Tag: Slam poetry

Read Slam Poetry written by slam poets, cowboy poets, and literary giants inspired by the state of Arizona!

Gunslingers artwork poetry skyelyn riggs davis

Gunslingers by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

May 8, 2026

“Gunslingers” by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

taking your place across from me. Our
eyes meet, hands hover over the big iron
on our hips.

My sister, my identical twin. You make
me feel like an outlaw. How I’ve been on
the run since you noticed my smoking
gun. When I wrapped my chest and told
you I was trans, you acted like I killed
someone. You saw me in the desert dirt,
dying of thirst. Cracked lips forming
fractured words. I’d asked you to call
me they then, begging for scraps of
bread. You knew I was starving, but you
said it was no use. Your sister was
already dead, so I pulled myself up by
my bootstraps and vanished. While you
told stories at the saloon, how you were
abandoned. I never asked to be alone,
Ranger. But you left me no choice when
you treated me like I could be cattle
branded and broken like a horse. Tell me
who died and made you sheriff. How
bullets bleed from your tongue. You
self-proclaimed soldier in the name of
God, hiding your personal discomfort
behind a shining badge of honor. The way
you put my face up on every wanted
poster when the cost of the price on my
head would have solved our problem 10
times over my sister.

When did your heart become a ghost town?
And tell me why does each time we meet
have to be a showdown? Do you not
remember? Summer spent in desert heat
dodging dust devils, chasing tumble
weeds, how we play cops and robbers. I
was Clyde and you were Bonnie. These days
they’re just ghost stories.

Now that I’m back, man in black, you say
you don’t recognize me.

So we stand
diametrically opposed. My best friend
turned foe. I reckon you’d hang me at
the gallows. But we both know a sheriff
needs an outlaw to let him play the
hero. You know,
I think this standoff was more about you
than it ever was about me. Yet you
pleaded. Why couldn’t you just follow
the law? Why couldn’t you be my twin
sister? Why couldn’t you be who you were
supposed to be? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
I’m not the twin sister you wanted, but
I’m the brother you need. And we always
taught the West was won by sticking by
your family. No matter how much each of
us are hurting, this time I’m not
leaving. You hear me? I said this town
was always big enough for the two of us.
I’m not dead yet. Aren’t you listening?
I love you. I love all of you. The good,
the bad, and the ugly. Please, I’m so
tired of screaming.

But only the tumble weeds hear me now.

Taking your place across from me. Our
eyes meet, hands hover with a big iron
on our hips.

Let’s just get this over with.

Bang.

I still love you.

Watch “Gunslingers” Performed by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

Analysis of “Gunslingers” by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

A Queer Western Reimagined Through Slam Poetry

“Gunslingers” transforms the mythology of the American West into an intimate family tragedy about identity, rejection, and survival. Using the language of outlaw stories, duels, sheriffs, ghost towns, and wanted posters, Skyelyn Riggs-Davis reframes the transgender experience through a cinematic Western lens.

The poem’s central conflict is not between strangers, but between siblings — specifically identical twins — which heightens the emotional tension throughout the piece. The speaker describes coming out as trans and being treated “like I killed someone,” immediately tying gender identity to exile and criminalization.

By casting himself as the outlaw and his sister as the sheriff, Riggs-Davis exposes how systems of morality, religion, and social conformity can fracture even the closest relationships.

Themes in “Gunslingers”

Transgender Identity and Family Rejection

At its core, “Gunslingers” is about the devastating emotional cost of conditional love. The speaker repeatedly attempts reconciliation, insisting:

“I’m not the twin sister you wanted, but I’m the brother you need.”

The poem captures the loneliness many transgender people experience when family members mourn an identity that was never authentic to begin with. The line:

“Your sister was already dead”

becomes both accusation and elegy.

Western Imagery as Emotional Metaphor

One of the poem’s greatest strengths is its sustained use of Western imagery. Riggs-Davis never abandons the metaphorical framework:

sheriffs
outlaws
saloons
ghost towns
gallows
wanted posters
tumbleweeds
showdowns

These symbols transform the emotional conflict into something mythic and cinematic. The West becomes a metaphor for survival, isolation, masculinity, and violence.

The repeated image of hands hovering over “big iron on our hips” evokes classic Western gunfighter standoffs, while referring to a classic Arizona poetry trope made popular by Marty Robbins‘ “Big Iron“, simultaneously symbolizing emotional self-defense between family members.

Love Surviving Violence

Despite the rage and heartbreak threaded throughout the poem, “Gunslingers” ultimately remains a love poem.

