Season 2 Primer: THE CATCH UP (AKA the "We Still Outchea" post, AKA Episode 11.5ish)
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud & wherever* else you get podcasts
While the Cliqueâs been building a studio and Kuya been out cracking knuckles with IGâs most popping poetry presence, we high-key left the pod audience hanging longer than 2k D'Angelou fans waiting for black messiah. So we back real quick before season two launches in quick catch-up style to let yaâll know what's good!
Liner notes from Episode 11 ft. Bess Kepp. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
Low lit school theatre and palpable hip hop in the air to be a heard for blocks around. People of all types out front feeling the ability to share art in a public parking lot; A Mic and Dim Lights has always been a safe haven for this poetry generation. Bess Kepp had a message for us all and JB brought a community together through music and good vibes. Dim lights is where I met Bess Kepp and JB ten years ago, and it is a place I am happy to call my artistic home.
I would hit Dim Lights sporadically throughout my early twenties. It was one of the only spots for all of us who were just out-of-reach of the abundant LA open mics. For severals years, I never shared or performed; instead, I quietly popped in, often to just get into something of worth on a Thursday night. After poetry became more of a focus in my writing, I began going regularly and Bess and JB were always welcoming, quickly making me feel like I was a part community. Bess had a style of hosting that always made you feel like he loved art, and through your own art, loved you as well. As I developed more of my work in spoken word, Bess was ever encouraging, and I always felt that Bess and JB were grateful to the folks who came out to Dim Lights just as much as we are grateful to them. It was that encouragement and gratitude for the AMDL Community that really set me out on this whole Pen Clique thing.
Bess told me once that I could really do something with this poetry thing. I struggle finding value in my own work and it helped to have him tell me something opposing the critiques my mind would whisper. I have been doing a lot of different things with art for a lot of years and thought that the one thing missing from poetry was consistent and developed poetry content in the digital world. My initial intention in entering the community was to show people that this community is dope, and I was at first hoping to be someone behind the scenes far from the camera. After realizing this was going to have to be something I was more involved with, and after meeting Kuya David through community leader and dear poetry brother Charles Williams, I had what we needed to show someone the power of poetry.
Bess signed up for the show early and recorded last. I wanted to end strong and knew he would be an exclamation point for the end of our season. I had the flu the day of filming, but Bessâ sheer presence perked me up though; he hit the show hard, and it makes me proud to say that the first thing Bess Kepp said on Pen clique was,
âShock value lost its value When Emmett Till happenâŠâ
Moving through the episode with his poetry, I had several moments of gratitude to Bess and JB, actualizations of their place, and positive influences in our lives. Bess rounded out the episode with a piece not in defense of trap music, but in support of the blacks arts as a whole. I believe through the black arts, poetry and hip hop, people like Bess Kepp and JB Â are doing work to save Americas soul, redeeming this country one dope line at time.
Now that weâve ended the season with one of my inspirations for doing this all in the first place, the mighty Stockton-bred Bess Kepp, I imagine yaâll are wondering what next?! Did we succeed?! Will we move forward? The answer is, of course we will. We are still the most LIT poetry podcast in the known universe and making this show is a joy to Kuya and I; we are grateful to you, the audience, for rockin with us and giving our podcast a home: your eyes and ears. It is a lot of work though, work we are willing to keep doing to keep all you exposed to art that may change or potentially save your lives. Bess Kepp told me once through a poem we could all get together and do some dope poetry shit, and I think weâll keep doing that until the wheels fall off.
The Pomona Poetry Godfather: Episode 11 ft. Bess Kepp
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, & wherever* else you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠_yet._
Get hit with 20+ years of Poetry wisdom! Cory âBess Keppâ Cofer cliques up, bringing with him his deep bag of poetry tricks and hip hop clout. Bess illuminates black struggle and pain like Big Daddy Kane during âThreads and Linesâ and the boys dive deep into the poetic pond and get salty and sweet during the â2 Piece Comboâ.
Episode index & more info after the jump...
