Tai Mesches – May 2013

rrweb-TaimLast Words

the last piece to the puzzle, where my mind collides with the body
a short draft of the poet’s craft, another book completed
i’m on top of the crescent moon, looking beyond the stars
a balmy past drifts away at last, so here i leave my mark
from the first page to the last, i have bled my soul clean
experiencing the epic beauty in every moment ‘n’ every scene
i have screamed with love, ‘n’ cried in justice, my words bind me
my heart ‘n’ spirit come alive as i let these rhymes define me
never hard to speak my being, out into this existence
speech completes my poetry to heal me of all sickness
my novel of therapy, where my medicine lies within one stroke
the moment my ink hits the paper, my pen slides down the slope
on a flow of verbs ‘n’ adjectives, descriptions wet with liquid
depictions raw with sex ‘n’ flaws, my madness becomes fluid
i choose to be lucid ‘n’ i choose to get drunk with dreams
for here is where i truly feel real, cuz i’m the master of my everything
a secret is instilled in my poems, one which cannot be explained
all you can do is open ‘n’ feel, ‘n’ let the emotions rain
contained in my heavenly wish, i grant you the freedom you seek
you must believe in the words you breathe ‘n’ in the passion that you leak
to become the love you stand for, you must relish in yourself
gather up your lessons in life until your soul starts to swell
then once you’re at the brink of tears, put your pen to the page
unravel, unleash, confess ‘n’ weep until you have nothing else to say
contained in this tale, is ALL of that i have been
ALL that i will ever be, here lies a new beginning
with the end of another chapter, i pack up my mind ‘n’ go
knowing that i’ve left no page unturned, once again free to find my flow
so to Po, Music, Jezzie ‘n’ Giggles, ‘n’ to my new fond bliss
to my muse or two who have helped me drool what love truly is
i leave you with this, a simple sigh to the universe
poetry has allowed me to live this life within each rhyme ‘n’ in each verse
here, i gave birth…

these are my last words…

 

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you. 

Mark Caltonhill – May 2013

Mark performed three new songs at the May Stage Time & Wine

“A Change in the Weather”, “Korean Beauty” and “Lettuce Legs Blues”

Mark is a vegetarian and recommends Taiwan as a good place for non-meat eaters. A while ago, he had a dream, however, in which his legs had turned into lettuces, and he was being chased down the street by a heard of hungry sheep. Naturally, being a poet, Mark wrote a poem about the experience, which he has recently turned into a song. Although it is not blues music, it does begin “When i woke up this morning … ” and has a sad ending.

When I woke up this morning, my legs had turned to lettuce,
completely green from my toes up to my belt-ish
that was alright, as I was feeling peckish
so I showered in vinaigrette, and ate salad for breakfast.

I opened a restaurant, called My Green World,
serving vegetarians from all over the Earth,
the leftovers I fed to packs of rabbits
from which I took wool and made alpaca jackets.

I had to take care though, when going out of doors,
else I’d be chased by herds of herbivores,
by cows and sheep and other animals,
and by long-haired drug-crazed hippy cannibals.

With my lettuce ankles and lettuce knees,
I have to hide my legs from Cantonese,
from Japanese politely saying “itadakimasu”,
and Koreans hoping to make a little kimchi at last.

A salad-mad French artist named Toulouse,
screamed “Je voudrais manger your bloody lett-ouse.”
while a gentle German afraid of getting fat
asked if he could buy “ein bission kopfsalat

With my lettuce stalk, sex can be quite hellish,
going from crisp to limp is a constant menace,
I still hope to find love, perhaps in Venice,
from a kinky Italian with a green-foot fetish.

Sometimes I hide my legs when I go on a date,
elsetimes, I just lean back and spread them on a plate,
nonchalantly saying to my sweetie,
“Darlin’, If you’re hungry, don’t wait, just eat me.”

At this point I finally awoke from my dream,
and from under the blankets, I heard a muffled scream,
“No, I won’t suck your toes, even doused in sauce,
in fact, get a lawyer, I want a divorce.”

