The Rabbit Hole (Blog)

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Iambic: 6 months as a publisher

I created and published a local literary zine / guide book in Sacramento that has been in circulation for six months. It is called Iambic. Click here to head over to the Iambic Tab. I never thought I would be a magazine publisher but here is why I did it. This article below was added to Iambic issue 6:

Downtown Sacramento offers dozen of venues for art events. Second Saturday just shows a glimpse of it. On any given day, you can find visual arts, music, comedy, burlesques, and theater plays.

There is also large poetry community. I have been part of Sacramento poetry for the past two years. I entered the scene with little knowledge of the scope of poetry in Sacramento. Over the past two years, I have dedicated time and energy to seeking out as many poetry forums as I can find. I visited over a dozen venues and special events, met hundreds of poets in the area who regularly perform and have even worked with several on projects. What became apparent was that Sacramento lacked an up-to-date resource where people can seek out events, venues, coaches, and information about the Sacramento poetry scene. I looked at what had been established and decided that a zine would be appropriate for these three simple factors:

  1. Eskimo Pie website is online but it is not maintained anymore.

When I moved to Sacramento from Stockton in October 2015, I checked the Eskimo pie website (www.eskimopie.net). It offered a calendar for open mic venues and poetry events in the Central Valley community. It was established by Rebecca Morrison, well known poet in the Sacramento poetry community.  I had the fortune to meet Rebecca during her personal trip back to the states. The site became a great blueprint to model sections in Iambic.

  1. Display unknown people’s poetry, visual arts and short stories.

I learn one of the big caveats in literary magazines is that any work posted on social media is considered to be published. Poets and writers want to present their work to the masses but Industry wants to be the first to do it. Poets and writers early in their careers need small publications looking for new and unique works to feature them. Iambic offers a no-cost way to submit your work for consideration for publication. We publish frequently and our scope is very broad. I also created a “Youth Poet” section which feature poets less than 25 years of age.

  1. Be a guide to a large poetry community

I was alone when I moved to Sacramento.  I got a position at The Art institute, and was living with roommates.  My friend circle was bleak. I needed to find an activity to distract me from this. I discovered the Sacramento Poetry Center. I went to an open mic and was interested with poetry again.  So, I asked a few poets about other venues and they directed me to them.  So, I checked out all the open mic venues in the area and it became a habit. I started participating in open mics and studying to be a poet and spoken word artist. But, I notice that not all poets go to every open mic venue or workshop in town regularly.  Poets started noticing and asking me about different venues.  I would give them my analysis and I became known as a circuit poet.

Conclusion

I created Iambic to serve my poetry community as a guide since; there are a variety of venues for patrons and workshops for poets to work on their craft. But, it was also to make outsiders aware that a poetry scene exists. So, I have been publishing Iambic for 6 months. Here is to another successful six months!

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My Sherman Hemsley story

When I found out that Sherman Hemsley has died last week, it made me pause and reminisce about him. His acting career has spanned most of my life. Even with 3 successive shows and cameos, his acting career was paramount and his celebrity status has kept him relevant in the entertainment industry.  His short stature has given people, like comedian Kevin Hart or Martin Lawrence, a positive role model to be inspire by and not let their height be a crutch to their success.

In 1998, I was in the Army and living in Fort Lewis, Washington. My mother and brother came up to visit me from California. We went to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.  I always liked going to Vancouver and I have enjoyed my experience there. We arrived at our hotel to find out that the boy band, N-Sync, was, also, in town at the hotel across the street with a long line of teenage girl were waiting for them outside.

My brother was tired from the drive so, he stayed in the hotel to relax.  My mother and I toured the city and explored several location.  We ended up at Virgin records to do some CD shopping.  I was searching in the Rap/Hip hop section, when I looked over and noticed a familiar person in the Jazz section.

I wasn’t sure but I followed close as they heading to the cash registers. I grab my mom, paid for my CD, and headed outside.  He was only a few feet away from us. I called out to him, “Excuse me, Mister!” He, then, turned around and it was none other than Sherman Hemsley.  My mom stood there shock and speechless.  I, on the other hand, was too excited that I started to charade my answer with dance and one-liner because I forgot his name. He smiled and asked me to calm down.  I was astonished that he was able to walk the streets of Vancouver without being rushed by the public.

He took a picture with my mom and gave his autograph.  Then, he shook our hands and departed down the street.  My mom and I still talk about that moment.  To Sherman, thank you for the Jeffersons and Amen episodes.  Plus, being in Vancouver for my mother first Canadian visit.  May you rest in peace.

Actor Sherman Hemsley has died.

