we have such a cool season of theme slams set up, I'm sadder than ever that I won't be here for them. sigh. but YOU, the phantom YOU who might be reading this, YOU can be there! so here's the scoop:

louderMONDAYS: every Monday at 13 Bar/Lounge
35 E. 13th St., Union Square, NYC
sign up at 7 p.m sharp
$5 ($4 with student ID)
2-for-1 drinks all night
always an open mic and feature, often a slam

MAY 31: *UPPERCASE!* Three times a year, we celebrate
the lifeblood of louderMONDAYS: the up and coming
voices who regularly grace our stage with new work,
fresh ideas, and an unmatched passion for poetry. Join
us this Monday as MATTHEW SIEGEL, JESSICA TORRES, and
MARIA NIEVES showcase their growth and their glory.
And share your own on the open mic! Hosted by Fish
Vargas.

***JUNE IS THEME SLAM MONTH!!!***

JUNE 7: *HOT OFF THE PRESS New Poem SLAM* and *PATRICK
ROSAL!* This is a night for the history books. Check
it out: Old-school B-Boy, New Jersey native, and son
of Ilokano immigrants, Patrick Rosal is the author of
“Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive” (Persea Books) and
the chapbook “Uncommon Denominators,” which won the
Palanquin Poetry Series Award. This award-winning
world-travelling mind-blowing poet and performer joins
us for one night only, and what a night it'll be!
Preceded by the OPEN MIC, Rosal's feature leads us
directly into our first theme slam of the summer: the
HOT OFF THE PRESS New Poem SLAM! Bring your freshest
craziest best new work to compete in this three-round
festival of the new!

JUNE 14: One delicious evening awaits us: presenting
*CHERYL CLARK* and the *HUNGER & FULL SLAM!* Cheryl
Clark is a self-described unregenerate black
lesbian-feminist poet, and author of four books of
poetry. Don't miss out on this dynamic,
boundary-destroying performer! And continuing our
tradition of summer theme slam madness, bring your
work about hunger, food, appetite, deliciosity (yes,
we invented a word just for this slam!) -- WARNING:
the judges will be scoring based on both the fantastic
nature of your poem and peformance AND on its
relevance to the theme! Question? email
curator@louderARTS.com. All of this preceded by the
best open mic in NYC!

JUNE 21: The summer of poetic intensity continues as
*SHELLY STENHOUSE* features and we rock out with the
*TRIBUTE* slam! Shelly Stenhouse is a NYFA recipient,
author of “PANTS,” and in addition to being widely
published and anthologized and twice nominated for the
Pushcart Prize, is one kick-ass reader. We are blessed
to have her grace our mic, and we need YOU to kick the
night off right by reading on the OPEN MIC. And come
prepared to rock the TRIBUTE SLAM with poems by and
about other poets, dead or alive, present or absent!
See you there!

JUNE 28: Break out your poetic lingerie – it's the
*Poetic Lingerie EROTICA SLAM* and *EDWARD CLAPP's*
feature! Ed Clapp is a world-travelling word-slinging
artist, educator, and community activist who will
knock your proverbial socks off with his joy and wit
and experiment. After the city's sexiest OPEN MIC and
Ed's terrific feature, we move on to Bar 13's
first-ever POETIC LINGERIE Erotica SLAM Oh yes, as if
we're not sexy enough every week, we're challenging
you to destroy the notions of what erotica is – the
judges expect to be transported, and scores will be
based on craft, presentation, and originality. Do you
have what it takes?

JULY 5: JERRY QUICKLEY stops off on his way to Iraq
JULY 19: JOHN RODRIGUEZ plus REGIONAL REGIONAL SLAM
JULY 26: SF poet ANTHONY MILLER and NYC REGIONALS

See you Monday!!!

The louderARTS Project
www.louderARTS.com