-
Hey lovely poetry people, MacSlams’ tumblr is moving to a new blog home: macalesterslam.tumblr.com
Please find us there and follow us to keep getting updates, this page is now defunct.
-
Today we’re paying special tribute to Macalester Poetry Slam veteran and our first four-year CUPSI team member Niko Martell. He has done amazing work in his time here, and his poems “Wingdings” and “Transphobia” are two of our best known poems. Here he is doing one of his funniest, and hardest hitting pieces, “Guns.” We love you Niko, and even though you’ll be back helping out next year, MacSlams will miss you terribly after graduation.
-
Video reblogged from Button Poetry
This is the group piece Macalester took to CUPSI this year going up on the second night of competition. It features Renee Schminkey, Abbie Shain, and Anna Binkovitz. We had a blast this year and are so grateful to have put up work like this.
Abbie Shain, Anna Binkovitz and Renee Schminkey - “Caretakers” (CUPSI 2013)
“Caretaking is a dirty job that pays in guilt-free survival. The promise that death is the easy part.”
An incredible group piece from Macalester College, from last week’s College National Poetry Slam! We’ll be posting videos from the tournament over the next few weeks!
-
That’s right folks, MacSlams is all jazzed up for Women of the World Poetry Slam, and international gathering of 72 female poets that is taking place in Minneapolis STARTING TOMORROW, culminating in Finals on Saturday, March 9. For all the Details go to wow.poetryslam.com
On a personal note, I (Anna) am going to compete in this tournament alongside some of my twin cities mentors Kait Rokowski, Sierra DeMulder, and Cynthia French. This is an incredible community-building opportunity not just for the women involved but for anyone who comes into what I’m sure is going to be an amazing space.
So buy some tickets or better yet, volunteer! It’s super easy and you get in for free then!
Be sure to check out the Last Chance Slam tomorrow night at Kieran’s Irish Pub. Doors at 7. Abbie Shain, Rachel Rostad, and Renee Schminkey will be competing (that’s 3/5 of our team!)
-
You would think that getting ready for a national tournament would be enough to keep us busy, but think again! We’ve got some big plans for this semester, and here are a few upcoming events.
On Monday, February 18, Anna Binkovitz is having a release party for her very first chapbook The Love Hypothetic at 6pm at Groundswell Coffee (Hamline and Thomas Ave)
On Thursday February 21, the whole CUPSI 2013 team will be performing as a part of Who Even Listens to WMCN at the Cedar Cultural Center.
The next thursday, February 28, Anna and Abbie Shain are putting together a visual and audio all-female art show at Groundswell Coffee at 7pm.
And to round out this list, we have the release of Abbie Shain’s book Sweet Ache, on March 4, when Abbie will be featuring at the Soap Boxing Poetry Slam at the Artist’s Quarter.
And this isn’t even getting into the crazy awesome world of WoWPS. I’m excited, and you should be too.
-
Everyone. Seriously, tonight I am convinced the ten best college poets graced the stage, but in our fickle game, the scores have chosen our CUPSI 2013 team:
Abbie Shain
Niko Martell
Anna Binkovitz
Rachel Rostad
Renee Schminkey
That’s right folks, the team started with four dudes, is now eighty percent female. Now the fun starts.
-
I don’t know if you heard, but MacSlams is having our GrandSlam this coming Friday (Feb. 1 8pm, basement of Dupre dorm), and it’s gonna be fucking awesome. Speaking of fucking awesome, this guy right here. Ken Arkind is kindly featuring for us this week, and as you can see/hear (assuming you have a heart-no offense to our zombie followers) he is incredibly talented.
-
Today is the last day of our 30/30, and if you’ll indulge, Imma get a little sappy. It’s been so cool to see poems come out of this, not just for the quality of the work, but for the quality of the community. It meant a lot to know that so many people are out there wanting to improve and expand their writing. Okay, on to our last prompt!
This amazing man is Jamaal May, who we had the pleasure of hosting this past fall at MacSlams. In this piece, he wrote three poems in one. First you write two columns of a poem, each able to stand alone and also be read together as one piece. This is going to be hard, but this is the last day, so give it a push!
-
People view this photo as the height of romance. In reality, the man and woman didn’t even know each other, the man just grabbed her and kissed her. Pick one of the people in the photo and write a poem about that moment.
Tomorrow is our last day, and we have a special challenge for you!
-
1. List three fragile things (china, paper, whatever)
2. Imagine what it would be like to live in a house made of these things.
3. Tell the story of your life living in a breakable house.
