E. Zora Knight

My photo
a special order, straight queer and strong black.

2006-07-06

My concussion/head injury seems to be doing well. I feel dizzy, but I think it has to do with my glasses.
first the mic was hot last night. Welcome back, if only for a moment, relentle. It was good to see you back on stage. The night started with a bang, and ended with a fizzle..... Let's see, I'll start on the positive, that way, if you are faint of heart you can stop.... I will give you a hint when it's time. Congrats B! Way to go at Ego's last night. Thanks Sarah and Ebony for tearing it up for me early. I thank you for starting it hot. Thanks, Ms. Jai Malano aka JaiByrd aka Jaiklmnop. I know you didn't want to do it. It was a classy move. Thanks. My little brother team mate - Trey!!!! Yup... Let's record that shyt HOMIE... hahahaha.. Angel and Ms. Jackson, thanks for coming in with new shyt. Sarah, if you shake your head "no" in my direction one more time we are going to fight. Shameless and Element thanks for being poets I can always call on. This dude Jazz came thru last night from Kansas. Now I didn't feel the evolution piece the way B did, but I definitely was feeling the Jewish piece. Man.. That was tight.... And to my soul-diers.. Way to help bring relentle up with that fire poetry tag. Went well......
Last night was fun. UNTIL... The last round of Mofo'king Poetry Tag. Dang. We've been doing this shyt for nearly five months, and...... UGH!

10 WAYS TO RUIN DA FIRE OF POETRY TAG & TURN INTO EVERY DAMN THING ELSE

10) act like you're surprised when your name is called
09) start pulling out a bunch of paper, one piece on paper is cool, but TWO?
08) and while you're on paper, not being able to read your OWN writing.
08) not pointing or calling the next person when you are done
07) waiting for applause
06) spit your ENTIRE piece
05) give a mofo'king disclosure, just spit damnit!
04) sitting down when you spit your piece
03) not spitting your piece with fire!
02) asking people over and over, "should I play"
and drumroll the number 1 way to ruin poetry tag
01) giggle, then ask, "are you pointing at me. I wasn't playing, but since you asked_____."


WARNING: if you chose to go further, if you have to ask me, then you are the REASON for the following rant... Think of this.. If poetry were our children, would you snatch my child's arm off because you liked the way it looked, or it worked so well, or it hung so nicely... And put it on your child's body?
I love Mo Browne, Christa Bell, Christopher Lee, Andrea Gibson, Talaam Acey, and on and on and on.... In 2004 in St. Louis, I heard Andrea Gibson spit a line: "I'll carve your name into my wrist so my pulse can kiss you" or something similar... And I nearly lost my mind. In 2005, when I saw Christa Bell, rock damn near every word that came out of her mouth.... I wanted, I wished I had found the heart to say, "Hip hop hates women" even though that's not my favorite piece by her. That same night I listened to Annis Mojani spit, "My father catches (can't remember the exact number) buses to water flowers", and I thought "wow". I have quoted one poet in my life, and even then it's a paraphrase, which I give him his due, "Like my boy Fluke says, we walk thru rain unbeknownst to the beauty of sunflowers." Now mind you, that's not an exact line in his piece entitled Sunflowers, but it references the work. AND I SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT IT BEFORE I EVER SPIT THE PIECE! Let me say this. It is not FLATTERY WHEN YOU COMMIT PLAGIARISM and steal lines from other poets. That shyt's not cute. Most, including myself, find it INSULTING. Especially when you look me in my face and act as if I'm not suppose to know my own mofo'king lines. I have heard three lines from my poems in two people's work. Every time I hear them spit MY LINES it causes shrill to claw up my spine. And I literally FIGHT MYSELF to keep from coming over and snatching my words out of your mofo'king mouth. Don't paraphrase, don't play on words. You and me and the AUDIENCE, ALL know the method in which I use them and you "try" to use them are the same. IDENTICAL. If one more person asks me why you keep putting my words in your poems I am going to point them in YOUR DIRECTION. What gives you away is the cadence. Now the line from my father piece, that's cute. But it's still my concept. AGAIN, I don't appreciate it. Now before you start asking people anything, keep this in mind. 1) If you had written your pieces before I wrote mine, we wouldn't be here. 2) Many of them already have already asked me why you are doing it. So I'd think before I went there. Why do you think I spit my pieces again? So they can hear what you are doing CLEARLY. And no, I don't want to have a conversation with you about it. Because this time I won't hint.

7 comments:

Intelfetish said...

OUCH! Wish I had been there to experience all the fire displayed on the mic, then again, maybe not. Sounds like you are a bit perturbed, don't be. Poets bite you because they want to be you, enjoy the misguided love dear...

my coffee is always said...

Naw.. the night was FUN.... You would have wanted to be there and would have loved every minute. Believe me... And you're right, I should view alot of it differently. And I did before hosting. Hosting gives you a different perspective... You want to keep the audience entertained, and since I am now more in tune with the audience, it makes the little "quirky" things about the poets a bit discerning... just criticing the overall show... and clearingmy mind from a converation I had... thanks though...

Shelle said...

lol, ouch, nice to have ya back kim...
overall it was interesting, and i am guilty of a couple of the points on the tag...sorry my bad

my coffee is always said...

Poetry tag has become an IMPORTANT PART OF THE SHOW, it is highly anticipated, and many audience members report they stay LATE TO SEE AND HEAR IT. Would you want to stay until 11:30 pm, only to see some of the things that we are ALL guilty of at times. I am no different. I make myself pay closer attention now. Just in case. Poetry tag is entertaining for the audience, and it gives the poet an opportunity to flex their craft, wit and charm. Remember it is still like coming up on stage to the mic. Would we do some of the things we do in poetry tag if we were on stage? I only want people to treat it as part of the show, coming up on stage. Not just an _____________.

CousinSarah said...

13, I hear you on the headshaking. It's my own fear. I need to commit to gettin more shit off book. That is why you do it. I know its outta love. :) I need to get it together.

Yeah, we need to finesse the tag.

Yeah line stealin without credit is no bueno.

SLUMP FACADE said...

Damn, sounds like you need to borrow my bullet proof vest on spit nights. Now you know this post will end up making you a marked poet, might want to check your inner circle; damn Judi... Now being quoted without credit is a compliment, regardless who knows, you know they are all on your young joc; so its going down!

Raquita said...

first I'mglad you are feeling better, and two, I know how you feel about that whole let me borrow that line.

Hey oneof hte chicks whoms blog i read - got whole entries of her blog lifted by like several people, How wack is that? you gonna lift my whole day? a bunch of them? yeah Stealing sucks, unless its music downloads, then that's not so bad - but stealing sucks.