Just to clear a few things up and hopefully put them to bed. I have been asked to answer a few questions by a man whom i have the utmost respect for, primarily because the feeling is mutual. See its as simple as that. This got me to thinking. Is this type of behavior accepted in the world of poetry in other places?. Is this the norm?. Where do we draw the lines?. Help me understand this guys.
Here goes
The Poet’s Loft to my knowledge has never PROMISED or GUARANTEED anyone a certain payment for Wednesday night features. I have stated that “on a good night for a good performance i have witnessed some poets receiving anywhere from 30 tho 75 dollars in the hat pass and in some cases more”. now if you interpret that to mean i guarantee you 75 payment and your pissed because you received 10 in the hat then i do not know what to tell you.
The Poet’s loft has never denied access to this venue or support to any poetry project conducted by any poet in the state of Arkansas, now wait for it…if you approached me about a qualifying slam to send a team to nationals and got the response “of course as long as its open to everyone and fairly judged” and your response was “oh no we already have our team we just need to satisfy PSI”. and my response was” Uh NO” and now several years later your still hold a resentment then i just do not know what to say to you.
If you have ever misled PSI, your friends and fellow poets about a chance to compete at nationals and then underhandedly tried to send a team under false pretenses flying the Poet’s Loft flag and were caught by myself and Steve Marsh and denied, and now several years later you are still holding a resentment then i do not know what to say to you.
If you have ever tried to go to nationals under false pretenses representing the loft when you are not associated with the loft and tried to mislead our nonprofit to fund you and were denied and now several years later you still hold a resentment then i do not know what to say to you.
If you have ever maliciously planned and executed a vulgar scheme to shake hands with the Loft keeper with the same hand you just masturbated with unwashed and thought it was funny enough to brag about it openly and your ass was thrown out and now several years later you still hold a resentment then i do not know what to say to you.
If you have ever asked me to move the date of the ARKANSAS GRAND SLAM mid year so it would not interfere with your monthly slam and i refused. if you view that as disrespect and if you happened to take that as a personal insult and you still hold a resentment several years later. then i do not know what to say to you.
If you happen to view an open door policy and national embracement and inclusion as an invasion of outsiders and view other artist whom embrace that as step and fetch nuggas, merch poets, golden boys getting golden paychecks etc then… i just dont know what to say to you.
If you have ever been immature and disrespectful enough to verbally cuss a 77 year old woman over upholding health dept regulations and not allowing to put your carry out in the icebox….well …or you’ve verbally attacked the most beloved loft elder the most respected most generous benefactor and loft provider ever, on the sidewalk in front of witnesses because you were called on your behavior and were thrown out, i mean really do i have to say anything else.
Now with all that said, viewed as Dictatorship, Gestapo, Pacifism, Communism or whatever. let me now say this.
That type of behavior is NOT simply living life as a poet. It is unacceptable and unforgivable. The Poets Loft is the crown jewel of slam poetry venues, it is an international icon, there are certain expectations and standards that will be amplified with in theses walls and across the nation for anyone who is or has ever inspired to be an artist. if you cannot understand that, support it ,embrace it.. i do not know what else to say to you.
Now there were no names mentioned here but if you know exactly who is responsible for what, then you inevitably know every word is undeniably true. chew on that for a little while.
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