Featured Poetry at Betty Elders' Redbird Cafe

~ Some 2004 SXSW Poems ~

(The following brief SXSW "medley" was penned by inimitable poet and friend, Thom...)

THERE ONCE WAS A YOUNG PUNK BAND

who toured all over this land
They did a showcase-at SXSW
and no one has ever heard of them since!

PAY TO PLAY (MUSICAL SLAVERY)

A for profit foundation is SXSW
where the bands pay to express
their aversion to capitalism
while paying for the privilege !

IT IS NOT THE MUSIC

More those sad folks with laminates
lost,looking for a showcase
that is not booked out-like Ancient Mariners
each with his personal plastic albatross

SELF-CONGRATULATIONS

for tricking musicians
into playing only for exposure
One can die of exposure...

THEY TAKE OVER OUR TOWN

Pay for the privilege
But the money goes not to musicians
more to middle level management
counting coins,not culture..

AUSTIN AS A THEME PARK

Sign in the bars on Sixth Street-
DO NOT FEED THE MUSICIANS!

EMPTY AS A TIP JAR

Streets full of tourist laminates
Live music capitol?
or making capital out of live music?

THERE IS ANOTHER FESTIVAL

It is free.It is on the streets
when unregistered talents play for free
to keep the Muse alive-despite official controls
and profiteering..

AUSTIN LOVES LIVE MUSIC

but not enough to feed it
Like a pet,it is convenient
but when it wants more than casual petting
it is ignored by all except APD

TRY LIVING OFF YOUR MUSIC IN AUSTIN

Day job=pedicab,busker,waiter,barista etc etc etc

WHO SAYS THERE ARE NO JOBS IN AUSTIN?

Eye have at least three of them!

HE IS A FAMOUS AUSTIN MUSICIAN

Thin as a guitar string-
All the pawn shops know him!

**********

--All poems above are ©copyright THOM the World Poet FEB 21,2004
All rights reserved.
Shared with author's permission.

About dear Thom: He began performing poetry as Tom the Steet Poet in Melbourne in the mid 1970s. Changing his writing name in the early 1990s to Thom the World Poet, he has been widely published and has been instrumental in the development of many poetry festivals both in Australia and abroad. He has travelled extensively in the UK and USA performing his poems, hosting poetry workshops and has been a writer in residence at a number of universities. Thom has published 85 books, 7 CDs, 35 poetry tapes. He considers himself a classical improviser in the bardic tradition, and, as a troubadour at large, has traveled between his native Australia, adopted Texas and lovable England itinerantly. Thom has been Writer In Residence at Kansas City School of Performing Arts ARTS(1995), Charles Sturt University (New South Wales, Australia, 1997), and Dickinson University New Jersey (2000). Co-founder of the Austin International Poetry Festival, Thom has been featured at Paddington International Poetry Festival (2000-2001), the Cheltenham Literature Festival and Voices Off Festivals (1996-2002), the Glastonbury Festival (1996), London Jazz Festival (1996), Bradford Festival (1998) and toured by the Arts Council of Wales (1995-6) and Yorkshire Library Service (1996-8). Thom has performed in schools in Yorkshire, Cornwall, Wales, and all over England. He has toured English poets for the past 10 years through Texas. Let him hear from you HERE.

(This poem and its author were featured in Deltina Hay's fine Austin publication, THE CREATIVE PULSE, March/April 2004:-)

SXSoWhat

I stood naked before them

Seven years running

I smiled

I turned

I opened wide so they could

Count my teeth

Check their alignment

Spot blemishes

*

I turned slowly

First this way

Then the other

They gawked

They prodded

They lifted my breasts

Examined my u-line

Measured the arch of my soul

And envisioned CD covers

*

They huddled

Murmuring

Just beyond

Dimly lit

Smoke-bathed

Altars

And when I

Finished my song

Concluded my offering

They snorted and brayed

Clutching my sacrifice

Tearing its wings off

And drinking the blood

*

I can’t wait for next year!

--© B. Elders 1999
All rights reserved.

EVERY BREATH COUNTS

Every song,every heartbeat
extends the realm of the humanly possible
So what of storms outside?
The well of inspiration bubbles
and we drink deep,and are satisfied
Humans need humans to hear them
We are our own languages
Emotion is an ocean of affection
and words are fires to keep us warm
even when we burn all our poems
and smile through dark nights
into new dawns!
I

--©THOM the World Poet FEBRUARY 12,2004

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