The moral of this story, I’m sorry to say,
is that being a vegetarian, doesn’t always pay,
I kept the restaurant, but my wife got the rabbits,
which she cooked and ate, so there’ll be no more jackets.

Mark performs stand-up comedy and comic poetry and song under the names Mark Malarkey and 胡說馬克 at various locations around Taiwan. For more details refer to Mark Malarkey on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mark.malarkey.9

 

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you. 

Lauren Mark – May 2013

rr-32-newsIs This Why You’re a Holiday Centerpiece?

Slender crescent of the moon
fragilely peeking out like a hesitant child beyond a curtain of hair,
the bulk of its mass obscured like so many unvoiced thoughts,
their glacial-like weight ever-present beneath the distractions of digital toys.

I gaze upon you in awe, silver moon,
that through the fog of this basin’s congregated pollution and the gentle distraction of city lights,
you’ve revealed a part of your face for us to enjoy,
a beautiful, unblinking image that stays beyond our erratic breaths and fleeting heartbeats
to accompany me home,
even when the mrt dips underground
and the quiet of the night air is chased away by flighty conversations
directed by voices rising and falling faster than measured inhalations and exhalations can match.

I hold your elegance in my heart
beside the many shoes and painted toenails that parade before my eyes,
and the recorded voice that broadcasts indefatigably in an unbroken refrain of 4 different languages,
until your image, too, passes on.

~ Lauren Mark 2012

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you. 

A Nook for Rhyme Crooks, April 27, 2013

Recap:

The first blot has been dropped, giving birth to our story and our inner-creeping characters. With vibrating silhouettes and blood-pumping words, the Rhyme Crooks introduced our four pragmatists of this upcoming spoken word rhyme-tale. With our artist striking his blank canvas, the evening took form.

As each Crook’s shadow stretched its presence upon the audience, poetry filled up the room. First character to slip into the scene was Giggles, our representation of madness, chaos, and havoc. With a scatter of questioned wordplay and frantic melodies, the audience was thrown into the deep end. With confusion and anticipation buttering up the environment, the audience eagerly awaited the second.

Jezebel, the second character brought to life, slid her wet ways into the scene, representing desire, sex, and lust. The Crooks tossed her threw different perceptions and weaved her further down the page, reminding us that the rush in our veins is there for a reason.

At intermission, keeping true to the traditions of hip-hop, INFITIY and SPACE displayed their talents showcasing their quick-kickin’ grooves by breakdancing for everyone. Mesmerized and entertained, the audience eventually made their way back into the venue to catch the second half.

Welcoming them with calming narration, the Crooks smooth the audience back into their realm. Introducing the third character to the page, Po, the representation of Wisdom, Truth, and Nature, allowed the audience to find their grounding, and start to grasp the concept behind the event. An easy flowing beat coasted the audience further down the Crooks’ thought-provoking journey, setting them up for fourth, and last, of the characters.

Music, the representation of Harmony, True Love, and Peace, breathed life into the audience. Completing the quartet of characters, and setting up the conclusion. As all the characters came to a halt, a realization was unmasked; that each one of these characters lives in the page, and is given life through ink, word, and voice. Now with the four characters unleashed from the essential Ink Blot, they await their next page.

As finale, artist, Steve “SP” Williams, revealed his painting, depicting the four characters and the unmasking of his own inner Giggles, Jezebel, Po and Music. With narration and pieces blended with Chinese and English, silhouettes flickering, and all-original beats by Antithesis, the first chapter of “A Nook for Rhyme Crooks” comes to a close.

Photo credit: Ping Chu and Disha Patel.

the finale, photo by disha patel

the finale, photo by disha patel

What to expect:

Walking into the same setup, a high-caliber artist will, from scratch, create a piece depicting his own interpretation of this next chapter of “A Nook for Rhyme Crooks“.  The Rhyme Crooks, who includes, Antithesis, Lux, OzWonka, MellowJunkie, Limpbizzie, and Prosperus, will come together once again behind the screen, to bring to life our four main characters, Giggles, Jezebel, Po and Music. Representing the four raw emotions; Chaos, Desire, Wisdom and Love, respectively, expect to take a ride through your inner core as we all together journey through a limitless world of rhyme, hip-hop and poetry.

