Poetry at artspace

An arthouse Presentation!

Thursday, May 6th, 6:30 pm

Arthouse, artspace’s monthly performance night, presents SPOKEN WORD on Thursday, May 6th at 6:30 pm, featuring Becky Haigler, Shirley Campbell and URIAH.

The evening includes an Open Mic for audience members to share poetry and recitations. Readings can’t last longer than 6 minutes.

$50 CASH PRIZE for the Best in Show on the Open Mic as voted on by the audience.

Admission: $10

Trapped Truth poet to teach at Multicultural Center

January 18, featured reader Joanna Ballard, right, presided over the afternoon gathering of poets, writers, and a few supportive listeners. Joanna, a professional storyteller, will lead workshops on oral presentation of poetry in February.

The Multicultural Center of the South is offering Love Poetry performance workshops for all ages, conducted by professional storyteller and spoken word artist Joanna Ballard. The family-oriented workshops will be held the first two Saturdays in February. Cost is $10.00 a person, $8.00 for seniors and age 11 and under, or $18.00 family rate.

Performers may attend one or both workshops, to be held 12:30-2:30 p.m. on February, 7th and 12:30-1:30 p.m. February 14th. The workshop on the 14th will be followed by a performance of participants at 1:30 p.m. General public admission $4.00 for the Love Poetry Performance Showcase. Those attending the workshops are asked to bring a favorite love poem, their own work or someone else’s, no longer than five minutes, and appropriate for all ages.

Workshops will cover stage presence, body language, and projection along with other aspects of public live performance. Attendees are encouraged, though it is not required, to attend both workshops and to participate in the final performance. The workshops are designed for beginning performers but would also be good refresher courses for others, and a great family activity.

Joanna Ballard is a Shreveport storyteller with a bachelor’s of arts degree in English and a minor in theater. Joanna has been performing poetry (her own as well as others' work) for over three decades.

For more information or to pre-register, as spaces are limited, please call Janice Gatlin at 424-1380.

Wild Bill's CD release party

Saturday, October 4, William Macaulay Johnson, a Trapped Truth poet and participant in many Shreveport writing groups, celebrated the release of his new poetry CD, Mars Calling, at Actors' Cafe. Bill, seen at right, was recovering from a bad fall a day earlier, which left him with facial lacerations (not visible in this shot,) a dislocated right shoulder and a fractured left hand! After spending Friday night in the hospital, Bill was still game to perform. 'The show must go on' for this trooper!



The CD features Bill reading several of his poems with a background of original music by Chris Alexander, left, of Why the Hell Not Music!

(photos by Dave Haigler)

new edition of SUNDAY AT FOUR

TTS visitors Alena Harris, left, and Amanda Currie, right, flank Pamela Raintree, editor of the latest edition of Sunday at Four, quarterly publication of the Trapped Truth Society of Poets and Writers. The visual appeal of the interior layout skillfully showcases the poets' work. Pam's artistry is also seen in Sunday at Four's cover art, a photo of her recent painting of a pre-Katrina Mississippi shoreline. Copies of the thirty-two-page chapbook, with work by twenty-one poets, are available, while supplies last, for $5.00. Contact Carlos Colon at ccolon423@comcast.net or 868-8932. Copies also available at TTS meetings.

Featured reader for the September 28 gathering of Trapped Truth was Dexter Smith, right, who read some selections from a favorite author, Judith Viorst.













Lee Marvin Adams, below, USAF veteran, USO performer, poet and writer, is always a welcome participant at TTS, inspiring us by sharing his observations and experiences or his work.

(All photos courtesy of Becky Haigler.)

fun at the farmers' market

Poets from the Trapped Truth Society manned a table at the Shreveport Farmers' Market this past Saturday. In this photo, poets Sarah Mercier, Monique Finley, and Laura Flett (front to back on left) interact with the Cezar family who purchased poetry written on the spot about their favorite topics. TTS will be on hand at the market October 27 and November 3 as well for more fun with words. (photo courtesy of Dave Haigler)

Trapped Truth at the Farmers' Market

New taste treat for connoisseurs of the arts in Shreveport! Local poets will have a table at the Fall Farmers' Market, serving up piping hot, fresh poetry for a minimal fee. All poems will be prepared upon order, while you wait (or while you stroll the market.) No pre-packaged, pre-fab poems from a mix will be served!

Stop by our location October 20, 27, and November 3 for the best in fresh, Shreveport wordsmithing.

first Thursday Night Trolley tour

The first TNT was a success from the point of view of the poets of standing at the EDGE, who read poetry in response to some of the artwork at West Edge Artists' Co-op. Our host was Michael Parker, of West Edge Books. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and the artists who stopped by seemed to have a good time, too! A few Trolley tourists also found themselves in the middle of a sort of sixties-style 'happening.' The readings were repeated three times during the course of the evening. Copies of the chapbook containing the works read, as well as the work of two poets not present for the event, were sold for $2 each. Some copies are still available at the Co- op for purchase.


Pam Raintree, right, reads from the chapbook she so skillfully compiled from the poetry submitted.







One of the evening's readers was also one of the Co-op artists, Nan Dozier, left!







Below, poets William Macauley Johnson, Nadine Charity, and Laura Flett are standing at the EDGE, waiting their turn to read.


Mawiyah Bomani, left, is a new poet in Shreveport, moving here with her family after Katrina. We hope to hear and see more of her work.














Becky Haigler, right, also read.












Thanks to Becky's husband, Dave, for photos of the event!