Category: Austin Writers Roulette

Sometimes the things that are holding you back

Are the things you wanna attack

For the happiness to flow

You gotta let go

And forgive people for being whack

When I chose “Forgiveness” as the January theme, I had no idea how much it would resonate with so many artists. Yet, we all gathered together and explored different facets of forgiving.

The theme drink was the lemon drop since when life gives you lemons, you can turn it around and make lemon drops! (It was also a handy cedar fever allergy reliever.)

Opening the show, Christina Ceballos reported on the three forgiveness processes taught to her by local healers who helped put her life back on a positive track: Radical Forgiveness, Integrated Energetic Therapy and Akashic Records readings.

Birdman 313 shared an insightful poem about forgiving his ex-wife who ended their marriage of 25 years for something that occurred 15 years previously.

Stephanie Webb detailed the attributes of the Black Superwoman (highly educated, well-traveled, well-loved, well-read…) and forgiving herself for feeling defeated for not being the embodiment of the impossible role.

Donna Dechen Birdwell recounted all her significant moments of forgiving from great loves to small creatures.

Daniel Davila described a beautiful forgiveness process where one takes a walk alone and for each step, chants who is forgiven for a particular action and the next step is to forgive yourself. The process continues until the person walks past his/her anger.

Teresa Y. Roberson gave shout outs to a list of the groups of people who she forgave, starting with the assholes. Finally, she forgave herself for her own shortcomings.

Thom the World Poet closed the featured artist portion of the show, calling out the political and religious forgiveness needed and drew a huge laugh for his forgiveness of the state of Texas for “killing people for killing people.”

Magic Jack ATX provided musical accompaniment.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Ben Doppleganger

Jonathan Lowell

Daniel Davila

Birdman 313

Louise Richardson

Zaka

Donna Dechen Birdwell read a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert:

Stephanie Webb

Magic Jack ATX

Whether it’s love or lust

Scratch beyond the crust

Follow the hormonal flow

Let yourself go

Boring choices leave you in the dust

For the “Love & Passion” Roulette, the host was Cupid’s younger sister, Valentina.

The Rouletters were delighted to share a stage with Valentina.

Making his Roulette debut, Jim Tenny, who only writes about love, passion and sex, kicked off the show with four passion-filled love snippets to get the audience in the mood.

Birdman 313 read an ode to the one-sided passion, which had the soulful refrain, “I really do love you.”

For contrast, Magic Jack ATX explained in his poem, “Your love life is boring.” He made it clear that he wasn’t referring to anyone in the room.

Upstart, Sarah Kennon, wrote a love poem for herself and for everyone else who has gone through the agonies of passion.

Another Rouletter debut, Allyson Whipple, recited a story of forbidden love in the form of  five poetry zingers.

Donna Dechen Birdwell told a provocative story about the search for “duende.”

Artist, Daniel Davila, began his performance by circulating throughout the audience, greeting them in Brazilian Portuguese. He later translated, stating that what he’d said was “I miss you even though you’re in my presence.”

Daniel then entertained the audience with his poem about the seasons of lust that matures into the beauty of love.

Valentina read an excerpt from Teresa Y. Roberson’s Tribe of One about a 35-year old professional woman’s online research for the perfect vibrator.

Spreading love and passion wherever he goes, Thom the World Poet chanted a medley of Valentine-inspired poetry to the improvisational sounds of Magic Jack ATX on acoustic guitar and Daniel Davila on clarinet.

In between the features and the open mic sections of the Roulette, Valentina requested a singing contest based on the three songs summarized her love life: “Got My Mojo Working,” “100 Days/100 Nights,” and “At Last.” Three contestants took up the challenge, starting with Magic Jack ATX.

Michael Kennon accepted the challenge and was later joined by his younger sister, Sarah.

Thom the World Poet did his improvisational best, changing key phrases of the three song choruses.

Valentina then called all the contestants on stage for the audience to vote by applause.

The contest was a close call, but Thom the World Poet won by a yodel. The prize was Teresa Y. Roberson’s Tribe of One  book and T-shirt.

Afterwards, the open mic ensued.

Daniel Davila

Birdman 313

David Young

Jim Tenny

Allyson Whipple

Sangye O’Mara

Michael Kennon

Robert Bayless

Thanks to all the artists and audience members.  Valentina’s attire was courtesy of Elizabeth Rodriguez.

The next Roulette will be March 9th, 2014 and the theme will be “Travel Stories.”

Have money will travel

Push back on gravel

Dive into cultural immersion

For a different diversion

Into experiences dabble

The globetrotting Rouletters shared their travel stories, ensnaring some unsuspecting artists in their wake.

One swashbuckling Capt. Mathdreads hosted the event.

