Thursday, January 29, 2015

Compilation Poem January 29,2015 by the Writers of Speak For Yourself Open Mic

Stretched to the Surface

Very often a hero is one who stands alone
I feel such adoration
Rather easy to be alone, even with others around
I need a cocoon
Started out as a Catholic, then agnostic, then a hippy
I hope my ignorance never flares
When the hinges of world pinched at our hallowed mentalities
Where are all the people?
Life pulls them all out into a pile on the floor.
I am ignorant.
Silence encloses me like iron walls
And watch[es] me with solemn mockery
And in the bright morning
The moon expanded
Against the wind of time
The wind howls its discontent
It gives and it takes.
The lake is a lie.
Tonight I will sleep on its rocking surface.
I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead.
My heart pounds and I breathe heavy.
Angered at the ignorance almost tangible in the air.
I'm not going to pretend it doesn't hurt anymore.
We all lie.
Wondering why I'm not as good as the rest
Leaving me in a sea of broken
I'm partly numb
Insomnia's returned
I [am] not the kid I once was.
Emptiness fill[s] me to the brim
On the plains of hesitation
Dabbling in the mud
Finding peace in a temporal haze
The sun, the moon, the stars
I'll rise above
The guilt of every wrong move.

(Compiled by Trish Hopkinson)

Friday, January 23, 2015

Featured Writers: May 1, 2014 to November 7, 2014

We'll be posting pictures etc. when we have a featured writer perform for us.  We usually have one or two a month, followed by an open mic.  It has been exciting to hear from our local talent!  Here's a quick round up of the writers who so graciously joined us in our first 7 months:

May 1, 2014: RJ Walker

RJ is a slam poet from Salt Lake City who was instrumental in getting SFYS off the ground.  He very kindly agreed to be our first feature on our very first night.  Silly me, I neglected to get good pictures!  But we do have one from a subsequent SFYS.

http://rjwalker.bandcamp.com/
http://www.rjwalkerspokenword.com/


May 8, 2014: Courtney Hammond

Courtney is a slam poet from Salt Lake City who competed on the Salt City Slam Team in 2014.

https://twitter.com/agirlcalledface






May 15, 2014: Benjamin Barker

Ben is another great slam poet from Salt Lake City (the SLC poets have been really supportive!). Ben has competed nationally and is a well known and popular poet.

http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com/post/59060811072/benjamin-barker-rubiks-cube-she-was-there





June 19: Willy Palomo

Willy is another Salt Lake City poet, who has represented SLC in the national slam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNR5IqHOSPI


July 17, 2014: Eric Samuelsen

Eric is a local playwright, former BYU theatre professor, and a great supporter of developing writers.

http://www.mormoniconoclast.com/





August 7, 2014: Kyle Nelson

Kyle is the teacher who inspired and encouraged his student writers at Lone Peak High School by creating a poetry night called Speak For Yourself.  His students are among the founders and writers of SFYS Open Mic.





August 28, 2014: Writers from the Utah Reflections Anthology: Phyllis Barber, Lance Larsen, Kace Johnstun, and Chadd VanZanten

Four writers from this new and beautiful anthology came to SFYS and shared selections from the book.

https://www.facebook.com/WasatchFrontReflections

Phyllis Barber

Lance Larsen (Utah's Poet Laureate)

Kace Johnstun

Chadd VanZanten




October 2, 2014: Rob Carney

Rob is a professor from UVU who is also a published author and accomplished poet.

http://www.escapeintolife.com/poetry/rob-carney/comment-page-1/





October 23, 2014: Darren Edwards

Darren is the founder of Storm the Mic (creative writing open mic) in St. George, Utah and the Wham Bam Slam.  He is also Editor in Chief for the Southern Utah arts magazine The Creative.

https://www.facebook.com/southernutahcreative
https://whambamthankyouslam.wordpress.com/




October 31, 2014: Edgar Allen Poe

Halloween drew this famous (and dead) American poet to our open mic.

http://www.poemuseum.org/





November 7, 2014: Gray Brian Thomas

Gray is a prolific writer and performer who co-founded Wasatch Wordsmiths and the University of Utah Slam Team.

http://tiredhearts.storenvy.com/products/1041982-a-small-city-of-the-mind-poems-by-gray-brian-thomas-2nd-printing


Thursday, January 22, 2015

January 22, 2015 Compilation Poem: Writers of SFYS

The revolution won't be televised
You are the thing farthest away from me but always there
Diaphragm flexing advocates for staying longer
You offer a tremendous trail and it ends closely.
It's as if a bare bulb swings from industrial rafters in a barren room.
Damn, elephant!
The right moment at the wrong time
The arithmetic we do and say and are
Not at 1 am when you didn't close your eyes
Maybe leave a verse or two if you are feeling financially reckless, carve it in stone
Everything was so exciting.
His happiness had given me life.
When we speak, I hear you.
The toxic waste spoken.
It gives you Hollywood chills.
I see wild, wild, wild.
Continuing as the stars that shine.
This was the most releasing and most darkening moment of my life.
Poetry like a boomerang.  The thing that I loved came back tome.
This is a finger on the lips.
A creative, introspective self-portrait.
I am just an afterthought
a lethal embrace
The night's frost holds its hand
A complicated life is you.
I think it's time we took our first steps off the ground.
You follow shade away from red rebirth.
Can you taste everything she holds?

(Compiled by Jessica Dixon)