The final line:

“I still love you.”

lands with devastating emotional force because it arrives after metaphorical execution. Even after rejection, abandonment, and symbolic death, the speaker refuses to relinquish love.

That refusal becomes the poem’s deepest act of resistance.

Performance Style and Delivery

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis delivers “Gunslingers” with a theatrical intensity rooted in slam poetry traditions while maintaining the emotional intimacy of confessional writing. His pacing shifts between restrained vulnerability and explosive confrontation, mirroring the escalating tension of a Western duel.

The performance’s emotional realism is amplified by:

cinematic pauses
repeated visual motifs
escalating repetition
direct address
vocal tonal shifts

The result feels less like recitation and more like witnessing a confrontation unfold in real time.

Why “Gunslingers” Resonates

“Gunslingers” resonates because it takes deeply personal pain and reframes it through universally recognizable mythology. Even audiences unfamiliar with transgender experiences can immediately understand the emotional language of:

exile
family betrayal
hero narratives
survival
longing for reconciliation

The poem succeeds because it refuses simplicity. Neither sibling is rendered as a cartoon villain. Instead, Riggs-Davis presents a tragic portrait of people trapped inside inherited ideas of identity, morality, and family.

About Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis is an Arizona-based spoken word artist, slam poet, musician, and event producer known for emotionally charged performances exploring queer identity, resilience, and survival in the modern American Southwest.

Learn more about Skyelyn Riggs-Davis on AZPoetry.com.

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

May 8, 2026

Arizona Spoken Word Poet, Slam Artist & Performer

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis is an American spoken word artist, slam poet, musician, audio engineer, and event producer based in Arizona. Emerging as one of the most compelling voices in the Southwest poetry scene, Riggs-Davis is known for emotionally charged performances that blend vulnerability, political commentary, humor, and theatrical storytelling.

Drawing deeply from his lived experience as a bisexual transgender man, his work explores themes of identity, masculinity, queer survival, grief, class struggle, addiction, love, and resilience in the modern American Southwest. His performances often fuse slam poetry traditions with musical cadence, cinematic imagery, and raw confessional narrative.

A regular feature on Arizona’s competitive poetry circuit, Riggs-Davis has become recognized for his commanding stage presence and deeply human storytelling style that resonates with audiences across spoken word communities nationwide.

Spoken Word Career & Poetry Style

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis first gained regional attention through live performances at underground poetry venues and slam competitions throughout Arizona. His poetry combines high-intensity spoken word delivery with lyrical narrative structures influenced by punk music, Americana, queer literature, and performance theater.

His work frequently addresses:

LGBTQ+ identity and transgender visibility
Mental health and recovery
Working-class life in Arizona
Political and cultural tensions in the American Southwest
Community healing through art
Masculinity and emotional vulnerability

Audience members and fellow poets often describe his performances as visceral, cinematic, and emotionally confrontational while remaining deeply compassionate.

Riggs-Davis performs regularly with the Phoenix-based collective Ghost Poetry Show, one of Arizona’s most active spoken word platforms. Ghost Poetry Show regularly features his recorded live performances. (YouTube)

Notable Poems & Performances

“Starve”

“Starve” became one of Riggs-Davis’s breakout live performances after its appearance at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix. The piece examines hunger in both literal and emotional forms, using themes of addiction, survival, desire, and self-worth. (YouTube)

“Mourning Doves”

“Mourning Doves” is among his most widely discussed recent works, exploring queer identity, fear, violence, and survival in America through layered metaphor and stark imagery. The performance circulated heavily across Southwest poetry communities in 2026. (YouTube)

“Gunslingers”

Using Western iconography and outlaw mythology, “Gunslingers” critiques modern social conflict, performative heroism, and systems of power in contemporary America. (Facebook)

“Peter Parker Pan”

A fan-favorite performance piece, “Peter Parker Pan” blends pop culture references with themes of arrested development, trauma, nostalgia, and identity.

“Baby B”

One of his earlier recorded showcase performances, “Baby B” captures the raw foundations of Riggs-Davis’s performance style and remains popular among longtime followers of the Arizona slam scene. (YouTube)

Poetry Slams, Festivals & National Competition

Skyelyn Riggs-Davis is active in both regional and national poetry slam communities. He has represented Arizona at national-level spoken word competitions, including finalist tracks at the Blackberry Peach National Poetry Slam in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He has also participated as a registered independent competitor in the Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival, a respected gathering for contemporary slam poets and performance writers.