Before the show, Capt. Mathdreads had a misunderstanding with the bartender, Sarah.

The negotiation soon took a favorable turn for the captain.

The matter was settled with Capt. Mathdreads sipping on the featured drink, Aviation.

Co-conspirator, Thom the World Poet helped secure the area.

Capt. Mathdreads brandished her sword, Primitive Feminism, just to show the guys who was the boss.

Singer-songwriter, Jim Tenny opened the show after a little persuading from PF.

A former priest, Tenny sang about lessons from the mountain top since “it’s easy to be a holy man on top of the mountain.”

Barstool Poetry editor, Bob Makela stumbled upon the Roulette, looking for wifi. After a tangle with PF, he agreed to perform.

He explained to the audience that he and a buddy started writing poetry on cocktail napkins as an effective and entertaining way to pick up women.

Magic Jack ATX detailed the adventures of traveling by train when the train goes  nowhere for hours and 300 people are stranded.

Another unsuspecting artist, Ryan Brusca, agreed to play a traveling musical interlude in the middle of the show when the scheduled musician did not show up.

Brusca first played his own original song, which had no title nor lyrics, but was groovy all the same.

He followed up with Jimi Hendrick’s “Purple Haze.” The audience accompanied  Brusca with shaker eggs, courtesy of Thom the World Poet.

Capt. Mathdreads’ cousin, Veronica Hunte told the whirlwind story of how her parents met in Switzerland and after having three kids, moved to Johannesburg, S. Africa when her father, a retired professional cricket player, was offered to coach cricket as part of Nelson Mandela’s Peace and Reconciliation Initiative.

Lila McCall transported the audience back to 1985 when she and her feisty aunt traveled to Egypt and Israel during a plane hijacking, armed military teenagers, and a lack of creature comforts.

At this point in the show, the captain persuaded artist, Sangye O’Mara to read only one selection since some SXSW musicians were clamoring to get on the stage after the Roulette.

Sangye chronicled her resentment of the constant landscape-changing construction in Austin, but gained courage to deal with the changes when she came upon the brave midnight racing wheelchair culture.

Captain Mathdreads told a yarn about her night hike up Mt. St. Catherine (Sinai) to watch the sunrise one Thanksgiving.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Magic Jack ATX, told of wondrous travels here on Earth and around the cosmos.

The captain warmly invites you to participate or attend the upcoming “Out of This World” roulette on April 13th. Don’t make her come look for you!

Aliens are among us

In God we trust

Altered mind hallucinations

Intimate fascinations

Cunnilingus

The Rouletters were part of the entertainment lineup for the Mud Bug Boil.

In addition to the food, there were drink specials, featuring mimosas…

and bloody Marys!

Lila McCall recounted several personal experiences of “The Others.”

Daniel Davila, accompanied by Bob Mud, played his song about a Martian encounter, written during an altered mind.

Newbie, D Chang, read a sci-fi story about an alien encounter in a high tech world. Afterwards, he posed two trivia questions to give away two sci-fi CDs.

Josh Matimore shared a narrative about a mind-altered, music-filled, past life flash back.

Teresa Y. Roberson emoted the opening excerpt of chapter nine about her math fantasy characters from The Adventures of Infinity and Negativa.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by a menagerie of musicians (Magic Jack ATX, Bob Mud, & Daniel Davila), sing-songed Out of This World spoken word. Afterwards, the open mic began:

Morghan

Magic Jack ATX

Trevor

Bob Mud

Daniel Davila w/Bob Mud

D Chang w/Bob Mud

Thanks to our wonderful Mud Bug audience!

My favorite dog who’s human parent took them out to celebrate the Mud Bug boil.

Join us May 11th for the “Stop Whining” roulette.

Your pitch is off key 

Your screeching is kill me

Life is what you make it 

Instead of having a fit 

Vent though poetry 

For this Mother’s Day, the Rouletters vented about their pet peeves and life lessons learned.

Magic Jack ATX aired his annoyance about other people’s love lives.

Sarah Kennon gave the student’s response to teachers who nag about sleeping in class.

Lila McCall called out one of her pet peeves…in so many words, about made up words.

Sagi Musume confronted the battles of feminine beauty and strength.

Daniel Davila held a mirror to all the whiners in his life, showing their ugly reflection.

Teresa Y. Roberson shared her mother’s anti-whining lesson, summed up in a single question: “Do you want me to give you something to cry about?”

Josh Matimore celebrated his 1st year anniversary with the roulette by writing a political satire skit about first world problems. He read the role of special agent Johnny Ba-Dass.

Thom the World Poet read the role of Congressman Bum McWrath.