A performance promising to be a visual tease and a jungle of flavorful wordplay, “Nook” will paint and splat its unique story all over the audience’s blank canvas, and give them a sensation that can only be truly captured by spoken word. Featured in a mix of Chinese and English, prepare to stretch your boundaries of linguistic understanding, poetic freedom, and creative acceptance.

A Nook for Rhyme Crooks” will be a monthly event, featuring the artwork of a new upcoming artist, along with the all-original spoken word performances by the ink-slashing “Rhyme Crooks”. Please and come support this new movement organized by Red Room Organization, and prepare to be engulfed by the art of spoken word.

A Nook for Rhyme Crooks” performance will be on May 25th, 2013 at 6:30 pm, at the prestigious Taipei Artist Village on Beiping E. Road. Stay tuned for more details…

第一個故事已經誕生了,生下了我們內心匍匐字符的故事。由每個韻詞者用他們的影子呈現給觀眾們,用詩歌填滿整個房間。

第一個呈現給觀眾的是 Giggle,用瘋狂、混亂、號節方式來分享。

第二個分享者 Jezebel 用個人獨特性格將活生生的將我們帶入她的內心現場,呈現出欲望、性與欲望。

中場休息,Infinity-Breakdance Crew 和 Space-Graffiti Artist 用嘻哈的方式來顯示它們快速歌唱方式來娛樂觀眾們,讓觀眾們開心感覺可以延續到下半場。

第三個角色映入我們的事 Po,用智慧、真理和自然代表性特色,讓觀眾可以找到踏實感覺,並解讓大家可以各種事物背後的概念。

第四個角色 Music 用音樂代表著和諧與真愛和和平,帶給觀眾生動的氣息。

由於這四種角色的融合,讓我們每一個頁面賦予了生命,透過油墨、文字和語言。現在四個大字必不可少的墨漬釋放,等待他們的下一個頁面。

最後壓軸,藝術家 Steve Williams,透過他的畫,將四個角色特色,和揭露出自己的內心笑聲。透過旁白和中文英文表述方式,讓所有原來的節拍可以對仗起來,第一章節的韻詞家的角落活動就此結束。

同樣的環境,同樣高素質的藝術家在下一次樂章,韻詞者將會由我們這四位角色帶給大家 Antithesis, Lix, OzWonka, Mellow Junkie, Limpbizzie 和 Prosperus 表演,一起帶到舞台上。

我們期待你可以帶領內心的心情與我們一起乘坐體驗押韻、街舞與詩歌無線世界的旅程。

韻家旮旯 (A Nook for Rhyme Crooks) 會每個月固定舉辦,請來參加支持這樣的行動,由紅房社群舉辦,來吞沒這些口語的力量的藝術。
下一次時間將會是 5/25 6:30pm,在台北國際藝術村,在北平東路上,敬請留意更多最新消息。

ST&W Sharing 3.16 – Angelica Oung

Angelica sang her original lyrics while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar.

 

St Christopher’s Tavern

At the end of the night, after working all day
Down on the pillow my head I would lay
But the day will soon come when I’ll rest in the ground
Before that day comes, let’s have one more round

There’s good folks you’ll find at St. Christopher’s tavern
Weary travelers too tired to go on
They tarry a while at St. Christopher’s tavern
For a drink, and a rest, because the next stop is home.

There I met an old man, looking tired to the bone
He had so many friends, but he’s here all alone
He said “No more bitter pills no more medicine cups”
“Give me kindness, give me comfort, my time’s almost up”

There’s good folks you’ll find at St. Christopher’s tavern
Weary travelers too tired to go on
They tarry a while at St. Christopher’s tavern
For a drink, and a rest, because the next stop is home.

Bury me in no coffin…lined in silk and lead
I’d like to burn to ashes, and fly ‘way instead
Bring me no roses, strangled in cellophane
my spirit will be dancing with the wind and the rain

There’s good folks you’ll find at St. Christopher’s tavern
Weary travelers too tired to go on
They tarry a while at St. Christopher’s tavern
For a drink, and rest, because the next stop is home.

 

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you. 

