.
Our beloved drummer, Geordie Vanderbosch celebrated his birthday with multiple cakes and brownies, and he read a poem by Jayne Cortez “If the Drum is a Woman.”See it here!
In addition, we had many of our other regulars, Rusty Rebar, CaraVida, Nicole Henaras, Ted Walker and Justice Morrighan who read amazing poetry throughout the night.
We’ll be back in April to celebrate National Poetry Month with a poetry challenge, and our featured poet, Jack Hirschman!
2.12.12 - it is very interesting that this year every time I look at the clock I see the same numbers come up! It might not be a coincidence as the 2012 Santa Cruz Poetry Festival brought poets and artists from every style, generation and cultural background together in unison to celebrate poetry. Connection and unity was in the air. The event was organized by Daniel Yaryan of the Sparring with Beatnik Ghosts events and took place at the famous Coconut Grove on the Santa Cruz boardwalk in it's beautiful cabaret theater space, complete with disco-ball! There were many local poets and publishers set up with tables next to the main theater, a full bar with food and snacks.
Ginger Murray and Marc Kockinos hosted the event and did a fantastic job. Some of our favorite poets included: Cara Vida, who also showed her paintings, Avotcja and Eugene Warren on upright bass, Jack Hirschman, Ruebi Lynn Jimenz on guitar with Steven Gray, Charles Curtis Blackwell - and our friends from the Quiet Lightening reading series. Jennifer Barone, Daniel Heffez and Geordie Van Der Bosch performed - representing the WordParty! Here's a photo of Geordie getting down on his solo set with Cara Vida's painting behind him:
Next up ::: Come on down to the WordParty at Viracocha on Tuesday February 21st for our Valentine's theme of L-O-V-E in all shapes and forms, our favorite subject!
September was a busy month. Jennifer's dad Edward Barone was in town from New York City and was invited to be the featured poet at Caffe Roma in North Beach :
On Sept 15th - Jennifer Barone was the featured poet at the Reader's Cafe Poetry series along with Walter Gomez, poet and activist. Hosted by Jack Hirschman. Check out the Reader's Cafe for new featured poets every Thursday night at 6:30pm.
On September 17th, we were part of the fantastic event "Pablo con Pablo" in honor of the poet Pablo Neruda at the Delancy Street Screening Room. The event was a multi-media performance which included short films in reference to Pablo Neruda, poetry, music, dance and photography. Featured poets included: Pablo Rosales, Avotcja, Jacques Korn, Cara Vida, Jennifer Barone, Ingrid Keir, Steven Gray, Arthur Sheridan and was hosted by Marc Kockinos.
On September 20th, the WordParty's theme was 100 Thousand Poets for Change! It was a cool and intimate night, the weather outside was balmy and many poetry events were in the air. Our favorite poets came by to give us their take on the theme which included Jennifer running for the president of Love, Ingrid who gave us a piece about what "not" to say to a pregnant lady, Bear laid down the voodoo soul with "my baby's done changed the lock on my door". Diamond Dave came by to tell us his history of Viracocha, Ted Walker, Steven Gray, Jonathan Siegal, Justice Sweet, QR Hand Jr. and Pablo Rosales all came through with diverse and powerful pieces about change. Jennifer ended the night singing "Fever" with the band, and the party continued!
On September 24th, we joined "100 Thousand Poets for Change!" and poets around the globe. Jennifer went from the Beat Museum > City Hall to join friends and poets in the movement for change, peace, love and poetry! Check out our event page on their site and post your poems: http://www.bigbridge.org/100thousandpoetsforchange/?p=1947#comment-3294
Hoping to get more event re-cap videos posted soon... stay tuned... and see you next month for these great events: LitQuake - OutofOur & Switchback Saturday October 15th, 8:30pm-9:30pm at Mission Pie: 2901 Mission St (as 25th) SF CA
WordParty Bocce Ball Tournament - to raise funds for our first CD of featured WordParty poets! Sunday October 16, 11am at Joe DiMaggio Bocce Ball Court, $15 per person Visit www.thewordparty.com for more details!
August started off great. Jennifer and Daniel were the featured poets at the Open Heart Poetry open mic on Thursday August 4th, hosted by the one and only Marc Kockinos. He is such an elegant host, it's inspiring. Please go and support this open mic, one of the best in the city! Wish we had footage or a photo to share, but we were too busy getting down and reading about food to the sax while people were chowing on verse and drinking hot tea. Delicious tea and great poets at Om Shan Tea, every Thursday!
