Is it physically possible to overdose on poetry? Over the last three weeks, I’ve heard over 250 poets in 8 preliminary slams, 4 semi-final slams, last-minute workshops before the slam, street-side ciphers after the slam — shit, I hear metaphors and similes in my dreams every night. Dreams, I say….

America is not a total police state, but Oakland sure damn feels like one sometimes. Police murders of unarmed civilians, ICE raids outside middle schools, cops brutalizing anti-war protesters down at the docks — welcome to The Town. And now, just down the block from me in Fruitvale – the…

It’s funny how things happen sometimes. Last week, I was back in Madison, WI for a couple days to host a First Wave show, see old friends…and hopefully get a glimpse of the massive people’s uprising that’s taken Wisconsin by storm these last few months. Luck was on my side,…

On Leadership in the Movement (For Wisconsin, Egypt, and everyone who campaigned for Barack Obama in 2008) Strong people don’t need strong leaders. – Ella Baker an activist friend of mine thinks the problem is that we spend too much time preaching to the choir. but maybe the problem isn’t…

It’s April, it’s 75 degrees and drenched in sunshine here in Oakland, and I’ve got some events this month that have me exploding with spring fever. In a good way. First off, I’m giving my first-ever college lecture this Monday, April 4 at UC-Berkeley. Not a show, not a town…