ST&W sharing 3.16 Manav Mehta

March 17th, sometime 5th Century

In the promising land, with a not so promising name.
A man was born in KILPATRICK, who preached his way to fame.
His charm was willing yet flexible, knowledge bombs undefendable.
Died south of DOWNPATRICK, today we praise ST.PATRICK.

To quote the merry:
“We raise our mugs to the oldest of drinks,
those who need a hurl look out for clear sinks.
Let’s crunch on Irish bacon, and alcoholic cabbage.
Wear green & rid our minds of all heavy baggage.”

Due to an individual’s existence, we all practice persistence, regardless of where you’re home is ; tomorrow we’re all Irish.

 

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you. 

A Nook for Rhyme Crooks

nooks-posteras the mainstream masses, hack away at the roots
certain tribes ‘n’ clans, crack their hands to prove…that
they use words to bring purpose, delivered in verses
burst wise blurbs as it’s hip-hop we wor-ship
on the surface we work, we grind, ‘n’ we dig
but once you enter the nook, yo, our priority is ink
this joint here is to preserve, a lost ancient art
where the pen bends all lessons as we teach with each mark
this is a duty call for all slippery lyricists, ‘n’ quick-spittin’ beat-boxers
bold-inked warrior poets, ‘n’ wise free-stylin’ doctors
operating by choppin’ blocks of bass with bars that give birth
switchin’ bitchin’ verbs with whispers that’ll quake your earth
we come here to work in a world where wordsmiths roam free
to boast spoken poetry as our form of speech graffiti
hear my fat words swallow fear ‘n’ press a presence upon you
notice my voice ‘n’ my choice, to turn up the volume
this is the grand ball for mad hatters, jesters, ‘n’ dreamers
for prophets ‘n’ fools, for geniuses ‘n’ schemers
but beneath the surface of words, the labels ‘n’ terms
lies a truth so powerful it makes our pages burn
which is earned by preserving this culture to write
ink be our blood as words be our life
so tonight we rise together, ‘n’ around we take a look
ladies ‘n’ gents, welcome, to the nook for true rhyme crooks…

http://www.redroom.com.tw/events/event/a-nook-for-rhyme-crooks-april-27-2013/

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you.

Aside @ the Red Room, March 30 2013

Aside_six-12The recent Aside @ The Red Room was one of the best Aside events we have had. About 100 people attended, and all 15 presenters were brilliant! From the dedicated work of our volunteers to our impeccable host Manav, Aside @ The Red Room is an ever-growing wealth of exemplary talent and shared joy. We had great storytelling by Jean Loup, exploring what it is to communicate love. Stunning illustrator Tuan Tuan shared her imaginative world with us and Brendon taught us how to start a creative artist jam community. We also had Poet Rapper Tai and vocal overtone artist Mark guide us through their sounds; Lawrence Philbrook speak about building community; Jeff Uke and his beautiful team mesmerise us with a sensual hula dance; and our dear Marina incite laughter as a stand up comedienne. With musicians and singers and dancers, Tina, Charis, Jun and Mauro, sharing their hearts and their original work : this Aside was an enchanting evening.

A big thank you to Nonzero’s chefs for creating a wondrous spread of edible goodies.

Red Room is grateful to Canmeng Aveda and their team for their sponsorship and support.

The next Stage Time and Wine is on 4/20 and the next Aside 3 will be on 6/29. Please mark your calendar for these two dates.

(c) Copyright 2013 Red Room. Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you.

Rene Kamm, November 2012

“Rene Kamm is a poet, an emcee and one-half of the rap duo Ren & Miles, whose mixtape “Remedies”  was released in 2012. It is available for free download at renandmiles.bandcamp.com.”  At the November 17 Stage Time & Wine, Rene recited his poetry as follows:

