Voz Poetics IV

Pruitt Igoe @ Voz Alta, Friday, Oct., 28th

calligraphy of living

by ola hadi/10.5.11
I did not know the man
I did not know he had the same dreams
I have
reading about Steve
I wish I had
I can relate
not just because of his love
for the creative
but because he was real
was adopted
shaved his head and
meditated
spent time at an ashram
became a Buddhist
loved the Beatles
here is a man
who tripped acid
valued experiences
studied calligraphy
applied a [...]

Pilgrimage

by ola hadi/ 10.4.11
if time was an infinite resource
I would spend lifetimes with you
as it is
this precious gift
sets limits
boundaries
that I doubt I’d draw alone
through you
the pilgrimage
begins
I’d hoped we’d share the journey
through life
in union
explore the paths ahead
get lost
and find something greater
than what we are
alone
gazing at you in the dark
I feel assured
that this is a beautiful universe!
in [...]

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Book Release Party!

New Release “etc.” Now Available!

“etc. is here and available for purchase online! This new book by Ted Washington contains art that preceded More and art that proceeds Less.
42 images!!
8 1/4 inches by 10 3/4 inches on 80 lb glossy paper, perfect bound. etc. is the companion to More and Less.”
Order your copy today!!!

©ted washington 2011

Pruitt Igoe @ Voz Alta 8/26/11, video

Poetry Voltron, August 30th

“The hits just keep on rolling! I’m performing in Poetry Voltron, Tuesday, August 30th, at the Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA. This will be my turn on the big stage! I’ll be needing a few cocktails to get ready so come early because I’m on early and will need help getting those cocktails.”

©ted washington [...]

Pruitt Igoe & Ed Decker @ Voz Alta!

Thank You Joe Nalven

“I was taking down the show in Escondido; no big deal show’s over. Then I met Joe Nalven, who just happens to write the San Diego Union-Tribune art blog. Read this. Thank you Joe Nalven.”

Pruitt Igoe @ Voz Alta

Ed Decker at Ducky Waddles

Well, it’s that time again - time for another vicious bloodletting known as a spoken word performance. Whose blood will be spilled is yet to be determined. Could be yours, could be mine.
Regardless, it is my honor and pleasure to read at the fabulous Ducky Waddles Emporium, located at
414 N Coast Highway 101
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760-632 [...]

Pruitt Igoe at Voz Alta

“I will be performing in Pruitt Igoe at Voz Alta! The show “Excerpts” will be hosted by Reg E Gaines, who has appeared on Def Poetry Jam. Very excited to play in a new venue. I performed in the old Voz Alta when it was located in downtown San Diego next to Landlord Jim’s, a [...]

neutrino

I am so alone
I move between the
molecules, between the
atoms, between the
electrons, between the
quarks, so alone
that dark energy
is powerless,
utterly
utterly
alone

©ted washington 2011

San Francisco and Chuy Completed!

“San Francisco was awesome!
My first reading in SF was at at Viracocha, hosted by The Word Party featuring a jazz band(sax, bass, percussion) backing the poets. The hostess made a comment during the intro about poets and sex poems. I was the 10th of maybe 30 poets and the place was packed. Great place [...]

Chuy

“It has been a while but I had to focus on Chuy.
It nears completion!
It is national poetry month!!
I am going to San Francisco to read!!!
Tuesday at The Word Party, held at Viracocha 8p - 10:30p.
Wednesday at Sacred Grounds, the site of my first feature in  SF, 7:30p - 10p.
Thursday at Om Shan Tea, for [...]

New Pruitt Igoe!!!

“Here it is! A new collection of compositions from Pruitt Igoe. Have a listen on CDbaby. Please write a review. We are anxious to hear from you. This will soon be available on iTunes also.”
The Dissonance of Man & The Voice of Creation
Jon Cordova - gutair
Matthew Kerr - bass, keys, beats
Ted Washington - vocals

©ted washington [...]

Pruitt Igoe @ Che Cafe!

©ted washington 2011

IndieFest 2011

“Completely unexpected and at the last minute Puna Press scores a table at IndieFest thanks to Edwin Decker! Fun day. I was featured poet on the Water Color Stage during the Poetry Ruckus hosted by Michael Schmitt. Thank you Micheal for the honor.”

IndieFest 2011
©ted washington 2011

Pruitt Igoe @ Che Cafe

©ted washington 2011

Pruitt Igoe @ Let It Flow

©ted washington 2011

Kismet

“The readings in San Francisco have inspired me to aspire to read in Chicago at the Green Mill, the birthplace of poetry slam, and New York City at the Nuyorican, the legendary poetry cafe in Manhattan.”
Kismet
© ted washington 2011

Om Shan Tea

“My last night of the reading excursion in San Francisco was at Om Shan Tea. They have an open mic with a feature on Thursday nights. Marc Kokinos is one of the hosts. He participated in all of the readings I attended while in SF. A friend from San Diego back in the day now [...]

