Chicago Slam Works, Chi-town’s newly formed non-project made its presence known at the Printers Row Book Fair managing the Poetry Stage. Now it’s launching its second project: “Fuel Your Inner Poet” a series workshop sessions presented at the Hemingway Museum in Oak Park, Illinois.

 There will be eight sessions taught by various (TBA) poet/instructors from around Chicago. I’ll be leading the performance exercises — a live version of Take the Mic. The grand finale will be a performance by workshop participants on the front porch of the Hemingway House in Oak Park.

For more details or to register, visit www.chicagoslamworks.com.

*CPDU credits available for teachers.

Next week I’m traveling to a stellar event, the 17th Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam festival, the longest running regional slam in the world. It was started by famous slam elder ALLEN WOLF (“the points are not the point — the point is poetry”) after returning from one of my first stabs at a regional slam — a marathon competition I help organize and host in South Bend, Indiana. Allen knew there had to be a better way stage a regional slam and did.

The tradition carries on and has arrives in The Bull City — Durham, North Carolina, June 4 -6, 2009. Be there or be square.

Visit www.southernfried2009.org

I guess when the infamous C. J. Laity tried to brand me as a poetry “insider” he might of been right, despite my refusal to stoop to poetry “establishment” status.

Many years after helping start the “Poetry Tent” at Printers Row Book Fair I’ve been invited back. (Actually, I was invited last year but had a prior commitment — performing at a festival in France.)

Last time I performed at the Printers Row Book Fair I was insulted by a grumpy “establishment poet” from the Poetry Center. He commanded me off the stage so that “real poetry” could be heard. From him, of course. I left the stage (without punching the old guy in the nose– thank god) and so did the audience. The poem I was reciting when he called for “real poetry” was e. e. cummings’s “My Father Moved though Dooms of Love”. Hmmm, the Poetry Center must have some pretty high standards.

I don’t expect any incidents this year, but you never know. Our new Chicago non-profit, Chicago Slam Works, formed to bring Chicago the respect and focus it deserves as the mecca of modern day performance poetry will be helping run the show. Don’t know what my forty minutes will entail (maybe pulling some virgin virgins on the stage to take a stab at real poetry) but I’ll try to keep it entertaining.

Join me at the 25th annual Chicago Tribune Printers Lit Fest, which takes place on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2009. The Lit Fest is a free, two-day literary extravaganza featuring more than 200 authors, 100 literary programs, and 160 booksellers.

Saturday, 6/6/2009, 3:15 p.m.

Program: Marc Kelly Smith promoting his new books

Take the Mic and Stage a Slam

Location: Arts & Poetry Stage

Saturday, 6/6/2009, 5 p.m.

Program: The Chicago Poetry Foundation presents the Chicago Poetry Audio Tour Premiere

Marc reading a couple of Sandburg poems in this marathon of Chicago poems

Location: Arts & Poetry Stage

For more information, head to the Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Lit Fest page.

Mark Eleveld, editor of the Spoken Word revolution books, has arrange a meeting of the supposedly opposing camps of Page and Stage, but from what Keven Stein says there’s not much opposition, at least, on the philosophical front.

I believe all poetry is at root performative — whether for page or stage. To be honest, I never think of my poems as made only for the page — how limiting that would be — and have always been keen on sound and the musical phrase. How else do we think and feel?

Now if only other establishment institutions could follow suit and drop their prejudices against performance poetry and the slam movement that has garnered more audience for poetry than such institutions ever dreamed possible.

Kevin has expressed these hopes for Tuesday night’s performance:

We’ve a chance to show what matters about poetry is in the music and the performance and the pleasures therein, including those of mind and body. Let’s make our event a model for what other poets of supposedly different ilks can do together to enliven our shared poetic heritage.

Come and see how it all shakes out.

When: Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Who: Illinois Poet Laureate Kevin Stein v. Poetry Slam founder Marc Kelly Smith

What: Page v. Stage! This reading/performance brings together two poets from completely different worlds, one who writes primarily for the STAGE and one who writes primarily for the PAGE. The two toss poems, comments, and performances back and forth for an hour’s worth vibe and joy. It is not a slam or competition, just a good spirited, entertaining poetry evening from different poetic genres.

Where: Cliff Dwellers Club, 22nd Floor, 200 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

Time: Social hour at 6:00 (cash bar) program at 7:00.

Open to all: Five dollar cover for non-members.

On Thursday, April 2 at 8:45 am EST, 7:45 am CST, I’ll be barkin’ Slam on “In the Morning with Bonnie Grice,” WLIU-FM – 88.3 FM or you can listen live online at the WLIU Website.