Coming Up for Air

I have been back from The 21st Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam since Sunday, but I’m still recovering from the glut of food, friends, and poetry that Southern Fried inevitably brings.

If you saw my earlier post about ‘Beignets, Po’Boys and Poetry,” you  know what I wanted to eat. I am happy to report that I did have a beignet and a po’boy (andouille), along with duck gumbo, Cajun seafood boil, crab cheesecake (tasted better than it sounds), and a single pizza slice on Bourbon Street.

Slam teams 2.1.5th from Philly and Treat YoSelf from DC tied for first place in the competition, the first time ever that Southern Fried has had a tie in that category. I won’t bore you with the pictures, but I did act as the sacrificial poet in one of the bouts, mid-volunteer duty. I loved it! Next year, Southern Fried will be in Greenville, South Carolina, and I plan on being in the middle of it all.

If you love spoken word, poetry, or slam poetry in particular, search “Southern Fried 2013” or “SoFried2013” on YouTube to check out all the amazing poets.

In accordance with Southern Fried tradition, here are some of my highlights:

21. The charm and history of New Orleans…everywhere you walked looked like a postcard! Too beautiful.

20. The kind older gentleman at the Daiquiri Cafe who gave my friend and I umbrellas to brave the rain outside. He told us, “Don’t tell anybody I did this for ya’ll.” Our dry clothes testified anyway.

17. Riding in a volunteer’s truck and her soft voice saying, “This is my city, but we’re about to hit the 9th Ward, so I’m turning around now.”  0_0

15. The funny/creepy guy who silently kissed my hand and gestured “shhh” mutely at the After Party. Did I know him? Nooooo.

7. Getting to be a sacrificial poet and NOT messing up my poem 🙂 the simple things.

5. The wonderful mentorship that poet Gypsee Yo offered me and four other lady poets before her competition one night.  What a beautiful spirit!

2. The love…all of it…every hug I got, every thank you, every conversation, every poem spit sincerely…that’s what I came for, and that’s what I take home til next year.