As expected, Rich’s feature was la bomba

The Acentos crowd came through like gang busters as well fully appreciating his set of introspective, eclectic work. The intimacy of the Blue Ox has become the oft-mentioned two-sided sword in that it is a homey down to earth spot to read (big plus) that also lets you get the most face-to-face with the audience as possible (potential big drawback). Carlito’s Cafe is a close second but the low lights make it hard to see ALL the faces (but you can sure hear the groans when you don’t bring it). There is also Tribes, which I only recently discovered, but you already have Steve Cannon in the house so I can see how folks already are a bit intimidated.

Last week, I had a sit-down with my moms. It’s been a while since me and the old lady have hashed it out and I really miss it. If my dad is the “great un-communicator,” my moms is the “amazing empath.” She can break it all down into a few sentences and knows exactly what I am trying to duck when I get on the defensive.

Funny part of the convo- my moms did not know she had a major role in one of my pieces (Sorta-Rican: Prelude 2). I am hella private with my work outside of the scene (kinda private inside the scene too as I only trust maybe six or so scattas opinion) which explains why it took her this long to find out. I got to read her the piece and did a pretty good job of on the fly translation which means I may have to call in some favors and get a translation under way. Well, moms got a kick out of it and 100% remembers the conversation that birthed the poem. There are a few liberties that I took (McDonalds never came up) because the facts and the truth in the poem are two totally different things (endless debate #357) in my eyes but for the most part it is a fact which is rare in my work.

Other “real” people that appear in my work

::John P is the actual two-stepper in MotB

::Eric F makes a metaphoric appearance in Capicu

::Dad is in ultimo canto and The Great Un-Communicator

::Tina is the inspiration and co-star of both Ceviche and Brooklyn Back Break Beat

::Leticia is actually about two women- (duh!) Leticia (the one that I always felt “got away” in Ecuador) but is actually based upon a conversation with a girlfriend in Ecua, Jenny. Sorry, truth.in.poetry.lovers, Oda para Jenny does NOT have the same ring

::Star is the real deal as are the names of Corona, Munequita, and Spider and I really wanted to include a reference to an exotic dancer by the name of February in there but didn’t quite get the chance though I have a feeling that Cartography is not the last of the 3AM series.

::Speaking of, my maternal grandfather is named Oscar and he did die at sea.

::Oh lord! My Mom is also in that poem and she makes a big apperance in ultimo canto a piece that hasn’t gotten much airplay this year on W.E.R.D. radio

Oh, my Mom and “my moms” are two different people as my mom passed away when I was 13 and then my Dad came back from Ecua to take care of us and brought with him my baby sister, Diana, and my step-mom, Alexandra. For the longest I would call her just Ale but then when I had to make reference of her outside of the house I would just call her my moms since the issue of my mother’s death was (and remains) a serious subject and one I didn’t always want to talk about.

Thanks to my moms and some recent convos with El Profe it looks like I may have to write an all espanol piece since the only one my moms prefers to keep it real old school when it comes to conversation.

A nice challenge for sure and a chance to study some more of my “Obra Completa de Julia de Burgos” but not till I finish all of Patrick Rosal’s “Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive”

tonight is acentos at the blue ox bar, as it is every second & fourth tuesday. c’mon uptown for the boogie downs best open mic (plug over)

the important part is that RICH VILLAR is your feature for tonight and its an amazing opportunity to say “DAMN! has it only been a year since rich has been around?”

well, its been a lil over a year since rich has been in the corners of the NYC poetry scene but YES! it is a year since he stepped up to the acentos open mic and, well, kinda took over.

in that year rich has

*been a member of the organizing body @ Acentos

*become a host of the Nuyorican Open Room on friday nights

*performed his work on WBAI

*been an upperCASE feature at bar13

*has also featured at numerous venues & festivals all over nyc and beyond

*become a member of the louderARTS Project

*made it on to team NYC|louderARTS 2004

and, most importantly (for me)

been the spearheading force of what we like to call “the New Hotness” at Acentos

every time rich steps to the mic, he is always armed with new work and by osmosis all of us crazy latinos that hang with him on the regular feel the overwhelming need to bring “New Shit” to the mic

last Acentos- 20 open micers- 16 new poems- figure it out

and all of this in one year’s time

come on by, say hello and stick around for what promises to be a night of seriously fresh, still warm in the box, pipin hot new poems and (maybe?) a classic or two from the man we loving call

El Profe

take care y’all

“Nothing wrong with having heroes but if you want to avoid disappointment, it’s better if you choose dead ones.” Oscar Bermeo (2004)

yeah- i am quoting myself but if you cant get indulgent in your own blog, where else can you. as to the above quote, i’ve been lucky enough to always humanize my inspirations and avoid all the expectations and pitfalls.

warning: nebulous entry ahead

i was gonna try to keep it on the d.l. but some folks were very kind and let the online cat out the hat.

as per always, ima play it close to the vest and remain understated. eric wonders why this is any different from any other year.

the greatest thing is looking over the group of people that have jumped into the jet stream of my life that i hadn’t even spoken to last year. i really love y’all (you know who you are)

quite a number of friends have survived through this turmoil with me. self destruction is a crazy road and one i was pretty sure i had to walk alone but the best laid plans and such.

maybe i will have a drink tonight- a toast of scotch sounds good.

im working today- i love working on this day. curse of the immigrant child and all. mucho projects here today- another plus.

ima treat myself with a gym membership.

love y’all like if you were all wednesday’s child…

*after dawn saylor’s line “the janis years”

Cellular Change Bring Real Life “Day After Tomorrow” To Life

Tue Jun 1, 2004 6:37 PM ET

BRONX, New York (Reuters) – Terrified of being responsible for the death of innocents should her phone fall next to live wire lines, Lovella Rose inadvertently sets off disaster. Full Article

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it’s 6:27 right now and the reason we are having a sudden thunder storm is because our dear lil calica is getting a new phone… w.e.r.d.

since they have to download her info (in DOS) and transfer her old battery to a waste removal center (the EPA has been contacted), the subsequent ionic discharge has wrecked havoc on ecosystems all over the hemisphere (kinda like the Perfect Storm 2)

luckily, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is on the watch and are assuring us that all is well… in related news, no! lovella’s old phone was not the rumored US WMD…

reporting live from the bx… i be o.b.