SpokenWord Paris

Clip – The Hand 18.5.09

Posted on May 31, 2009 by David Barnes

More here:

http://www.myspace.com/thehandand

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Photos + poem from Fear, 04.05.09

Posted on May 17, 2009 by David Barnes

Xander as Masked Featured Reader… his story, Another Thing Coming, is currently being considered by a magazine so isn’t yet available. But other pieces of his are accessible through his blog http://pont-des-arts.blogspot.com/

Fear of Bird Flu

by Trudie Shannon

I used to be a twitcher.

Spent hours and days, weeks and years

Of my life

Watching ….. listening,

Observing, marvelling

At flight patterns, building techniques,

Parenting, community,

Apparent fragility, sheer power,

Utter beauty.

Attentive to morning symphonies,

Evening cacophoney,

Arias to the sun’s majesty

Ballads to the rising moon

And love songs that made my heart burn.

I was dedicated, love struck,

In a constant state of awe,

In the garden, at the roadside,

Beside the sea, within the woods,

Aloft the mountain tops.

.
But now we have bird flu

So, with body protection

Mask, gloves, boots and overalls

And a pellet gun

I am become a forensic bird stalker

An incipient killer

And my penchant

Wrens and skylarks which

I kill to save the world.

.
In the near vicinity of my home

The woods are silent,

On the foreshore no curlews call

And my garden is littered with redundant feeders

But, I rest easy in my bed

And listen to recordings of the dawn chorus.

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Cartoon by Inès

Posted on May 6, 2009 by David Barnes

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The Guardian newspaper describes Culture Rapide & mentions us!

Posted on May 6, 2009 by David Barnes

Culture Rapide
Poetry slamming, where poets compete against each other by reading original works for judgement, originated in Chicago, but is now taking Paris by storm. Culture Rapide offers slam poetry nights in French every Tuesday, and English every other Monday, with artists from the French-speaking world including Quebec, Senegal, Congo, Lebanon, and Morocco. Belleville has retained much of its working-class identity with concert halls, theatres and bars. Add immigrants from Africa, Vietnam and China, along with young French bohemian types, and it’s a funky vibe.

Complete Guardian article about literary events & places in Paris, and the upcoming Paris literary festival, here – The Write Bank:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/may/02/paris-literary-festival-culture?page=3

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Télérama review of Culture Rapide

Posted on May 6, 2009 by David Barnes

Click on the photo to make the text larger.
Les lettres sont trop petits? Cliquez sur le photo.

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Clip – Rufo – Invisible Hand Job

Posted on May 1, 2009 by David Barnes

from Touch 20.4.09

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Report from Touch 20.4.09

Posted on May 1, 2009 by David Barnes

A most strange night. Lorris and Anastasia (don’t they look pleased with themselves?) demonstrated their Instant Translation Device. One of its translations came out as ‘Lorris likes sex with hamsters.’ John McNulty asked ‘Who’ll drink?’ I was wounded by tenderness. Rufo (see video clip) was a clot of thought who spanked the wicked. Erotic Moonbeams Always forced Xander to read an erotic French text through a kid’s police hailer device, to Dana and Erica’s music. ‘She’s already made a date with a man she’ll hate,’ sang McNulty. Dana – who has since defeated 3 bands in single combat at the Bellevilloise – launched into her French Kickboxing Song. John Kirby Abraham, the voice of Radio France International, read his own Cypres poem from the 60s. Xander offered the idea that he might not disintegrate. Gave Cadeaux http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/amaksik/2009/03/cadeaux-a-love-letter/

Peter obsessed about gorgeous Fanny. Erica found Our most fragile things. A few poems later a Norwegian Bible Study group arrived. No, really. Stranger things, Horatio. Susanna read a Finnish poem and asked if you’ve stared at someone so close you can see your own reflection. Meghen was a beautiful paradox. Shane’s going-blind eyes lit-up the night. Mariko took a bet that she would see the sunrise. Hopes she’s the main actor in the movie about her life. Gabrielle, did you forget my face already? And there was a lot of praising and precious little profanity.

Dana came back with her Stupid Song. Kevin’s cookies jumped up and down. All in all, a weird night. Moments of greatness, and strangeness, and praising of the Lord. Finally Troy showed up late, improvising on the theme. Hold yourself ready, he advised. You never know when a moment’ll arise that you’ll be called on to jump onto the undercarriage of a low-flying helicopter…

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Report from Money

Posted on April 11, 2009 by David Barnes

Michele lands in Barbes. Kills his loneliness with a box of matches. Takes the temperature of the orgasm, to the tattoo of the Sun. Listens to 70s radio… says let’s go and play our songs in the tiny bars of the moon.
I exchanged a currency of vision and desire, without loss. See Ink is Blood on the site under Poems.
Colin took you for an angel, found out you’re just a bird. Blue note, blue boy, blue I (see clip below).
Merve was Other. Paris turned its blank and ignorant face.
Lauren was looking for a pair of boots. Ran into a creepy guy shopping for single women.
Peter B chastised Bono, tax dodger, made him sing Pink Floyd’s Money.
Kevin sold a violin to the smart teacher’s cheap date.
Ellen’s baby’s got bedbugs. Like a cat closed inside a phonebooth.
Camille told of the Asiatic Frontman. Mommy’s angry. And other stories.

Leemore went digging for change in the depths of coats and found Jitterbug Boy. Dropped a coin soundless on the linoleum floor.

Melik’s thoughts were blurry, no transition. He killed his sister’s gerbil and stepped up to the stage.
Jaco went chi chi chouchou over the importation de caramel frandise. There’s a clip of him doing Poème du dimanche below.

Pauline sang elle n’est pas d’ici. A Paris song.