[Episode Index]
âShockwaveâ 0:36
Threads & Lines: 3:21
2 Piece | âRaise Upâ 11:49
2 Piece | #poetry: 28:34
5 For Your Eye | 38:11
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: "Raise Up" - G YamazawaÂ
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @c.j_peterson
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ
Bess Kepp on Facebook | Instagram
Daniel Hees on Instagram
Kuya David on Instagram | Twitter | Snap: @primepoetrylg
Liner notes from Episode 10 ft. Angela Peñaredondo. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
In a rec. room at a community college I found poetry exciting again, and the conduit to that was Angela Peñaredondo. I had finished performing the normal âCollege Presentationâ poetry set, inspirational and politically-motivational pieces being the cornerstone for most college shows. Angela was one of the poets I shared the stage with, and she presented a video collaboration; showcasing her poetry with visual accompaniment. The visual and poem were lost on me at first glance, and that was surprisingly refreshing. Angela was not trying to make a point that was easy to understand, but make art in the hopes it carries a point along with it.
It was this approach and need for revisiting a poem that got me excited.
Poetry can be a conduit to change, and is often used to inspire political and social action in the spoken word community, but Angela was something different. No easy-to-understand punches and hits, no catchy word play or simplified wisdom. You need to earn that artistic interpretation. Angela represented to me the part of poetry that first got me hooked; The â What did they mean?â part of this poetry ting. Angelaâs work wasnât to be sold on loud performance flourishes or room shaking one-liners, but instead built on the foundations of poetic ambiguity and a need to interpret. Angela excited a part of my artistic soul that wanted to explore, anticipating the discovery of if I was spot on, or realizing I got more digging to do before I reach those gems.
We invited Angela to âClique Upâ in the hopes that we could show our audience this side of the poetry world. Her âThreads and Linesâ piece took work for Kuya and I to find points of understanding we could move forward with. As spoken word heads, weâre trained to write in a way that can be understood in the live venue, because if it donât land it donât hit. But without the constraints of real-time comprehension, literary poetry serves as a reminder of our connection to this ambiguous art world where interpretation allows us to get in where we (think we) fit in. Angela continued to represent with her â5 For Your Eyeâ piece, now with us having better context of her work and how her literary style operates. The experience opened our eyes and ears to become more receptive of how dope Angelaâs work is, once we got over our stage-vs-page poetry hangups. It was this journey, this paradigm shift that was needed to be shown through at least one literary poet in the season.
There are a lot of us out there writing poetry; from the professional (paid) poet to those just trying to get through their lives, but we are all connected to the same thing. That thing is not easily understood and definable and that is why literary poetry is so important for poets to learn that revisiting ideas is a part of discovery. There are parts of poetry that remain unseen unless we really dig in, and poets like Angela reminded us that thereâs always more to discover and learn from.
LITerary Poetry & Trash âKey-Stylesâ: Episode 10 ft. Angela Peñaredondo
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, & wherever* else you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠yet.
We welcome our first and only literary poet of the season, Angela Peñaredondo, to clique up! We dissect the literary poetry process and throw poetry sugar and salt at the "2 Piece Combo.âAngela shuts it down at the end by bringing a poem worth all the re-reads for the "5 for Ya Eyeâ.
Episode index & more info after the jump...
[Episode Index]
âMeditations On a Fistâ 0:35
Threads & Lines: 4:20
2 Piece | âSea Saltâ 15:41
2 Piece | #poetry: 28:34
5 For Your Eye | 38:11
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: "Sea Saltâ - written by David Mason, adapted by Motionpoems
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @killusionrebirth
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ
Angela Peñaredondo Online | Facebook
Daniel Hees on Instagram
Kuya David on Instagram | Twitter | Snap: @primepoetrylg
Liner notes from Episode 09 ft. Kito Fortune. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
I first met Kito on the DPL steps, waiting to slam. I wish I had known that this quiet kid that Iâm sharing the stoop with would soon reveal himself on stage to be an electrifying performer that I was about to lose to, and exactly what Iâm always hoping to see at poetry slams. Kito is not just a poet, but a force of artistic energy funneled through poetry and performance.
