As historical markers line our streets, telling us that art,
activism, and Ann Arbor are dead, we long for the fresh and
vital.
- Janna Hutz
- Gabriel Peoples performs at the U Club. (MIKE HULSEBUS/Daily)
- Janna Hutz
- LSA senior Brandon Rawls DJs during a poetry slam. (MIKE HULSEBUS/Daily)
After an election that never spoke to us, we search for the
place where we can hear ourselves. Our own words seem to mean less
and less, so we look for the people who can still say something.
The academy has severed our heads from our bodies, our buildings
from our streets, and our lives from our loves. But we still know
what we want.
We want rooms full of people, standing, dancing, yelling,
singing, clapping, calling our names.
We want to make our own awe, inspiration, commiseration,
seduction.
We want words to leave their coffins, hit us once, and fly away
like ghosts.
We want our samizdat, our underground railroad, our Filmore
East, and yes, our Six Gallery.
We want our Pound, Williams, Baraka. Our man on the street and
our man upstairs. Our eyes, debauched. Our ears, de-waxed. Our
everything all at once.
Tonight, we’ll settle for a poetry slam.
Upcoming Poetry Slams at the U Club in the Michigan
Union:
Tonight – Special guest poet Nikki Patin takes the stage
as well as many others.
Nov. 18 – Speaker Omekongo Dibinga participates in this
Environmental Justice themed slam.
Dec. 2 – Poet TBA
8 p.m. – Doors open
8:30 p.m. – Open mic
9 p.m. – Poetry Slam
10 p.m. – Guest poet