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 by
Jacqueline Monahan
jaxn8r@msn.com
ReJAVAnate
Coffee Lounge Brings Las Vegas Poetry Community Together
The Venue:
Poetry is alive and well in Las Vegas, aided by ReJAVAnate Coffee
Lounge. The East Flamingo establishment is eclectic in its cultural
offerings and looking for ways to expand its influence in the community.
Owner/manager Hercules (call him Herc), a charismatic, idealistic 25
year old, used to do promotions for Las Vegas hot spots Jet and Tao.
He’s now setting his sights on building a community of artists, using
his establishment as the catalyst. Already home to clubs that feature
women’s knitting, scrap booking, screenwriting, Mom & Me activities,
charity video tournaments and poetry readings, Herc seeks to expand his
lounge’s outreach to promote culture and community service.
There’s talk of a First Lunch (singles) chapter being launched as well
as groups lobbying for animal rights, veterans’ aid, and even one
dedicated simply to intelligent conversation. Herc is open to any
positive proposition that helps promote culture and community in Las
Vegas. There are shelves of local artist and author publications against
one wall. Performances by local bands are encouraged.
Culture vultures can perch on several comfortable chairs or sofas in
calming earth tones. Soft mint green walls hold pictures of natural
canyons, rock formations and modern day heroes. Marble topped tables
entice you to rest your favorite food and beverage on them. Laptops
(free WiFi) and PCs are sprinkled throughout the large room. Board games
are there for anyone who cares to play.
Hercules
Hercules and barista extraordinaire Noelle, are looking to introduce
low-carb, sugar-free, and vegetarian fare to the lounge’s ample food
offerings. In addition to pastries, sandwiches, loaf cakes and cookies,
ReJAVAnate’s specialties are hot and cold coffee drinks, real espresso
from Italian machines, fruit smoothies, and the most extensive selection
of flavored teas in black, white, green, and red variations. Choices
spill from the wall menus onto countertop pages and blackboards. It
takes a while to make up your mind. This night’s selections included a
green grapefruit iced tea, a frozen mocha and a mango smoothie.
Art is alive in Las Vegas with Hercules in the (coffee) house.
Open Mic Night:
Sunday, July 22 featured an open mic reading, ironic because the mic did
not work. I guess it was really an open mouth reading. These readings
are held weekly and have their share of regulars and newcomers. Each
evening’s collective performance is unique. Poets perform against a
backdrop of a purple mural containing the likenesses of Martin Luther
King, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Gandhi. Bono looks on from
another wall in shades of contrasting orange.
Poetry emcee Hyatt Mason introduced various poets, using the time
between readings to perform a little flow of his own. In striped shirt
and clashing striped tie, blond spiked mini-mohawk and bearing a mild
resemblance to Lars Ulrich from Metallica, Mason unleashed a stream of
religious and political observations in skillful rhyme and tempo. “Don’t
push me ‘cause I’m close to a pen.” “Truth comes in print while lies
come in cursive.” His ode to ex-girlfriends was a blank page with a big
verbal buildup that took the audience by surprise.
Poetry emcee Hyatt Mason
The charming and talented Maramis mesmerized the audience with poems
from her book, Ladies, Lovers and Lore. From Encounter at the Bar to
Woman of the Night by Day to Interrupted Lunch, Maramis offers witty
observations from a uniquely female perspective. Stereotypes need not
apply – Maramis is totally fresh. Each week one of her poems is featured
here as
well as on her poetry website
www.poetrysuite.com .
Maramis
New poet, Stephen, evoked images of Betty Boop in a spaceship on his
lawn along with musings on faith and belief. He even composed an
impromptu poem while awaiting his next turn. His work will shake up your
complacency and make you think with the 90% of your brain you don’t
normally use.
Native Londoner Knowledge, a member of the Las Vegas Poetry Slam Team,
grabbed the audience with a performance which included the refrain “I am
the exorcist, you don’t want to get me pissed.” No you don’t want to
anger this man with all those powerful words at his disposal. He’s a
master wordsmith, rhyming tango, mango and van Gogh, and making it work.
His flow is spiritual and political, angry and conciliatory. He covers a
lot of ground, taking us with him.
Knowledge
TianaMarie, also on the slam team and reading from her book Today I Have
Words, offers the verse, “I praise my mouth for it offers truth to our
youth, Gentleness to the uncouth, loyalty like Ruth.” Another poem about
online dating makes you think,
“They asked how much money he should make, like I can’t take care of
myself.”
With observational anger and irony TianaMarie lets us know that “Nothin’
changes if nothin’ changes” and that “courage is not the absence of
fear.”
Mick, a third member of the slam team, sang into his flow with a
professional-quality voice and seamless transitions. As he held the
collective gaze of everyone in the room, I was blown away by his
skillful internal rhymes and the expressive way he delivered his
well-chosen words.
Ms. Elaine, a tall, confident blonde, has just discovered her poetic
power and has turned it against her Home Owners Association in a fiery
poetic rant. Another poem, “Definitions” deals with self-esteem and love
inspired by her 7 year old daughter.
Ms. Elaine
Justin and Ms. D. rounded out the evening, each with their own version
of a relationship poem. Poetic styles were so different that some were
not even in the same state at times. The beauty of the open mic is that
such variety is embraced and respected from the same audience, who pay
attention with unusual reverence and appreciation.
Hyatt introduced the last performance of the evening in the person of
Josh, a half-Korean, half-Jewish comedian who is just starting to gain
experience as a performer. Talk about kim chee knishes and Hanukah
Hyundais; at least that’s what he should have done, and abandon the
rambling monologue in favor of his stronger material. Example:
“Childhood is like being high all the time; you never know what’s going
on and you’re always hungry.” Still, anyone willing to put themselves
out there has my vote just for the *chutzpah it takes (*Korean
equivalent unknown).
Josh
As a Chicago native, I was proud to discover that most credit the birth
of slam to have occurred on July 25, 1986, when Marc Smith decided to
add a new dimension to the weekly Chicago Poetry Ensemble reading at the
city's legendary Green Mill Tavern. Poets sign up on a list, read one
poem in three minutes, and get numerical scores from audience members
serving as judges. This style is a mix of theatrics that makes slam a
poet vs. poet, in your face, verb-slinging, brawl.
In Austin, TX, the week of August 7-11, seventy-five teams will compete
in bouts for the coveted number one place. The teams with the highest
collective scores move up through the week with the final four teams and
the top six scoring individuals competing on stage for the Saturday
night showdown. Each bout consists of four teams of four members each,
taking turns performing, solo with their own original pieces or as a
group using group collaboration pieces.
Las Vegas has been represented at the nationals since 2000. Thanks to
venues like ReJAVAnate, local poets have a space to hone their
performance skills to really do this town proud. They’re truly poised to
win, one word at a time.
ReJAVAnate Coffee Lounge
3300 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 253-7721
http://www.rejavanatecoffee.com/
Open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Schedule:
Sundays 7-9pm Poetry Night
Mondays 7-9pm Movie Night
Tuesdays 7-9pm M&M Poetry Night
Wednesdays 7-9pm Comedy Night
Thursdays 7-9pm Concert Nights
Fridays 7-9pm Open Mic Nights
Saturdays 7-9pm Karaoke Nights
10% off military, college/tech students, senior citizens and Renaissance
III employees...Free wireless internet connection
For more information on the Las Vegas poetry scene, visit:
http://www.myspace.com/blankversevegas
http://www.myspace.com/lasvegasslam
http://www.poetrysuite.com
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