Beyond competition, Riggs-Davis contributes significantly to the poetry community as an organizer, producer, host, and mentor for emerging performers.

Producer, Host & Community Organizer

In addition to performing, Riggs-Davis has developed a reputation as a passionate arts organizer within Arizona and the broader Southwest literary community.

InkSlam Invitational

Riggs-Davis served as producer and emcee for the 2026 InkSlam Invitational at the Greenway Court Theatre during Los Angeles’s annual LA Get Down Festival.

Body Slam Poetry

He also hosts and curates “Body Slam Poetry,” a regional spoken word series dedicated to performative writing, experimental storytelling, and community-centered poetry events.

Workshops & Mentorship

Riggs-Davis has led queer-focused writing workshops throughout Arizona, including workshops connected with the Flagstaff and Tucson Poetry Slam community.

A 2024 workshop profile described him as “an up-and-comer on the Arizona poetry scene” who believes poetry can “heal and inspire our community.” (Downtown Flagstaff)

Arizona Poetry Scene & Cultural Impact

As an openly bisexual transgender performer working in spoken word and live performance spaces, Skyelyn Riggs-Davis represents a growing generation of queer Southwestern artists reshaping contemporary slam poetry culture.

His work reflects the unique intersections of:

Arizona regional identity
queer storytelling
DIY performance culture
grassroots literary organizing
modern spoken word traditions

Through performance, mentorship, and event production, Riggs-Davis continues to expand the visibility of queer and trans voices within the national poetry slam movement.

Where to Watch Skyelyn Riggs-Davis

Live and recorded performances by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis can frequently be found through:

Valence

April 21, 2026

Valence: Arizona-Based Performance Poet and New Media Artist

Tyler “Valence” Sirvinskas, known professionally as Valence, is a performance poet, new media artist, and visionary creative based in Arizona. Blending spoken word poetry, performance art, electronic music, and visual art, Valence has become a unique figure in the contemporary poetry and art scene. His interdisciplinary approach brings together different media to craft performances that captivate and engage audiences on multiple sensory levels.

Early Life and Background

Born and raised in Chicago, Valence grew up as part of the last generation to experience life before the rise of the internet and digital technology. This sense of nostalgia for the pre-digital era informs much of his artistic perspective, and he is known for his strong advocacy of finding moments disconnected from technology. His work often reflects a deep appreciation for real, human connection that transcends the screens of smartphones and the noise of constant connectivity.

Poetry Slam and Performance Career

Valence’s journey into the world of performance poetry began in 2011 when he started competing in poetry slams, quickly making a name for himself within Arizona’s poetry scene. That same year, he represented Flagstaff at the prestigious National Poetry Slam, showcasing his talent and establishing his place among Arizona’s spoken word performers.

In 2012, Valence’s performance career hit another milestone when he won the Sedona Grand Slam, earning him a spot on Sedona’s National Slam Team. His work combines powerful spoken word with an avant-garde performance style, often exploring themes of technology, human connection, and the evolving relationship between people and their environments.

Artistry and New Media Work

Beyond poetry, Valence is an accomplished new media artist, incorporating electronic music, visual art, and performance art into his creative portfolio. His performances are often an amalgamation of these forms, pushing the boundaries of traditional spoken word by layering sound, visuals, and performance to create immersive artistic experiences.

Valence’s work examines the tension between old and new, often delving into themes that question the role of technology in our lives, and the impact it has on our relationships and self-awareness. His artistic vision encourages audiences to reflect on their interactions with technology and to seek moments of clarity and connection beyond the digital sphere.

Recent Work and Future Projects

In 2024, Valence self-published a small collection of poetry titled Save It For The Angels. The collection reflects his deep engagement with themes of spirituality, existential questioning, and the influence of technology on modern life. The work received positive reception in the Arizona poetry community for its innovative blend of traditional poetry with contemporary issues.

Looking ahead, Valence has plans to further expand his creative output by launching a fashion line, which will fuse his visual artistry with wearable designs, and continue to push his interdisciplinary vision forward. His artistic goals aim to connect different mediums, creating a holistic expression of his ideas across multiple forms of media.

Impact and Influence

Valence’s contributions to the Arizona poetry scene have helped bridge the gap between traditional poetry and more experimental forms of performance art. He has become known for his ability to blend poetry with new media, making his performances and written works resonate across different audiences. His advocacy for unplugging from technology and creating authentic, real-world connections stands as a central theme in his work, positioning him as both a poet and a cultural commentator.