 

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Iambic’s Meet the Host: Wendy Williams

Wendy Williams extraordinary story goes beyond being a open mic host at Sacramento Poetry Center.  She is a speaker, published writer/ poet, English teacher, Coach, and visual artist. She considers herself an artistic Healer.  Her website, Restory your life, present her work and her experience with Post traumatic stress disorder.  I interview Wendy with 10 unique questions for July’s issue:

When did you start writing poetry and why continue doing it?

I started writing poetry in 1976. I was struggling in life and poetry provided me with an outlet for intense emotion and a way to get clarity by putting ideas onto a page.

When did you start hosting poetry readings and why?

I started hosting poetry around 2013. I was on the board for the Sacramento Poetry Center. After Paco Marquez, the previous host, left for graduate school in New York City, Bob Stanley asked if I wanted to fill the vacancy and I went for it!

Do you watch poetry at other venues like Mahogany, Shine café, or Luna’s café? Why?

I’ve been to Shine and Luna’s. I especially like Luna’s because of the super open mic where all types of folks read and react. There’s a lot of emotion from the audience and the poets, which feels good.

Did you ever wanted to go & hang out at Shine Café due to its LGBTQA following that is present there?

Yeah, I’m gonna check out the LGBTQA scene at Speak Out Sacramento. Haven’t yet.

As a PTSD survivor, is your message to help others people deal with their PTSD? Is that what your website’s main objective?

My main objective for the website is to help others see that they might unknowingly have PTSD or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. (I don’t like the “Disorder” part of the term because, in my view, it’s inaccurate.) In any case, I have PTSD from an infant surgery without anesthesia. Many people experience symptoms from early trauma but don’t realize it. They conclude they are crazy, weird, or screwed up. Some drink or do drugs to deal with symptoms. I want people to know that they could be suffering from unresolved trauma and they can get help. They can work to resolve the trauma and find relief, understanding, and peace.
You have several poems published and a book. Impressive. Which way do you like better? Publishing a book or submit poems for publish books?

I like the process of getting a book published more than the act of sending out poems. Working with Dave Boles, my editor of Cold River Press, was easy and fun. He’s super professional. And he’s a real nice guy.

So, tell me about Restory your life?

ReStory Your Life is about using writing to heal from trauma and reclaim your authenticity. Oftentimes, trauma (past hurts) run our life and we’ve got to face our pain and resolve it so that we can become more of our real self. Freedom after trauma is what we’re after. I teach Writing as Healing classes and have done speaking engagements on this subject. I’ve also worked one-on-one with folks.

Viewing your website, poems, books, and art; what do you consider yourself? Artist? Healer?

I am an artist healer.

How do you feel about the current state of poetry presented by young poets?

I love the young poets’ poetry–lots of emotion, caring, concern for others, passion, anger about injustice, and experimentation. l like spoken word poetry and the slam experience. I LOVE all the slants rhymes because language is being used in a new way.

How would you feel if you were appointed poet laureate? What would you do?

Poet laureate? I’d feel overwhelmed. I’m still teaching at community college and getting a Writing as Healing class off the ground. Let’s say I were appointed for fun’s sake. Maybe I’d spearhead a big conference/celebration/slam week to showcase all the different poets and types of poetry in the Sacramento area. We’d have workshops running all day and ask the public schools to participate. It would be like a poetry lovefest for our region. We have so much richness, don’t we?  Let’s all get-together and see who we are and share it with everyone. We’d make most of the events free somehow and try to get grants or donations for use of a space. We’d also invite folks in from the surrounding counties to check us out. Sound grand? It could be.

Thank you for reading the interview with Wendy Williams. You can find more about Wendy and her life healing program at http://www.restoryyourlife.com

 

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Iambic’s Meet the Host: NSAA: Part 1

Lawrence “NSAA” Dinkins is a Renaissance man: Veteran Poet, Poetry Show Host, Blogger, Recording artist, photographer, graphic designer, podcaster, entrepreneur and book author. A Detroit native, his portfolio life has made him an active artist in the Sacramento art and poetry scene. He appears in June’s Issue of Iambic.

His latest event is Poet vs. Band on June 11, 2017 At Gold Lion Arts (2733 Riverside Blvd) at 3pm – 6pm. The event will be filled with poets and musicians & will be celebrating NSAA birthday.  For more information, visit his website: http://www.nsaa360.com

This is part 1 of our interview where we discusses his poetical Journey:

So, how long have you been doing poetry? When did you become a poetry show host?

I guess I started around 2009. The Sacramento urban poetry scene was slowing down. A lot of my favorite poetry spots was thinning out and falling off. Me becoming a host wasn’t about ego thinking, “I’m a poetry pillar” but instead it was an act of desperation. It was a finger in the dike. I didn’t know if I could save poetry at Mahogany but it was worth a try. So, I offered to host a Wednesday. I mean if one or two people are coming out I can host that. But we survived the drought and Khiry (Khiry Malik, founder of Mahogany Poetry Series) brought on more host. I am very proud to say that I helped save Mahogany in some small way. We also must give much love Zion and Queen Sheba for allowing Mahogany to stay there after they took over that location.

