Let me tell you about the wonderful David Huang. I met him in Minneapolis during my first National Poetry slam in 2002. He is an amazing photographer with a huge heart who just so happens to be obsessed with poetry slam. He attends every major event and shoots constantly with his big camera that is always in his hands. After he has amassed hundreds of photos in one day, he'll upload them on his website, Poetic Dream.
Without him, our movement would be much MUCH less documented.
So, courtesy of my man David Huang, I give you the NPS 05:
Oh Ken Arkind from Denver, let us cross the threshold.
Oh Suz. You're right, yo. So right.
Two of my best friends, Suzy La Follette and Nick Fox.
Jeanne, great benefactor & friend.
Good conversations.
Was I wearing pants in this picture? I can't remember, we had been nightswimming...
A member of Team France, one of my favorite poets from the event in one of my favorite pictures. His cante flamenco pieces, if only I could hear them again.
Performing "Emergency Broadcast System" at our second bout.
"I don't know what that poem was about, but boy were those cool t-shirts!"
Performing our duo "This Spanish."
Ditto.
"This poem should be about my lungs / filled only with the names of men / who have given me entire worlds."
LEFTY EMPOWERMENT POEM!
"A hundred boys fighting to be king of the playground!"
Push it, Meg.
If you had never heard of poetry slam, what the hell would you think we were doing in this picture?!
"Here's the wind-up and the pitch..."
"Raise up your left hands!"
I said raise them!!
Scream it, Aaron baby.
Raise them, bitches! This is our last poem at Nationals!
And we plead with you, audience!
"You gotta reach out and grab this big ugly world by its balls with ya left hand!"
Celebration! Yay France! Yay Berekley! Yay Eugene! Yay us!