That night, Kito advanced to slam semi finals with a piece call âNerd Loveâ, a piece that I can identify with as a poet, but more importantly, as a social outlier. âNerd Loveâ is an anthem to those of us up-late trying to âcatch âem allâ while binging FMA brotherhood; thinking we might never find someone to love, someone that gets us and all our weirdness. Beyond the message, his performance, energy and passion had me at the edge of my seat, with his captivating stage presence. Captivating is for sure how I would best describe Kito. When people step out of themselves through mediums like art and poetry, they can inhabit performances that communicate God to people, and thatâs what I experience through Kitoâs work.
Kito made the Hollywood Slam team that year, and it was in the midst of another slam season that we approached him to do the show. Kito was a goal of a guest for me to book this season; I wanted to show people how these exciting, young talents think, and how they communicate with their audiences and themselves. I wanted to pick Kitoâs brain, hoping to unearth some of those gems to show our audience... but leave it to Kito to drop diamonds on the mic as he performed a piece about his unspoken struggles as a reluctant extrovert. Kitoâs âThreads and Linesâ piece was special to me not only because I relate to it personally but because I am in envy of it artistically.Â
To be vulnerable and honest, to know yourself and your struggle, and then to effectively perform it is again how God would communicate. Though it was just Kuya and myself in the room, Kitoâs slam-champ instincts kicked into gear as his voice boomed in my living room like he was performing for hundreds at âNationals (which he has done and will do again). And by the end of the episode I gained not only a strong love and respect for Kito, but an affirmation of what this poetry thing REALLY is and what itâs doing for us all.
I mentioned in the episode, âI canât wait for Kito to win Nationals,â and thatâs something I know heâll reach; his work ethic and talent are something to believe. Itâs rare for me to be surprised or taken aback by poets or art, but I am always surprised by Kito; if for no other reason than hearing gods speak so clearly through such a young, talented, froâd-out black man.
Extrovert Struggles, BBQ Postcards, & Dope Trash: Episode 09 ft. Kito Fortune
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, SoundCloud, & wherever* you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠yet.
Slam champion Kito Fortune blesses the clique with an eye into the extroverts struggles. The whole clique throws them fiery words during the 2-piece poetry review and a debates cracks OFF over the IG poetry game. Kito closes it out as his â5 for Ya Eyeâ procrastination births poetry diamonds.
Episode index & more info after the jumpâŠ
[Episode Index]
âExtrovertâ 0:34
Threads & Lines: 4:38
2 Piece | âHow We Forgetâ 19:00
2 Piece | #poetry: 41:00
5 For Your Eye | 51:28
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: âHow We Forgetâ -Loyce Gayo
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @zeroRoads
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ
Kito Fortune on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Daniel Hees on Instagram
Kuya David on Instagram | Twitter | Snap: @primepoetrylg
Liner notes from Episode 08 ft. Matt Sedillo. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
I found a real love for performance poetry through A Mic and Dim Lights and people like Matt Sedillo. I remember first seeing Sedillo perform years ago and being blown away. Matt Sedillo performs with more passion and energy than any political poet I have encountered to date. Seeing him get down, early in my development, was an invaluable example of what poetry, and the passion behind it, could be...
After some years, around the time my poetry finally started to go somewhere other than my recycle bin, I invited Sedillo to come on Chubby Fat, the comedy show I host. I was apprehensive at first, not because of Matt but because I wasnât sure how he would handle the end-of-episode performance spot we offer all of our guests on Chubby Fat. Typically on the show, the guest intros, we do the comedy rounds of the show, then spit a poem or song to close out the episode. What I got from Matt that day was unexpected, and another opportunity for revelation about what poetry could be. He performed a version of âLorena,â a well known poem of his, but instead of the loud passionate delivery we usually get from Sedillo he gave us a soft, dare I say vulnerable, version of the piece. This political anthem about the barrio and Chicano hardships was done with a beautiful sense of earnest struggle. As he almost whispered the final lines of the poem, it revealed a side of Matt I consider myself fortunate to know: A political poet, not in this for the political or social gain, but because of a need to express and progress his people â another hurting Chicano unwilling to silently endear the struggles of his people in this country.