Do you enjoy form or academic poetry (sonnets, odes, Villanelle) or free verse?

I think all forms have their value. We are living in such an open time thankful to those like the beat poets that smashed the poetry rules making free verse a more acceptable poetry style. My love is free verse, of course. But occasionally, I write in form.

Did you perform or publish poetry in Detroit? If so, how were the poetry spots difference from Sacramento scene?

I didn’t start coming out as a poet until I got here in Sacramento.

As a sketch artist, how does it compliment your poetry?

Sketching allows you to really look at things, as does all art forms. But for me sketching allows me to really see things. You might say something is beautiful or interesting but what makes that something appealing to you. When you try to sketch it and really capture what it is that draw you to a subject you’re mind switches. In figure drawing class, you learn this. Nudity in public is a taboo because of its link to sexuality but in figure drawing class something interesting happens in your brain, a trigger, and you start to see the human body more than a sexual or shameful object but as something beautiful and difficult to capture.

You are known as a Poet veteran in the Sacramento Poetry community like Bob Stanley, Sean King, and Indigo Moor. But, you are still more active than them in streets and corporate realms. Why?

I don’t see myself as more active. Bob (Bob Stanley, president of Sacramento Poetry center) is everywhere. What I’m saying is that we just don’t know what they are doing, there is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. Now I will say I’m a grass root poet or a poet on the street. I believe in poetry, I believe in art, that it should be accessible, have meaning, help in some way. Theater, dance, visual, short story, storytelling, spoken and written poetry, song all the art forms should elevate, imagine, reflect, solve the human experience and plight. What does it mean to be human, right now? Who are you, right now? As an artist, this is what I reach for. The other poets you mention are doing that in their own way, probably in a better way than I am.

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Chris Cornell(even I liked him)

In the 90s, I experience a moment in music. Hip-hop was starting to propel itself beyond the ghettos into the suburbs and rural areas. House music started the push of dance music that evolved even further than what is even played on the radio.  Even pop music started to become a formula that could be used in any genre of music and create song that would saturate the radio and billboard charts.  But, what about happen to rock music?

Continue reading “Chris Cornell(even I liked him)”

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Podcast: Meet the Host ft. Grace Loescher

In May issue (Volume 1, Issue 2), Iambic’s CharRon has a discussion with Grace Loescher, One of Host of Sacramento Speak Out, an Open Mic Show at Shine Cafe in Sacramento.

Grace is a DC native who moved to California after her university graduation in Florida.  She became a program director of Waking the Village, a non-profit organization devoted to ending youth homelessness.

She became host, accidently, after Midtown Outloud host shutdown the open mic show at Shine Café in November 2016. She and 2 other host (Matt Walsh and HK Poet) banded together and open a new open mic show called Sacramento Speak Out.  The open mic show has a strong LGBTQA following that still continues to thrive in Sacramento.

An spoken word artist herself, she collaborated with Singer-songwriter Jordan Moore on their new EP, Some call it holy. The EP is available on ITunes.  They also just completed a mini tour in Downtown Sacramento.

We discuss being a new host and being a poet, something that she did not go to college for(Grace has degrees in Studio Art and Theater Art). Plus, Being a solo host and working with others. For more information about Grace and her endeavors, check out her website: http://www.gracemakesstuff.com

https://soundcloud.com/aseriousproduction/iambic-grace
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Attention (Acrostic poem)

  • Direct your attention
  • I‘m about to flow
  • Ready for eargasms? Then here we go.
  • Eccentric lyrics and rhythms are the key.
  • Captivating you mind fame as you can see
  • Titillating your temporal lobe with a verbal lobotomy
  • Yes, kind sir.
  • Open for suggestions?
  • Unity is needed. why, they are opposing?
  • Resistance is approaching. Let’s be blunt.
  • Every blind persons has a want
  • You’re not giving it to them
  • Every color is beautiful
  • Show it to them

Let the words above reveal the message you seek
and follow the instructions as we speak.

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Playing solo(mentality)

Say What?

I was surprised to find out that masturbation month was celebrated in May. An odd rabbit hole to fall into. In the past, it occurred to me how ashamed I felt about the act.  I never wanted to catch my kids or vise-versa doing it. It was a struggle to understand that masturbation is normal.  We all should educate ourselves(with our partners) about masturbation to destroy the taboo in society.  The more we understand it, the better we will feel about it. But, what about mental masturbation?

Continue reading “Playing solo(mentality)”