We've Already Won

It was September of 2007. I just finished performing a new piece, “Don’t Wake Them,” and the crowd was still buzzing in delight. Slam Richmond’s newest member, Survivor, Megan and I walked outside. I watched the two as they smoked their cigarettes and I tried to distance myself just enough to not seem rude, but just enough to enjoy the night air. Survivor turned to me and said, “You did a great job tonight. You should compete for Slam Richmond.” He then went on to tell me how Slam Nahuatl going to nationals was a bad idea; how it wouldn’t work. He told me how I could learn a lot from him and how my writing needed to grow, how he had been taught by poets who studied at the finest universities. I smiled politely and left.

July 2008. Slam Nahuatl just finished performing a new piece, “A Manual on Remembering I am Beautiful,” clinching victory over Slam Richmond. I looked across the Poe Museum Garden and each time my eyes connected with a member of Slam Richmond they looked away embarrassed: Nazdak, Megan, Narrator and Survivor; each with their own story of how they turned their back on Nahuatl and doubted me as a poet and as a Slam Master. Did Nazdak foresee Slam Richmond’s stock falling? Did Megan second guess her decision? Could Lee Jones narrate a poem on going back on his word? Could they all “survive” the embarrassment?

Although only they (i.e. Nazdak, Megan, Narrator and Survivor) could answer these questions personally, one thing is clear: Nahuatl existing and going to nationals is a great thing! The Richmond poetry scene use to be a monopoly and, for all those who understand economics, a monopoly results in low quality products and high prices. This monopoly was begun by Tom ‘Sanchez’ Prunier who compensated for his lack of poetry skills with organizational ones. In other words, Tom understood that by incorporating a slam team he might have a chance to actually make the team by controlling aspects of the selection process, rules, etc. This actually worked in Slam Richmond Season “Too” were several judges were friends of Tom, including Donna Joyce. As a result, Tom placed higher than various poets he never previously beat (clearly better poets). This clearly broke the slam rules, but in a monopoly little can be done to ensure fairness. Now with the presence of two teams in Richmond, competition is elevating and poets such as Tom no longer have what it takes to make a team. Individuals such as Megan Rickman, who missed out previously, can now take their rightful position on a poetry team attending Nationals. And why you may ask? Because of Slam Nahuatl.

Bottom line: no matter what happens at Nationals, Slam Nahuatl has already won. Even if Slam Richmond beats us and does well at nationals, they can attribute that win to Slam Nahuatl. I guarantee you that after the humiliating experience at the Poe Museum, Slam Richmond is practicing that much harder even as we speak. They will be that much more prepared for nationals because the entire year they had to elevate their performances knowing another slam venue was in town. We have also done something Slam Richmond could never do for poetry in Richmond: drawn big crowds such as the bout against Charlotte, the two times we’ve performed at the Poe Museum and First Friday’s street performances. We did this without sponsorship (i.e. Madmonkie Entertainment) and without “big name” poets. Our team has done various free performances at schools, churches and community centers. You define your own success and Slam Nahuatl defined this early on as being true to ourselves and performing with all that we have every time we perform. Regardless of the scores, we always win when we perform. Hopefully, Slam Richmond will learn this lesson one day.

Lastly, to address Survivor’s comment about him teaching me to write. I was awarded a degree in Creative Writing from Hamilton College. My professor was an individual named George O’ Connell, the 2005-2006 U.S. Fulbright Professor of Creative Writing and American Literature and also the winner of the Pablo Neruda Award and several other literary awards. Hamilton is also were Ezra Pound attended school. Pound is accredited with starting the modernist movement in the early 20th century, a movement that encouraged breaking all conventional rules of poetry. In essence, much of what Slam is today originated with Pound. So as far as you being taught by poets who studied at the finest universities goes: you were taught by them, I AM them. Class is dismissed.