Through his continued work in poetry, art, and performance, Valence represents a new generation of artists who are unafraid to explore the complexities of modern life, while still holding onto the importance of analog moments and human connection.

Discover more poets of Arizona HERE.

Brandon Scheuring

February 26, 2026

Brandon Scheuring | Arizona Poet, Performer & Professional Dad-Joke Enthusiast

Brandon Scheuring is an Arizona poet, spoken word performer, and writer whose work blends pathos and punchlines in equal measure. Based in the Phoenix poetry scene, Brandon explores the human condition by finding connections in places most people would never think to look: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs meets Drake’s “Started From the Bottom.” The Gettysburg Address meets “thank u, next.” And don’t even get him started on Kidz Bop.

Some call his writing full of “dad jokes.” He just calls them “jokes.”

A Champion in the Arizona Poetry Scene

Brandon is a Sedona Poetry Slam Champion and a Write Club Phoenix Champion, known for performances that balance heartfelt storytelling with sharp comedic timing. He has appeared as a finalist at Ghost Poetry Show and competed in Body Slam, while also delivering featured sets at Fiddler’s Dream and Phx Poetry Slam by B-Jam’s Open Mic.

A recognizable voice in Arizona spoken word, Brandon has hosted writing sessions, poetry slams, and showcases throughout the Valley. He has also served as a guest speaker for high school students, sharing insights on writing, performance, and how to responsibly deploy a dad joke in the wild.

Writing Style & Themes

Brandon’s poetry combines humor and vulnerability, examining identity, ambition, insecurity, relationships, and pop culture through a uniquely layered lens. His work often juxtaposes classical rhetoric, self-help theory, and Top 40 lyrics—reminding audiences that profound truth and playful absurdity can share the same stage.

His writing style resonates with fans of contemporary spoken word poetry, comedic performance poetry, and accessible literary storytelling. Whether performing at a Phoenix open mic or headlining an Arizona slam stage, Brandon’s pieces invite audiences to laugh first—and then feel something deeper a beat later.

Upcoming Book: Writer’s Glock (2026)

Brandon’s debut book, Writer’s Glock, is slated for release (fingers crossed) in 2026. Described by the author as “Green Eggs and Ham meets The Giving Tree,” the collection promises wit, warmth, and just enough existential reflection to keep things interesting.

For fans of Arizona poetry, Phoenix spoken word, and performances that balance heart and humor, Brandon Scheuring is a voice worth watching—and listening to.

Burn wall street burn artwork poem azpoetry. Com the klute

Burn Wall Street Burn by The Klute

January 12, 2026

Read the poem “Burn Wall Street Burn”

I watch CNBC.
I read the Wall Street Journal.
I check stock tickers,
Study insider reports,
Consult my broker on a daily basis.
After careful deliberation,
I have decided to empty my bank account,
Convert it to unmarked twenty-dollar bills,
Go directly to Las Vegas,
Put it all on black.
When the ball drops in my favor,
I could use those liquid assests to diversify my portfolio,
Invest heavily in pencils and apples,
And for once, be on the ground floor –
That place where all the stock brokers will land
When they finally succumb to mantra of doom…
The endless repetition of “Buy! Sell! Buy! Sell!”
That turn becomes “JUMP!!! JUMP!!! JUMP!!!”,
Playing on an infinite loop in the back of their mind
When they look out their office windows
And imagine the sweet release of death
Waiting for them on pavement below.
Good.
Give in to it, Wall Street,
Embrace your destiny.

I want my 401K back.
I’m not getting it back.
I’ve been advised it resides at the First Bank of the Land of Imagination,
Currently being managed by a crack team of leprechauns and unicorns,
Being leveraged into moon beams and fairy dust.
I shouldn’t worry though.
I’ll get my disbursement check as soon as I begin collecting Social Security.
This just in…
I’m not getting Social Security either!
So the time has come
To beat our shares into pitchforks,
Set our stock portfolios alight to guide our way,
To storm the castle
And kill the monster.
Now, I’m not suggesting you head to the headquarters of Goldman Sachs
With a pistol-grip pump shotgun,
Kick down the door,
Shout “I am the Angel of Death – the time of purification is at hand!”
Then start paying out double-barrel killshot bonuses
With a gleam in your eye and a song in your heart.
Oh wait, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting!
Because there will be a reckoning,
A tallying of names and a cracking of skulls,
And it will be easier for a camel to thread the eye of a needle
Then it will be for a fat-cat to avoid my lead.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