It was that performance style I was hoping to get out of Matt on Pen clique. I was hoping he would show the world what he has taught me: Rely on your passion, and anger, when you need it while always expressing what you earnestly feel. He did not disappoint. We got the most LIT fuck-you political poem possibly ever written! He adapted his style to fit the small venue like we saw on Chubby Fat, but still got so much of his feelings and frustrations into the piece. Often with political poets I see a minister-like delivery and attitude, but Matt has never reminded me of those people. Matt reminds me of the woke elders and artists ahead of us that have been outspoken in their lives because they canât live with the oppression they see in their community. Matt Sedillo, as political and often loud as his poetry can be, never gives his audience anything outside of his heart and never says things to make a political point. Rather, he uses political points to express the feelings inside of a lot of Chicano people.
I wanted Matt on Pen Clique because I believe political poetry is important, and having political poets working from a benevolent place can be rare to find. The agenda may be more important than the people at times, but Matt Sedillo is an example of a poet whose politics are informed by his feelings for the people firstly. Sedillo has taught me not to be afraid to yell out my frustrations with this broken system, while always doing it with great device and the passion of a guerrero.
Dropping F-bombs w/ Precision, Salty Haikus & Poli'tricks: Epiosde 08 ft. Matt Sedillo
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, SoundCloud, & wherever* you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠_yet._
Matt Sedillo cliques up this episode to clusterbomb the mic with F-bombs, we praise & crit a Prentice Powell performance, roast on a salty haiku, and chop it up about them poli'tricks!Â
Episode index & more info after the jumpâŠ
[Episode Index]
Soil From His Fingertipsâ | 0:37
Threads & Lines | 4:18
2 Piece | â59â by Harry Baker | 10:55
2 Piece | #poetry by @@costas_kournis | 27:20
5 For Your Eye | 34:38ï»ż
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo:Â âThe Systemâ by Prentice Powell
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @futureDeadPoet
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ
Matt Sedillo on Instagram |Â
Daniel Hees on Instagram
Kuya David on Instagram | Twitter | Snap: @primepoetrylg
Liner notes from Episode 07 ft. Lady Basco. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
If you know about Lady Basco or âOur Mic,â the space she holds with her partner Beau Sia, then itâs easy to see why she would be high on the list to be a part of Pen Clique. Our Mic is a special place for artist and the community, a space where the regular boundaries and expectations of an Open Mic are mixed up into a new, more organic and raw experience. Interacting with Beau and Lady B in life can hold the same experience. This was what we wanted to capture, this is what we were so excited to share on Pen Clique.
Those expectations left us with a big lofty goal; create the space necessary for Lady Bâs essence to shine through. We arrived the day of filming excited in a new way. Something about being at Lady Bascoâs home with her kids running around, and family eagerly greeting us when we arrived made the feeling of arrival stand out amongst previous episodes. Part of the struggle of filming on location, especially in poetâs homes, is finding the right setting. Lighting, angles, furniture, backdrops are all things that need to be taken into account, so when Lady B suggested we set up in her kids playroom it brought a new kind of excitement to the pre production set up. We were not only in the house of the Goddess, but essentially setting up to play with poetry and words in a playroom filled with love and the beautiful messes that the Basco children had left behind. It was one of my favorite settings on Pen Clique to date, and such a beautiful way to display the youthful creativity and inspiration that is Lady Basco.
Kuya and I guided the Pen Clique ship safely through the episode waters, avoiding a few bumps and snares. Hiccups are a part of production and as I edited the audio episode, I found a big smile wrapped up in some behind the scenes magic we had to cut out. Fenix, Lady Bâs baby boy, burst into the room curious and wanting to be a part of whatever it was that mom was doing in his playroom. He was removed and reassured that we would be done as soon as we finished recording, but it was a reminder of the essence of Lady B: that her kids are a part of everything she does, her family is with her in all endeavors, and she is willing to welcome so many people into her home and heart.
The actual episode was fun, and that is always the point, but Lady B did exactly what we hoped she would do: Be Lady B to the fullest degree!!! She gave us honesty about herself and reflection on her esteem and feelings. More importantly, she gave people a piece of hope and inspiration, a reminder that there are brilliant people out there that love you and believe in you enough to share a mic with you. Because as Lady Bâs show slogan goes, âitâs not my mic, not your mic, itâs OUR micâ, and it was a blessing to see that magnanimous spirit shine true.
Building a Boyfriend & Lit Math Puns: Ep 07 ft. Lady Basco
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, SoundCloud, & wherever* you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠_yet._
Can Lady B build the perfect boyfriend? Â Can 3 words be a poem? LA poetry royalty Arianna Basco graces the Clique leading the debate about the âPoetic Meritâ of poetry on Instagram and Lady B blesses the Clique with a fiery sonnet during the â5 For Ya Eyeâ poetry prompt.
Episode index & more info after the jumpâŠ
[Episode Index]
Soil From His Fingertipsâ | 0:37Â
Threads & Lines | 4:18Â
2 Piece | â59â by Harry Baker | 10:55Â
2 Piece | #poetry by @@costas_kournis | 27:20Â
5 For Your Eye | 34:38ï»ż
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: â59â -Harry Baker
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @costas_kournis
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ
Arianna âLady Bâ Basco on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Daniel Hees on Instagram
Kuya David on Instagram | Twitter | Snap: @primepoetrylg
Liner notes from Episode 06 ft. Lyrically Twisted. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
Pomona strong! Thatâs a phrase Iâve been using recently to describe the always-growing art community in Pomona. Lyrically Twisted aka Tyrone Stokes aka the Dope Spot Master is someone raised by the influence of all that is Pomona. Pomona is a place where art grows and evolves, where it never stays in one place, or shape, for too long. Now being lead by this new group of faces, the arts in Pomona continues to grow ever stronger, with people like Tyrone on the frontlines leading by example, inspiring through action.
I met Tyrone at the 17-year-strong open-mic event, a Mic and Dim Lights in downtown Pomona. He booked me to do a show that he runs in downtown called âPomona Dopeness,â a sort of showcase/workshop/church-service all in one; it was a way for local artists to link up and share the stage, as well as promoting the arts within the newly renovated bar scene lining the downtown Pomona area. It was genuinely great! I can be apprehensive to perform poetry in bars. People do not go to the bar to get âwoke,â informed or inspired, but Tyrone managed to showcase the poetry world in a way that made these bar patrons pay attention. He took the inspirational and motivational aspect of the poetry community and adapted it to the bar atmosphere, clearly aiming at a âhipâ young crowd. That was the reason I wanted Tyrone to be a part of the Pen Clique; to see a poet, turned rapper, turned entrepreneur and organizer, bring forth his voice and insight into the poetry community into the digital arena of our show.
We shot the episode at The Dope Spot Studios, the studio and art space that Tyrone runs and operates. Itâs an older Victorian-style house with a decked-out recording studio space within the renovated garage at the back of the house. You could feel the music in the air that permeates the space of the studio where LT does what he was born to do. And that atmosphere manifested something special for this episode; itâs one of my favorite things about art, those hard left turns that transport your vision of what you had planned into a more vibrant place than you could have imagined. LT, being the emcee that he is, was going to freestyle his â5 For ya eyeâ prompted piece. It was something that Kuya and I being backpack cypher vets could not have been more on board with. Then, with beat playing from his phone, and mind running between the five word prompt and the other million words an emcee has tucked away on the ready, Tyrone entered that magical flow-state and successfully killed his prompt. And I don't say successfully because he achieved the task of using all 5 words, but because he did it with that same inspiration and entertaining-zeal that Tyrone puts into all of his work.