Teresa Y. Roberson read the role of the bailiff, kicking off the skit. 

Thom the World Poet entertained the crowd with his medley about whining, joined by Magic Jack ATX on guitar and Daniel Davila on clarinet.

Thom gifted everyone with either a red or white candle in order to bring light to the world rather than curse the darkness.

Starting the open mic was David Young AKA Ben Franklin.

Sarah Kennon

Michael Kennon

Daniel Davila

Josh Matimore

Zaka

Louise

Nerissa

Join the Rouletters Sunday, June 8th for “Bucket List Fantasies.” Submission deadline is Wednesday, June 4th.

Live like there’s no tomorrow

You have no time to borrow

Happiness you must pursue

To yourself stay true

Experience as much as you can swallow

Anubis, Egyptian god of the dead and mummification, hosted this roulette. He told the audience that before Osiris usurped his important job, he’d escort the deceased to have their heart weighted against Ma’at’s ostrich feather while asking them a list of 42 questions. Based on the truthfulness of their answers, the deceased would either go to heaven or dwell in hell, with their heart eaten by the crocodile-headed goddess, Ammit.

The Rouletters were warned to be truthful about their bucket lists before the show began.

Birdman 313 daydreamed about what would happen if certain things came to fruition.

Magic Jack ATX shared his altruistic bucket list.

Allyson Whipple revealed her bucket list in five image- and message-rich short poems.

Lila McCall plotted out her bucket list that folded back on itself throughout time.

Teresa Y. Roberson announced her intentions to educate the masses through her written works and paintings now that she had resigned from teaching public school.

Josh Matimore recounted his sexual bucket list fantasy.

Thom the World Poet read his bucket list to the musical improvisation of Magic Jack ATX and Daniel Davila.

During intermission, Anubis recommended the theme drink: French 75.

The Open Mic Artists

David Davila

Louise Richardson

Robin Barratt

Sangye O’Mara

Donna Dechen Birdwell

Mistyrose OK

Thom the World Poet & Daniel Davila

Birdman 313

Catherine Brandt

Drew De Los Santos

Josh Matimore

David Young AKA Ben Franklin

Ben T.

Allyson Whipple

Join us for the next roulette July 13th when the theme is “Courage.”

At times courage is bold and loud

Or it’s hidden within the crowd

When a crisis occurs

And another defers

The courageous makes us proud

For the Courage roulette, Sylvie was our show mascot–a first for us!

The show was hosted by Blaxploitation leading lady, Foxy Brown.

This is what happens when the host gives her camera to an audience member. Although he was a poet, he didn’t want to get up on stage. Jokes on this guy now…he’s on the blog!

For our second anniversary, we had a record number of featured artists at 11, 3 of whom were first-timers. Thom the World Poet gifted everyone shades, which explains why we look oh-so-cool in our group shot.

Magic Jack ATX challenged the childhood myth of stepping on the cracks that breaks his mama’s back.

El Guapo used vivid imagery about the courage to love another.

Birdman 313 showed the courage it took to maintain inner peace.

Louise Richardson recounted the life and bravery of red man, her father.

Lila McCall revealed the strength while supporting someone ill.

Carondelet Dember, for her first time speaking publicly, courageously shared her repressed memories of childhood.

Courtney Jones spoke of how strong women with challenging backgrounds transitioned into butterflies.

Sangye O’Mara, dressed in military fatigues, detailed a moving narrative about love and courage of a married couple in the armed forces immersed in the horrors of war.

Daniel Davila divulged a quixotic battle fought for his dream girl.

Teresa Y. Roberson articulated how a privileged jerk would not successfully push a strong woman aside.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Magic Jack ATX, graced his courageous medley on the stage.

David Young AKA Ben Franklin started the open mic.

Sangye O’Mara

Dianna Simmons

Birdman 313

Courtney Jones

Louise Richardson

Magic Jack ATX & Sylvie

Thom the World Poet

Battling the latest conflict

Pulling out the newest trick

Come what may

Keep evil at bay

Triumphing is slick

The Rouletters originally thought they could take the group shot with the kayak in the picture, but the photography pros said there was too much sunlight in the background.

We then took a “classic” group shot by in front of the bar, proving once again we have superb survival adaptability!

The host drew her costume inspiration from Rambo, Peace Corps and her father’s dog tag.

Birdman’s survival story started with having to rent a car to get to the roulette. Then, he told his challenge with love, which began during his childhood.

Sangye O’Mara shared the makings of a true survivor, being thankful to be alive and sane.

Lila McCall divulged the big secret about survival–we don’t survive! Yet when we live life to the fullest, we don’t care about death.

Laurie Loew demonstrated her survival skills when she nearly lost everything, but transformed her life to be a successful social entrepreneur who gives back to the community.