Who is John Galt?
Who cares.
He’s dead.
I killed him and he’s buried in a shallow, unmarked grave outside of town
Next to the bodies of Adam Smith and Horatio Alger.
Stop asking questions.
Because it’s time for action.
Swift, brutal, unthinking mob action.
Let’s head to Wall Street
Block all the exits at the New York Stock Exchange.
Let’s give these American heroes the reward they so richly deserve.
Let loose rabid bulls and bears as an appetizer of destruction,
Rain down burning ticker tape like the wrath of God from the gallery,
Sing “Auld Lang Zyme ” with the vengeful ghost of George Bailey, Sr.
Then roast marshmallows on the smoking ruin,
Toasting our lost fortunes as we drink from the skulls of Morgan Stanley and Charles Schawb.
Because I watch CNBC and read the Wall Street Journal.
I now know the true meaning of class warfare.
The horror…
The horror…
Burn, Wall Street, Burn

Summary of “Burn Wall Street Burn”

“Burn Wall Street Burn” by slam poet The Klute is a blistering, darkly comic spoken-word poem that channels post-crash economic rage into a surreal monologue of disillusionment. The speaker begins by mimicking the rituals of financial responsibility—watching CNBC, reading The Wall Street Journal, consulting brokers—only to conclude that rational participation in the system is meaningless.

From there, the poem spirals into increasingly absurd and violent imagery. Retirement funds vanish into fantasy; institutions collapse into farce; economic language mutates into the language of revolt. Cultural and ideological icons—John Galt, Adam Smith, Horatio Alger—are symbolically declared dead. The poem culminates in an apocalyptic vision of Wall Street consumed by fire, spectacle, and bitter celebration.

The closing lines echo Heart of Darkness’s famous refrain—“The horror, the horror”—recasting financial capitalism itself as the unspeakable atrocity.

Analysis of “Burn Wall Street Burn” by The Klute

Satire as a Weapon of Class Anger

At its core, “Burn Wall Street Burn” is not a literal call to violence but a satirical pressure valve. Slam poetry often amplifies emotion to the point of excess, and The Klute leans fully into hyperbole to express what polite economic language cannot: rage, betrayal, and helplessness. The outrageous threats and cartoonish bloodlust function as metaphor, exposing how systemic violence (lost pensions, vanished futures) breeds fantasies of retribution.

The Collapse of Financial Language

One of the poem’s sharpest techniques is its corruption of financial jargon. “Diversify my portfolio” becomes an investment in “pencils and apples.” “Liquid assets” lead not to stability, but to a roulette table in Las Vegas. These moments underscore the speaker’s realization that the system is already a gamble, rigged in favor of those who never touch the ground floor—except when they fall.

The repeated fixation on “the ground floor” works double duty: it is both the entry point denied to ordinary people and the literal pavement awaiting brokers who internalize the manic chant of “Buy! Sell! Buy! Sell!”

Myth-Busting American Ideology

By symbolically killing figures like Adam Smith and Horatio Alger, the poem rejects foundational myths of American capitalism: rational markets and merit-based success. The dismissive “Who cares” aimed at John Galt is especially telling—it mocks libertarian exceptionalism as irrelevant in the face of mass economic suffering.

The appearance of George Bailey, Sr. (from It’s a Wonderful Life) as a “vengeful ghost” flips a classic tale of community banking into an indictment of modern finance, where the Bailey Building & Loan has long since lost to the megabanks.

Carnival, Apocalypse, and Catharsis

The poem’s final vision—burning ticker tape, hydrogen-filled bulls and bears, marshmallows roasted on the ruins of the NYSE—is grotesque but deliberately carnivalesque. It resembles a medieval inversion festival, where power is mocked, desecrated, and briefly overturned. Naming corporations like Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab as skulls to drink from transforms faceless institutions into mortal bodies, finally subject to consequence.

Why the Poem Still Resonates

“Burn Wall Street Burn” captures a moment—and a mood—that extends far beyond its immediate context. It speaks for those who did everything “right” and still lost everything. Its excess is intentional, its anger performative, and its violence symbolic. The poem’s power lies not in its literal imagery, but in its refusal to be calm, reasonable, or grateful in the face of systemic failure.

In that sense, the poem is less a manifesto than a scream—raw, undiplomatic, and impossible to ignore. Burn, Wall Street, Burn is not about destruction for its own sake. It is about being heard when the numbers say you no longer matter.

Read more poetry inspired by the state of Arizona HERE.