LT is someone who has taken the best parts about poetry, hip hop and life, and is mixing it all up to get people motivated to reach their brilliance. From taking the arts into unexpected (or traditionally unwelcoming) spaces, to retaining a positive progressive bent to his music, Tyrone embodied all that we looked for in an emcee to clique up on our show that has a ONE-rapper per season rule. Itâs because even though some of us move on to become something other, some of us never stop dreaming, never stop doing, never stop writing, and never stop being a Poet.
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, SoundCloud, & wherever* you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠yet.
Lyrically Twisted takes the stage as the Cliqueâs first and only rapper of the season! The whole clique delve deep into loneliness while staying LIT AF during the "2 Piece Combo" and LT aka Tyrone Stokes spits his "5 for ya eye" prompt off the top.
Episode index & more info after the jumpâŠ
[Episode Index]
â1712/Changeâ 0:37
Threads & Lines: 3:40
2 Piece | âHere am Iâ 16:30
2 Piece | #poetry: 34:30
5 For Your Eye | 39:46
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: How To Be Alone by Tanya Davis & Andrea Dorfman
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @callmetascha
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ Â
Lyrically Twisted on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Liner notes from Episode 05 ft. Myron Dimitri Woods. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
Sitting and waiting on concrete steps is a right of passage for L.A. poets. To get on at âDa Poetry Lounge,â a venue 20-years strong and founded by some of spoken wordâs most iconic personalities, you have to wait. Three hours early is the safest bet to being assured a spot on the first round open mic list or monthly slam. It is not only a vetting process for poetry but a means to build community. A place for artists to be nervously unsure together, and it was in that wait that introduced me to Myron Woods.
As time would pass and we would continue to slam side by side, or see each other at weekly open mics, I began to grow not only a healthy respect for Myron and his work, but a fascination and wonder. âWhere is he going with this?â is something I learned to ask about Myronâs work because it was always moving. He has an understanding of spoken word and drama that I see elevating poetry and it brought me to wonder, where is this coming from?
Myron Woods represents something very special to me in this next generation of poets, something we haven't seen until recent: A poet raised on spoken word. Def Poetry Jam exposed a lot of our generation to spoken word for the first time. It was poetry presented in a way that was not only entertaining and dynamic, but allowed an accessibility that inspired and uplifted how we view poetry. We now have a generation sharing poetry memes and videos for inspiration, and raised with seeing poetry performed by people that look and sound like themselves. Myron, being of this new generation of participating-fans of spoken word, gives me a wonderful assurance about where this poetry thing is going, and how it is influencing the youth. Inviting him to the Pen Clique was a chance to investigate and discover how deep the poetry roots have grown into his generation.
We arrived at Myronâs house with a focus to showcase this exciting new poet, teeth cut on Rudy Francisco and Shihan, ready to make the world feel something. The execution of that showcase is always the struggle. We were still early in shooting and I was half-sure of how we were doing things. We had decided to make the â2 Piece Comboâ this hybrid of a reaction-video and poetry-review, which hauls the show deeper into âwebshow turfâ as opposed to being hood-adjacent as âcompanion video content.â By doing so, we represented poetry as we experience it in an honest way, showing the more raw-reaction that only comes from heads that are passionate about poetry.
This generation of poets out there, waiting on concrete steps to inspire people, have a new understanding of what spoken word is and itâs exciting to see where theyâll take it. Myron Woods may or may not be an active poet for the rest of his life, but regardless, I am excited to see what he and his generation does with this spoken word influence, and where they lead art and poetry for the generation to follow.
Also available as audio-only on iTunes, SoundCloud, & wherever* you get podcasts
*Except Spotify âcause they didnât invite us⊠yet.
Myron Woods channels the SoCal Poetry Gods during âThreads and Linesâ The Clique gets fiery about F-bombs bursting or missing in spoken word during the â2 Piece Comboâ and Myron brings it all home with an immaculately concocted poem about black struggle on this episodes â5 For Ya Eyeâ.