Allyson Whipple created a poetry documentary, in five parts, about her best friend’s battle with cancer.

Thom the World Poet read the titles of each of Allyson’s poems from the audience.

Josh Matimore spun a tale about surviving the seasons of a fatal attraction.

Daniel Davila performed a one-man skit that captured his sister’s survival story through the lens of humor.

Teresa Y. Roberson read an edited excerpt from her Peace Corps experience, adjusting to life in Tanzania within the first two weeks.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Daniel Davila on clarinet, performed an improvisation about survival.

During intermission, rouletter Jack, looking very literary, smoked a cigar.

Thom the World Poet & Daniel Davila started the open mic.

Bernette

Zaka

Donna Dechen Birdwell

Ben

Erin

Birdman 313

Sangye O’Mara

Daniel Davila

Jaime Torres

Josh Matimore

Allyson Whipple

Carondelet Dember

From the bottom of our hearts,

we thank our audience, who came out in record numbers, to hear us spin our survival stories!

The host challenges everyone to think, write and share “Visionary Ideas” for the September 14th roulette!

Can you see what I see

Or is it just me

My active imagination

A preoccupation

Challenge what can be

This roulette was like Ted Talks meets poetry!

The hostess was a global leader from the future: female, brown-skinned and English speaker (majority of the world is female, people of color and speak English as their 1st, 2nd or 3rd language).

Milton Villeda, multi-instrumentalist and engineer, gave a demonstration of his latest invention, The M!ltone, which controlled various aspects of different musical instruments and lighting with a wave of the hand.

Joe Slawter brought awareness and activism about the sex trafficking of women, acknowledging that the average man’s demand is the main problem.

Scott Lipton talked about how EdTech Action addressed the broken educational system.

Magic Jack ATX, who worked on the railroads for 35 years, informed the crowd that Austin is way behind other cities in public transportation and needs rail options.

Sarah Kennon’s rant proved that most teenagers do not live the shallow life as portrayed by the media.

Donna Dechen Birdwell read the opening chapter of her futuristic fiction, The Way of the Serpent.

Lila McCall shared a poem about the gift of special vision.

Josh Matimore gave a retro look of a visionary gangster who used to work for Al Capone.

Teresa Y. Roberson stated her list of 10 future global demands, starting with 51% of all leadership roles being held by women.

Thom the World Poet waxed optimism when other people plan for the future since they’re confident there will be a future!

Louise Richardson started the open mic.

Jon Van Lowe

Sangye O’Mara

Kevin Velasco

Michelle

Michael Kennon

Josh Matimore

Thom the World PoetSarah Kennon

Thom the World Poet

We thank our audience for staying an hour later than usual for this visionary show!

Next roulette will be Sunday, October 12th with the theme “Cocktail Napkin Stories.”

Find temporary relief

By suspending your belief

The tales grow longer

When the alcohol’s stronger

The storyteller’s a thief

The Rouletters took advantage of the wonderful ambient temperature for the traditional group photo.

In addition, they promoted poetry even more by holding poems in their hands.

The host, dressed as a cocktail waitress, carried pens, blank napkins, a woven basket and a cornucopia. For this month, everyone present had an opportunity to be a poet–a cocktail napkin poet, that is. Everyone wrote a title on a blank napkin and put it in the green basket. Then, they chose a different title from the green basket to develop into a poem. The poems went into the cornucopia.

Magic Jack ATX, who had previously stated that he’d never written a cocktail napkin tale, changed that status before the show! He spun a cautionary tale about drinking.

Birdman 313 read his pithy alcohol slogans.

Jaime Torres recited the most rambling cocktail napkin tale for a sober man.

Lila McCall recounted a spooky cowboy ghost story with a bar setting.

Daniel Davila, who told jokes using a Ronald Reagan accent, followed by his mother’s accent, settled on a good ol’ country boy accent when he told a tale that pulled the audience’s leg.

Teresa Y. Roberson shared her latest sex research during midnight drinks. Topic: what turned men off from performing cunnilingus.

Thom with his cocktail napkin tales medley crew of Magic Jack ATX and Daniel Davila retold how the original cocktail napkin poet innocently stumbled upon our venue among other drinking-inspired tales.

After the intermission, the lovely rouletter assistants, Daniel, Jack and Thom, read the spontaneous cocktail napkin poems that were created during the show.

Donna Dechen Birdwell, Sangye O’Mara and David each read a poem, inspired by one of Birdwell’s poems.

Louise Richardson

Kirby Mason

Geovani Zambrana

Birdman 313

Zora Ellis

Kevin Velasco

Here are the 22 cocktail napkin pearls of wisdom poems: