Word

Typical raucus Saturday night around here: early dinner, catch up on laundry and reading, bed by midnight -- briefly interrupted by bulletins concerning the Blawg Patrol vice raid (more later) and an HBO program that said, "Back away from the pile of socks and camisoles, sit down and give me just half an hour to blow your mind." This voluble show was HBO's Def Poetry Jam: eight performance poets who each took the stage and belted forth the powerful. (Here's Def Poetry's home page; there's also a related book.) All were inspiring in their unique ways -- this must be what the Ferlinghetti era was like -- and all had great wit, but Big Poppa E was unabashedly hilarious. Here's his online journal and check out these MP3s of his work, including a version of the Wussy Boy poem from the show ("No, Dad, I'm not gay, I'm just a little sensitive"), and Chain Record Store Blues: a four minute guffaw, but pretty raunchy so be warned.