Button Poetry

Hieu Nguyen - “Traffic Jam”

“At my high school graduation, my aunt told me that our voices were so similar. I began talking to myself, told myself how proud you were, told myself that you were coming back.”

Another incredible poem from Hieu, up and coming star of the twin cities poetry scene, Write Bloody Finalist, and member of the 2012 Saint Paul Soap-Boxing National Slam Team.

Dylan Garity and Sam Cook - “Yardsales”

“How do you ask someone if she remembers an old age you never had together?”

Another rare group piece from the twin cities scene… this poem first saw the stage at the 2009 National Poetry Slam in Florida, and Sam and Dylan rewrote it for this year’s Rustbelt. 

Siaara ‘Controversi’ Freeman - “The Last Time You Lost Your Virginity”

“The fifth time you lost your virginity you sliced the insides of your thighs with your sister’s dull razor, to ensure you would bleed for him.”

Hailing from the Cleveland poetry scene, Siaara is a delight to watch and an absolutely charming human being. Follow her on twitter @ControversiSays

Hanif Abdurraqib - “Your Mother Asked Me To Come Up Here And Kill You”

“Get elbows deep in Pandora’s Box of pirated culture. Stand tornado-siren atop the finest homes and facelift the neighborhoods. Get comfortable.”

One of the funniest and best-structured political poems I’ve seen in a long time. Rustbelt finals stage was awesome.

Marty McConnell - “The World’s Guide to Beginning”

“How did you get this far without knowing lust is disaster’s good cousin, what flickers when the rest is burned down or blown away?” 

Take the time to give this piece a good listen. One of the most original, fun, and beautifully written poems of the tournament.

Deonte Osayande - “Ghost of a Child”

Another excellent poem from Indie Finals stage at Rustbelt. It’s worth reiterating that this finals stage, both indie and team, was one of the most impressive we’ve seen at both regional and national tournaments in the last few years.  A constant reminder of why we do this. 

Izetta Nicole - “The King’s Speech”

Another of our favorite poems from Rustbelt finals this year. Izetta is performing here with Columbus Team Writer’s Block, the champions of the tournament.

Dylan Garity and Anna Binkovitz - “Not the Choir”

In slam, a lot of group pieces seem to exist solely as a way to amplify the volume of a performance. Sometimes, though, they create a fascinating and original dialogue that would be impossible with just one performer. This piece, originally from the Macalester 2012 CUPSI team, is a great example.

Mike Rosen - “Old Haunts”

A truly moving performance by Mike Rosen on indie finals stage at Rustbelt 2012.

“Start chasing California, like it’s the last bus out of a bad neighborhood…

For More on Mike Rosen check out about.me/mikerosen

Josh Smith - “Engine”

One of our favorite poems from Rustbelt. An incredibly controlled, well-crafted metaphor. Josh is a Wesleyan graduate, performing here with the Too Soon Collective. In addition to his poetry, Josh makes awesome music! Check it out here: :http://www.facebook.com/joshsmithmusicpage