Open Mic and IWPS Final at the Cantab Lounge - Cambridge
February 24, 2010
It was my pleasure to participate in open mic and my honor to be selected to help judge the Individual World Poetry Slam Final at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Open mic at the Cantab is lively and eclectic. Every time I have been there, there have been at least three or four poets experiencing their first time reading at the Cantab. The Cantab has featured poetry readings since 1992 and is still as vital a community of poets as you’ll find anywhere. Usually after open mic there is a featured poet.
But the main event last night was the slam final, in which nine poets read in competition to see which one of these talented poets would be THE ONE to represent the Cantab Lounge in the Individual World Poetry Slam. Rumor has it that the IWPS will be in Philadelphia this year in October.
Judging the competition was tough. These were all seasoned poets, all good, all polished, all doing their very best to win. In the end it was Carrie Rudzinski who took the honors. She will represent the Cantab Lounge at the IWPS.