poetic injustice, February 11

There should be no need to wait to February, i.e. “Black History Month,” to bring an array like this of local spoken word & Slam artists & poets together. In fact, the host of this event held at the Troy Music Hall, D. Colin, presents open mics & readings & performances throughout the year at her regular venue, Poetic Vibe (find it on Facebook), as well as other community artistic projects. 

D. Colin started us off with the title poem from her book Dreaming in Kreyol (Empress Bohemia Press, 2015), with the stunning opening line, “I dream in a language that fells like home…” She is an enthusiastic performer of her work with a voice that rings clear like a bell. She returned later with another poem titled “A Drop in the Ocean.”  The program was organized to have performers do a piece, then return later with another, which worked well to keep the keep the energy flowing.

Samira followed with a protest poem, then later with a tribute poem both in a Slam performance style. Mojavi is a poet who has been active in the local poetry scene since he was a student at UAlbany, later ran the open mic series “Soul Kitchen” at Clayton’s Caribbean Restaurant, & was a member of Albany’s Slam team. He did a love poem backed up by DJ T.G.I.F., & later a piece on “words.”

Jamaica Miles is a local activist who often speaks at social justice rallies & demonstrations, tonight she was a poet with 2 personal poems that delved deeply into racism. 

Poetic Visionz is another performer who has been on stage in the local open mic & Slam scene, who often plays on common phrases & words to weave complex philosophical performances. Here he also involved DJ T.G.I.F. in his performance of  “Context Champs Everything,” & later read a love poem.

Zo Zigga did a piece written for this night titled “In Darkness,” then later one titled “Namesake,” both pointedly energetic performances.

The one fly-in-the-ointment, for me, was the stand-up alleged comic whose name I, perhaps fortunately, didn’t catch. Like nearly all performers in this genre he was arrogant, self-inflated & would pick out audience members to whom he directed his remarks. Before he told one “joke” he demanded the audience to “make some noise!” I was tempted to boo but thought better of it. Fortunately the rest of the show continued without him.

Angelique recited a piece from Ntozanke Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, then later performed her own wonderfully affirmative love poem beginning “Here’s to the honey in you…”

Justice was introduced as a black entrepreneur, did a piece drawing the distinction between “ownership” & “being owned,” putting new words on the central issue of slavery & racism.

Rae, a muralist, spoke on a similar theme, “The Contemporary Servitude.” Also at the end of the scheduled program was Tamika with a piece written on the spot, the performers inspiring even more work. 

Apparently I slipped out before the open mic, but what I heard was a wonderful, inspiring affirmation of the power & extent of the spoken word, working to counter racism, & to change, for the better, the historical economic & political power structures.

Let’s keep this kind of energy going in every month of the year.

& you don't have to take my word for it -- you can watch it yourself at https://youtu.be/XuArTWyyWLY