Three weeks today to June 8 when Capturing Fire ignites its 8th slam happy weekend with the launch of the landmark anthology Stoked Words. The anthology captures work by the many brilliant poets who have slammed, participated or wore fabulous shirts. Yes, I’m in the anthology. What pieces? You’ll have to wait to find out. Being a US publication it might end up in the Library of Congress!
The launch, workshops & slam are all taking place at The Woolly Mammoth Theatre on D St. NW. Getting there will take me through parts of Washington I have have never seen so there’ll be lots of new photo ops, new exotic Starbucks to discover (as if Starbucks is exotic). Schedule of workshops posted here: https://capfireslam.org/2018-schedule/.
I’m staying at the same hotel, which is steps away from DuPont Circle metro. Google maps tells me its a 45 min walk to the Wooly, which I think is doable, depending on the humidex. I’ve checked for coffee shops & restaurants near the theatre so I’m prepared. If I get lost I’ll have someplace to eat.
A couple of day excursions have been planed. One day will be the zoo. Trying to line up a local guide so I can get some photos of me that aren’t washroom selfies 🙂 The zoo looks to be fun & also within walking distance. Another day I’ll take in the Air & Space museum. Two tourist destinations are all I can enjoy before it feels like duty.
Six Feet Under
a moment of silence
to respect
those who have been silenced
to offer a dignity
a solemnity
all that’s missing
is the hashtag
a #moment of #silence
showing support
without doing #anything
by silenced
I don’t mean marginalized
I don’t mean neutralized
I mean murdered
by others
by their own hand
by neglect
by #silent shame
where is the moment of retaliation
oh no we can’t do that
that sinks us down to their level
getting even isn’t justice
it doesn’t get good press
#victimization
gets all the good press
a moment of violence
of striking back is tut tut not adult
we must have silence
so the healing can begin
why not a moment of vanity
in which we all pull out a mirror
to contemplate our own faces
to see where we fit in
while the screaming is still going on
to figure out why
forgiveness is more fulfilling
that taking the victimizers to task
where was their forgiveness
so I don’t forgive
that’s my flaw
I’m called out for being bitter
not understanding enough
unwilling to make a social context
that rationalizes actions
that spring from a troubled childhood
from a drug addled brain
from books of words holy pages
that approves
making victims of others
in the name of righteousness
a moment of silence
to prove that I am emotionally more mature
I can take it
I can rise above
the blood soaked streets
an angel of mercy
fuck that
fuck fuck fuck that
I don’t care about
perpetrators’ apologies
how they feel remorse
I don’t want revenge
I want an eon of silence
not a moment of silence
I want it to stop
before we’re all six feet under
every Tuesday
June 8-9 – Capturing Fire 2018 – Washington D.C. (flight & hotel already booked)
capfireslam.org
Hey! Now you can give me $$$ to defray blog fees & buy ice cream in Washington at 2018’s capfireslam.org – sweet,eh? paypal.me/TOpoet
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