Episode index & more info after the jumpâŠ
[Episode Index]
âPitbull: Part 2â 0:34
Threads & Lines: 4:45
2 Piece | âHere am Iâ 14:35
2 Piece | #poetry: 39:20
5 For Your Eye | 34:09
[Footnotes]
2 Piece Combo: Anis Mojgani - Here am I
2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @Herbertsona
Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes
[Clique Up]
Pen Clique on Facebook | Instagram | Twitterâ Â
Liner notes from Episode 04 ft. Artist Shelley Bruce. Written by Daniel Hees, edited by Kuya David.
Artist Shelley Bruce is someone I have always admired in a number of ways. From early days of sitting quietly at A Mic and Dim Lights admiring her paint or perform, to later growing into the folds of the LA poetry scene and working right alongside her; Shelley has always been full of one vital thing: Love. A very honest, vulnerable and uplifting love. It was that love I was hoping to capture by inviting her to clique up and be a part of the show.
This show, as all things are, has been a process filled with hard work, focus, and moments of confusion and frustration. Recording the show is the most satisfying part of it all and I knew sitting down with Shelley, living and breathing in this space, we would create something special. Something not only good for the show, but good for those tuning in as well. Shelley arrived alongside her partner Donovan, and we immediately made our way to check my car for donations to give to a local homeless man. Shelleyâs first instinct upon arrival was to try to help someone in need. I say âinstinctâ because that was what it seemed to be, and I say âtryâ because the man was not interested in taking the Nikes I kept in the back of my car in case of this exact circumstance.
We proceeded with the morning's preparations and readied ourselves to record yet another episode of The Pen Clique poetry podcast/webshow/experiment. Shelley enthusiastically sat in for blocking and all the not so fun parts of production and we rolled into the show being immediately inspired by âLight Seedâ a poem Shelley brought in for âThreads and Lines.â Love, in both intent and action, always being what Shelley Bruce radiates; and âLight Seedâ being the perfect example of that feeling. We moved on to the regular show happenings but as we approached the 5-word prompted-poem for âFive for Your Eyeâ Shelley asked if she could have a moment to speak about the poem, something we usually donât do on the show (but not something we are opposed to either). She performed a short poem, with 5 stanzas each containing one of the 5 words given, and it showed a lot of the things I love about Shelleyâs work. The pieces lands softly but powerfully as Shelley is so good at doing. She goes on to tell us that she wrote that poem the morning of the shoot, as she had waited and waited, only finding the real inspiration to finish the piece the morning we were scheduled to record. She continued on to tell a story of a sick friendâs fight with brain cancer, how through the happenings of life and through this poetry mechanism she found a way to express about her friendâs struggle in a very real way. We had a moment of reference and shout out to her and all those struggling and ended the show with high energy and love as we always try and do.
I then began to edit. I edit these episodes, then listen, then re-edit, then mix, then finish it all up. I hear each one countless times and miss and discover new things every passthrough. It was upon the final check of this episode that I really got hit with something special. The final check was when I downloaded from iTunes and listened with the intent of last notes and observations about my technical work. I sat down and did just that but was left with a desire to do just what Shelley had done; to wait until I was given something to write. To not wrestle words and techniques acquired into place but to let the inspiration come from a more divine place, that I could be given inspiration by something bigger than myself. When I finished I was left with a poem about my own struggles with health or seeming lack of health. It was healing. Not in an esoteric way, but in a real definite way; a reminder to me, from something bigger than myself, that things bigger than myself (like poetry) can manifest anything we want it to.
Shelley Bruce showed and proved to me again that poetry can be healing. Shelley is not just an artist revealing parts of herself in hopes that it helps others, but shows that there is a conduit to god through the artist. I found a reminder of that in Shelleyâs participation in this all, and truly feel through her that the Pen Clique and myself got a small piece of god. And as it had found me, I hope that feeling finds its way home to you as well.Â