P.S.Luv.Ya
by Rene Kamm

way back i’d often miss the softest kiss
of the breeze guess i’d forgotten what honest was
misplaced happiness, attached bliss
to a wish upon a chick

now i walk through the mist hangin
between orange lamps and blue moons
and peep the distant stars blinkin back
they’re really close dependin where your vision’s at

lay back, listen, act then speak accordingly
in springtime i’m buzzin beezies, and my summer flow’s scorching heat
but now i wish upon the leaves to fall from autumn trees
upon the seeds of the cherry trees to blossom free

upon the pollen, each sunray and the sunset
i sensed a sensai on each lily pad of monet
heart’s where my home stay, i found it in my own way
though thankful for family, their guidance and the homies

but some days i’m mindless, lonely at other times
i’ll still swallow love bugs hoping that they’ll rise as butterflies
i’m otherwise too focused on my love’s quotient
but i’ll always leave a simple luv ya in the postscript

Siddhartha
by Rene Kamm

i been cooped up for forty days
prayin for heaven to come my way
with eyes closed, and then i removed the blindfold
and my mind’s clothed in weariness among faces held serious
my body felt delirious
but my mind wasn’t here in this
it’s wholly consumed, thinkin sufferin and pain is life
while my whole self is subsistin on a single grain of rice

i tried to man up, stand up, but couldn’t
my palms pressed against this earth tried pushin
but my self felt trapped like coins beneath cushions
and my mind’s trapped in my body like words between bookends
then a man stepped up with a rice bowl
i couldn’t mutter thanks though, still i drank slow

i felt the warmth tingling down my throat to my ankles
it gave me the strength to stand slow
i stood and i staggered back
feelin the pain in my spine like the impact from a jagged axe
and my limbs cracked, now i’m tense in my battlestance
to stave off my senses that were drownin in an avalanche
the pain was my habitat, and then it melted
yeah i felt it, the void that my self’s in
i saw deep in a valley sinkin it seemed
a bodhi tree with autumn leaves turnin pink from green

so i walked over, sat down and just listened
to the gust, wind, and birds and bees buzz killin
i stayed chillin on the riverbed of my consciousness
unconscious of the five skandhas, cuz
perception is deception and all forms are devoid of essence
and the essence of the void’s all forms of expression
i’m still correctin the direction of my feet
but i’m steppin to the heavens when i speak

peace

(c) Copyright 2012 Red Room.  Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you.

 

Tai Mesches December 2012

 
rrweb-TaimBull’s Eye
the ancient raindrops splash ‘n’ soothe my eternal solitude
they drool around my center, leaving me at peace with being alone
a gentle silence gives warmth to my stretched-out frantic mind
finally a pocket of rest where there’s no need to be trapped by time
‘n’ line by line i can unwind, shift my energies elsewhere
a place where i am safe ‘n’ awake, there’s always a tale to tell there
the blank page intimidates with its stern face, placid with its stare
here i unravel, unleash my travels, this sheet shall never be bare
apparent commotions of wild emotions, so potent they’ll overload
pressures of moments, so bold in slow-motion, flowin’ like molten gold
swollen with vibrant lightening, tryin’ to find the source of this storm
so i can digest its nutrients, ‘n’ once again feel re-born
to bring all the portions together, all the flavors to make your pie
your spirit, your soul, your energy, make whole, as we rest in the center of my mind
appreciate this juxtaposition, take advantage of this sensation
learn to relate with all faces ‘n’ shapes, be brave, ‘n’ be patient
breathe heavy with the slightest sounds, be tickled by waving grass
treasure your center, let love be your mentor, as we make this moment last
the amount of satisfaction by the simplest of pleasures, in one fraction of a second
corrects my vision to see straight again, ‘n’ be at ease with the present
sequences of tense extremities, my parched words need remedies
release my extra-incentives, please, i need some help to find some peace
i scrub my teeth with wisdom bristles, ‘n’ rinse with clarity
script whatevers beneath my lies ‘n’ rhyme the truth that carries me
bound to poetry, my medicine of choice, i rejoice in its bosom
protecting me from the senseless distractions that’ll leave a man ruined
here in my womb of words, i nurse my melodies back into tune
this is where i bloom my fruit ‘n’ let the balance consume
i loom slowly into my temple, this is where a poet should write
right slap dab in the middle, heart be the bull’s eye…
(c) Copyright 2012 Red Room. Material on this site is the property of contributing members of the Red Room Community. Please do not copy any part of this publication. Thank you.