Sacred Grounds

“My first time as featured poet in San Francisco was great! My performance was good, not great, but good. Too excited to remain in control and read some too fast but I had a blast. Thank you Sacred Grounds crew and Dan Brady(host). Also thanks to Vince and Kelly Riley for being there and taking [...]

Keane’s 3300 Club

“First of three nights reading poetry in San Francisco was spent at Keane’s 3300 Club. Located in the Mission District the 3300 Club hosts a poetry open mic on Tuesdays at 7p. A True dive bar, the atmosphere made me feel at home and the tequila helped too. Reading, writing and drinking, yes San Francisco [...]

San Francisco Bound!

“Driving to San Francisco Tuesday morning for my first feature reading in SF at Sacred Grounds, Wednesday, January 26th at 7PM. Read there a few times last year on the open mic sign up and they were gracious even to ask if I wanted to feature. Will be at Om Shan Tea on Thursday, January [...]

2011 Begins With Poetry

Happy New Year!
“It has been almost two weeks and the year is on course. The goal for the year is simply to do more; more readings, more art, more books and more shows with Pruitt Igoe. To start the year I am reading at UCSD. ”
Dig The Scene
Place: The Loft (in the Price Center, UCSD [...]

Kismet

“If you can see it coming
the moment of reckoning
can the course be altered
is the alteration preordained
there are many ways to say it
Kismet
it is not a statement of inactivity
swim”
©ted washington 2010

Ted Washington at Portugalia

APE, San Francisco

” The Alternative Press Expo (APE) is my favorite event to vend. They sell beer and cocktails at the thing! Plus most of the vendors I have met and become friends with so it’s good to see them. I have learned a lot from them about presenting your work and how to sell in the [...]

The Beat Museum, San Francisco

“In San Francisco for a few days to attend a few events. The first of these was a reading by Chris Vannoy at The Beat Museum in North Beach. Saw a few poets that I liked and some that I didn’t but they were all good and unique within the group; it made for a [...]

Lotus Life

in unexpected moments
the swamp surrounds us
green, brown, overgrown
endless
mud
you know the stuff
and us, the lotus,
above the waters
the disgusting, putrid stench
but how?
how with these senses
nostrils full of vomit
we weep with the swamp
we wish we did not
see this reality
like a broken mirror
full of small shards of pain and beautiful
we try hard to to calm the waters
to still the [...]

Posted in: Ola Hadi by OHadi 1 Comment ,

3 For $300 Poetry & Art Slam

Preview Night, San Diego Comic-Con International 2010

“It’s here!
Preview night should now be called the first salvo. Traditionally the preview night has been for industry pro’s and the media but I think many more people are in the business or… What an awesome time.”
Here are some before it opened and after it opened pics

©ted washington 2010

note to Adam

I halt
stand staring at the tree outside of my apartment
say sincerely
I wish this was an orange tree
you know, I could come out into this front yard
pick the fruit
like when I was young and we
with our small grasping hands picked
the lemons and the oranges
off the branches of the trees in our own backyards
instead of some alien [...]

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airport poetry

Often they congregate close enough to cough
Yuck germy humans
Heavy cell phone conversations
Islands of egoism
All walks of life
Acting like
It’s totally normal
To follow the rules
To be all ears on
your attention please
Final boarding call
Recorded, not a human voice
They wait in line
Watch monitors
Buy starbucks
Are getting old
Stroll stride trip pass by
I, crosslegged,
criticize the human choice
To follow rules
Like anyone good
and bored
Your [...]

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Ten Days

“Daniel Gonzalez contacted me in the spring of 2009 about a movie project he was working on. He is a talented and driven artist that get things done. I was impressed and told him to please include my words since he was inquiring about using my poems in the movie. ‘Ten Days’ premiered at [...]

Conflicted

darling,
I am conflicted.
part of me is enjoying the building
anticipation
of kissing your full delicious lips in just four days
there is the almost pleasurable agony in the length and space between us that makes
the waiting
that much more intense
that sets my whole being into this burst of excitement
that I don’t have the heart to extinguish
yet there is [...]

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Sacred Grounds

“My San Francisco reading tour is going great. Tonight I read at Sacred Grounds, it’s noted as being the longest running open-mic in SF. The host and the audience, which was comprised of many long standing bay area poets, was very welcoming. Marc Kockinos, a former San Diego poet now in SF, told me about [...]

Om Shan Tea

“Om Shan Tea! What an unexpected treat. I went with the idea that I would be one of several readers and it turned out that I got to feature. The place was full of tea drinkers but not many poets which worked out great for me. I never understood the attraction of the tea service [...]