Our August installment of the WordParty had Martin Hickel of the Sausalito reading series, Sunset Poetry by the Bay co-hosting with Jennifer Barone. He did a great job, even after being asked on the spot to jump in and help host, what a professional! Here's a pic of Martin, kicking it off right:
Some favorite and fellow poets stopped by to grace us with a poem including: Steven Gray, Sarah Page, Danilee, Matthew Rodgers and Jessie Whiley who we haven't seen in too long. Jon O read a great poem called "a snail called Muni" in which he griped about the slow service of our favorite Muni transit system. Atypcl read a harsh poem about Obama. Steven Low read a poem about receiving an unemployment letter in the mail. Cesar Love read about Oedipus. Ellerie Ballard had a very short poem "I love you, I love you too. That's enough" - very endearing. Geordie Van Der Bosch our percussionist got up and read some of Steven Gray's poems from his new book with the band. Renaldo, Buford Buntin and Justice Sweet all read new pieces! Here's a photo of one of our new favorites, Bradly Werley, reading a rap poem called the "Rahj of Love" - too funny. We love him:
Our man about town, Evan Karp had uploaded some great video footage from the OutofOur event at Arte Internationale in North Beach. Featured poets included Jack Hirschman, Joan (J. R.) Brady, Annie Klopfer, Jimmy Mankind, Cara Vida, Mel Clay, Chris Cole, and Steven Gray, and Jennifer Barone & the Nova Jazz Band representing the WordParty. Check out Jennifer Barone reading her poems about "the slow migration of the North Beach poets", "Chinatown alleys at night", "the Poetry of Pasta" and "Hey, I'm Naked Up Here" with accompaniment by Nova Jazz: Daniel Heffez (sax), SteveShain (bass) and Geordie Van Der Bosch (congas):
September is going to be a hot month for poetry. Come on out for the next upcoming readings:
Edward Barone (Jennifer's dad) is going to be the featured poet at Caffe Roma.
Friday Sept 2nd -7pm. Open mic to follow.
Walter Gomez Jennifer Barone featuring at Fort Mason's Reader's Caffe,
hosted by Jack Hirschman Location: Readers Cafe, Fort Mason - Building C Date: Thursday September 15th, 2011 | Time: 6:30pm
WordParty Sept. 20th Theme:100 Thousand Poets for Change! Bring your poems about what you want to change in the world and get ready to kick-off a world-wide poetry celebration.
The WordParty Joins Diamond Dave at 100 Thousand Poets for Change at City Hall:
Date: Tuesday September 24th - Location: The steps of SF City Hall | Time: TBD
July was a happening month for poetry. LaborFest took over the city and we were lucky enough to catch some moving readings with Alice Rogoff and Andrea Zawinski at City Lights, very inspiring. Ted Walker had a theatrical performance at Viracocha, or what he lovingly calls the "V-cave," with his original play "Babble on Babylon." Check out his photographs on facebook, he even made some wicked costumes, impressive stuff. We are hoping that he does it again!
The July installment of the WordParty had our very own Bear as Jennifer's guest co-host. Bear had been wanting to do a special theme night for a long time about "Music" of course, his favorite subject. Poets were invited to bring poems inspired by the theme or even read song lyrics as if they were poems. Some of the highlights of the night were Bear reading "Rock Lobster" as a poem along with Luther Vandross' "Never too much." Ted Walker's poetic version of the "The Highlander" and Dan Brady doing Bob Dylan, QR Hand Jr was there along with Steve Arnston... The list goes on and on, too much fun, great performances... Nova Jazz was happy with our musical theme of course:
OutofOur had their issue 11 release party at the new Art Internationale art space in North Beach. Jennifer Barone read along with Nova Jazz to represent the WordParty. Jack Hirschman read along with Steven Gray, Cara Vida and more. Here's a photo of Sarah Page welcoming guests and handing out the latest issue of OutofOur, look for the WordParty's ad in the back and a poem by Jennifer.
In other news of July, Ingrid had a baby girl on Monday July 25, 2011 named Sierra. Truly one of her greatest works of art. We can't wait for her first poem, maybe we'll have a third co-hostess in the future? Welcome little Sierra!
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
