Written by poetry stalwart Timothy Train a strange man, doing his best in strange times. Actually he's more than a stalwart of poetry: the man's made out of poetry, quite literally.
Our researchers at Tales Told by an Idiot have recently done a little checking into Timothy's background, uncovering several secret documents (previously thought destroyed) bringing new validity to accusation that Timothy Train is no longer a flesh and blood human, but a ghastly creature composed only of poetics and facial hair.
New evidence handed in at our offices indicate Timothy Train once went by the name Timothy Train, and back in 2006 traveled to Uruguay to have performed a highly illegal, extremely dangerous and unnecessarily complicated series of operations, where most of his original body was replaced by cloned poetry tissue.
The documentation indicates that Senor Train had most of his endocrine and lymphatic systems replaced with stanzas, rhymes and alliterations. Even the vast mass of what appears to be facial hair is now believed to be in fact a series of assonant couplet semaphores. Shocking.
So far Timothy Train (or should we call him Timothy Train) has denied all allegations, replying only that we should by his quirky and hilarious zine Badgers Dozen, and continue reading his Will type For Foodblog.
More on this story as it deteriorates...right now I'm off to drink a glass of testosterone and eat a Care Bear.
Tomorrow’s Sweetalkers will be a unique experience for us all, never before has there been such a large roster of featured performers in one gig, each and all New Zealand-bred visitors to the Melbourne poetry scene.
Now even though they come as a group, I promise you the combination of these eight individuals will remain every bit as diverse and complimentary a-line up as you’ve come to expect from my programming at Sweetalkers. So let's specific about what came over the Pacific, or uh, Tasman:
MICHAEL RUDD
Michael Rudd is Ngati Pakeha New Zealander of Aotearoa, described as an 'oralist' and performance poet, he is also developing his enjoyment of sound poetry, voice and words as an instrument and all that. Also enjoys creating/performing improv poetry Like fatherhood he was a late starter in poetry, and for both he is thankful.
His hobbies include producing poetry/spoken word gigs, which he done so for many years both sides of the Tasman, most recent been the 1st NZ Poetry Slam in late 2011 Michael has performed and promoted poetry on television, radio, on the street, in bars, trains, buses, prison and a lot of places in between.
ZANE SCARBOROUGH
Zane is a NZ Maori (Ngapuhi) raised in Auckland City, father and husband, a youth-worker of sorts, and a member of the South Auckland Poets Collective, a strong collective of poets that brings to voice the urban Pacific and Maori experience, using the power of poetry and spoken word. Zane placed 3rd at the 1st New Zealand Poetry Slam held in Wellington, October 2011.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
ALI JACS
After performing her poetry live one fateful night at a bar in Saskatoon, Canada, Ali caught the spoken word bug. Her poetry is inspired by people, landscapes and cultures encountered on the road, exploring themes of politics, sexuality, social and environmental justice and the madness of these crazy times. Having travelled extensively across Canada and Europe, before moving back home to NZ where she runs the monthly poetry series Poetry in Motion in Wellington. Ali scored 2nd place in both the Going West Writer’s Festival Poetry Slam in Auckland, and in New Zealand’s inaugural National Poetry Slam.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
Ali has just completed her first chapbook, which will be on sale at Sweetalkers for $12.
BRAD McCORMICK
Brad started performance poetry at a competition called ‘Poetry Idol’ in 2009. After two years overseas writing absolutely no poetry at all, in 2011 he began again managing to take the top prizes at both the Going West Poetry Slam in Auckland and the New Zealand Poetry Slam in Wellington. Brad ekes out a living as an actor and internet copywriter and lives in Auckland with his lovely fiancée, Nancy Kniveton.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
CLARA JANE SIONE
A lover of the arts, based in Otara, she refers to her poetry as mental notes learning how to speak. she writes of imagination, her life in south Auckland and her family. A member of the South Auckland Poets Collective, Clara recently moved to Melbourne... (so hopefully we'll see more of her after this, if you guys are nice and stuff)
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
DIETRICH SOAKAI
has been a youth development worker for Youthline for 7 years. He is passionate about hearing people's stories and experiences which lead to him to South Auckland Poets Collective, of which he is an active member. His poetry is written with the intent to provoke thoughts and reactions in audience. Dietrich has written pieces about Faith, finding love and the want to 'Sky Dive' through life (see YouTube below for more on that)
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
MICHELLE (DUREY) BOLTON
This Canadian born Spanish-American considers New Zealand home, as a ‘kiwi-bred’ universal citizen. Michelle has spent her life all over the world, scribbling about her experiences since she was able to hold a pen. Michelle is a fledgling performance poet, who has been published in “Blackmail Press issue 14” and the “NZ Poetry.Org -Winter Edition”. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry entitled “Wheel of the World”. When she’s not hosting spoken word events like LIVE the “Library Bar”, Michelle spends her time raising her 3 kids and trying to complete a second collection of poetry.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...with special guest: TOURETTES
Hi I’m Tourettes, I like rapping, poetry and playing the drums. I write about politics, love and diseases. I’m in a crew called Breakin wreckwordz. We’re pretty good. Here’s a list of things I’ve done that make my Mum proud: • Won the national emcee battle title and came second in Australasia • Released two albums- “the misadventures of Johnny Favourite” and “Gimme Five Dollars and I'll Show You My Dick!” • Toured New Zealand, Australia, Europe, England and Japan • Won heaps of poetry slams • Supported international bands like Dizzie Rascal, Atmosphere and Sage Francis • Had writing published in various publications including Landfall • Got heaps of ugly tattoos At the moment I’m trying to find the best medium to get the voices out of my head and into yours. That’s all. Peace
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...and your host MC: RANDALL STEPHENS
For me personally, this Sweetalkers brings my poetry life full circle, being able to host so many fine artists from my homeland, and completing a circuit begun when I toured New Zealand for two months early last year. Some of these folks, I met and heard perform back then, others I’m excitedly waiting to hear for the first time live tomorrow, and as MC I’ll be peppering the afternoon with a few of my own poems from that tour. Speaking of that tour:
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...and yeah, as some of you may also know, this will be the last regular Sweetalkers gig for a little while, so it's kinda fitting to be back at the ol' Bendigo Hotel one last time. Please note it's 2pm in the afternoon.
So come along, buy me a beer and help me pack up some chairs afterwards. Cheers
Sunday April 8th 2PM The Bendigo Hotel 125 Johnston Street, Collingwood
please save me from chosen people on a flat Earth on a self-righteous path blood-red carpeted by the many books re-written all singularly purporting to have the right answer
save me from hiding behind the veil of civil liberty's shiny shield springing attacks on women's rights on homo sexuality and human progress
save me from myself
save me from submitting myself from calls to bow down not to think to question about imaginary friends in our head or monsters under my bed
save me from taking human messages of hope and book-binding them shackled with fear
you've been with us right from the beginning closing doors in righteous cause haven't you taken enough time
and hell is what you made of it bloated and overfed while heaven's a dream of a world without gods all their saviours long dead
save me from them the only ones who comdemn sin me up a scoreboard preying upon my soul
save me the obstinate obsession with tolling up transgression save your breath for the life-after-death your ideas, at least, might get
their time will be through when people finally realise all we have ever actually needed saving from
