Laredo Border Slam’s top 10 poets of the year will compete for a spot on the 2018-2019 Laredo Border Slam Team on Thursday, March 22, at downtown’s Gallery 201.
The top 10 poets are Bones (Silvia Castaño), AXL (Armando X. López), Sam (Sam Bratton), Ms.Bea (Beatriz Seca), Mama G (Alma Gonzalez), Peps (Pepe Treviño), Tristan (Manuel Flores), Julia (Julia Orduña), Stacks (Carla Elizondo), and MC (Cristina Casas).
Alma Uribe of San Ygnacio recited a love poem at the River Pierce Spring Equinox poetry reading in San Ygnacio.
The doors of Gallery 201 will open at 9 p.m. and the Slam begins at 9:30. There is a $2 cover charge at the door. ID is required to enter.
There will be two rounds of three-minute performances before five judges. Props, music, costumes, and animals are not allowed. All work must be original.
Laredo Border Slam is looking for judges for the event. To volunteer please call Julia Orduña (956) 251-8042.
Poets on the newly formed team will compete in the Southern Fried championship in San Antonio June 12-16.
Attorney and longtime writer Armando López has been a slam poet for the last five years. “As often as I can say it, I tell people that Laredo Border Slam is my fountain of youth. When I am with the group, I am AXL and not any of the other labels that define my daily existence. Every writer is a peer, and input and is expected and appreciated,” he said.
He said he is appreciative of the community of poets who comprise Laredo Border Slam. “We have evolved into a family with all the joy and pain that comes our way. When we lost Robert Batey last summer, we all made the commitment to keep his vision of the Galactic Frontera a reality. That means developing our individual border vision and creating art without limitation or excuse. I tell my friends my age and beyond, that if they are concerned about today’s young people they should come to a slam and listen to these poets. These are courageous Laredoans who confront the realities of the border with hopeful and triumphant resolve,” he said.
San Ygnacio poet Alma Gonzalez came into the Laredo Border Slam group shortly after she lost both of her parents.
Sam Bratton read spring haiku poetry at Sunday’s Border Slam poetry event at the Treviño-Uribe Rancho in San Ygnacio.
“It has served as a cathartic experience for me and for many of the poets who share their story. I concur with Armando López who says that the slam poetry community is a fountain of youth. For a couple of hours every second and fourth Thursday of the month, our hearts are young again. We are an eclectic group of people and our ages span different generations, but there is an unspoken camaraderie there,” Gonzalez said.
Laredo Border Slam meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month to offer writers and spoken word artists a platform to express their work.
Thanks again Meg for the excellent story on the event in San Ygnacio and our upcoming finals.