‘Hooked Claus’ by The Klute

December 22, 2025

For the longest time,
no one remembered how we were partners,
the Good Cop and Bad Cop of Yuletide,
a symphony of jingle bells and rattling chains
‘ere we drove out of sight.
How disturbed must they have been by the thought of me
looking over your shoulder and salivating
as you added children to the naughty list
for transgressions great and small.
You were the carrot,
oranges in the stocking,
presents under the tree,
half-eaten cookies as a reminder that you were there.
I was the stick,
birch branches in hand,
bathtub on my back,
my stew-pot bubbling in anticipation of fresh meat.
You were the red and green of holly and mistletoe,
I was the poison.

From the first,
I have been with them.
Born of the sands of Egpyt,
I was Abo Ragl Ma Slokha,
Man with the Burnt Leg,
bane of wicked tots.
Parents around the world would conjure me in story,
the Namahage,
le Croque-mitten,
Baba Yaga,
El Coco,
to keep their brats in line.
In their stories,
they always gave me horns,
yellow eyes,
a cloven hoof at the end of one leg,
a misshapen foot on the other,
my teeth sharp,
tongue so long it could reach them from under the bed
to taste their nightmares.
When I crossed the Alps, followed the Danube,
I found a new home under the Solstice moon.
As the fires of Yule cheer burned in the village squares,
I shouted my name so loud that every child would remember it,
whisper it to each other between shudders:
I
AM
THE
KRAMPUS!!!
When the willful boy or indolent girl came to a bad end
parents would remind the kinder:
Behave or the Krampus will come for you too.

When we first met, Santa Claus,
I thought you were there to kill me.
You came to my cave in regal glory.
Father Christmas! Jolly Old Saint Nick!
Your light washed away the darkness so I had no place to hide.
Trapped, I thought you were there to finally bring a gift
to those excluded as an annual tradition.
You cannot imagine my surprise when you extended your hand,
asked “won’t you ride my sleigh tonight?”.
You put me in chains as a precaution,
you still felt my wicked heart beat beneath my goatish chest,
but left me my bundle of sticks
because as you said: spare the rod, spoil the child.
Why does no one ever see the shadow behind your rosy cheeks?
Over the years, we brought so many children to goodness,
I rarely ate.
I did not mind,
I was able to drink in their fear like an elixir.

Then one foggy Christmas eve,
I noticed your sleigh was now driven by a broken buck with a freakish nose, your retinue filled out with polar bears drinking caramel-colored sugar water, the sack was filled with things never seen in your workshop before.
My eyes full of terrible wonder,
you leaned in,
smiled,
said one word: “Plastics“.
I did not like the sound of it.
As we flew over the city and marched down the streets,
your image was everywhere.
On billboards, in newspaper ads, on TV, in shopping malls.
I would have no part of this,
with sadness in your voice, you agreed: I would have no part of this.
You banished me back to the cave,
exiled into fading memory.

But I feel them pulling me back,
through of the Black Forest,
past the gingerbread house,
out of the fairy tales,
and into a cage.
They are corking my teeth,
dumping out my stew-pot,
reeling my tongue back in,
making me safe,
making me fun,
making me marketable.
It will not be long before I star in the limelight of cartoons,
baked into the shape of cookies,
imprisoned within wrapping paper.
When I am a triumph marched down 5th Avenue on Thanksgiving,
I will know they have checked me off their list,
now as gelded as Donner and Blitzen.
I see you up there on your sleigh,
and for the first time since we first met, Santa Claus,
the Krampus is afraid.

About the poem “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

The Klute was arguably the most recognizable voice from Arizona during the poetry slam movement of the 1990’s – 2000’s. His early work is often humorous. Later in life, The Klute’s poetry took on a more serious tone, with the poet’s primary focus on increased awareness of ocean life. Today’s poem is a humorous poem, a parody of a serious poem by a slam poet from Utah, Jesse Parent.

Summary of “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

“Hooked Klaus” is a dramatic monologue spoken from the perspective of Krampus, the dark folkloric companion to Santa Claus. The poem reimagines the traditional Good Cop/Bad Cop relationship between Santa and Krampus, portraying them as once-equal partners in shaping children’s behavior through reward and fear. Santa represents generosity, warmth, and moral incentive, while Krampus embodies punishment, terror, and consequence.

The speaker traces his ancient origins across cultures—Egyptian, European, and global—emphasizing that fear has always been a tool adults use to enforce obedience. When Santa enters his life, Krampus expects destruction but instead is recruited, chained but included, as part of a moral system that balances kindness with discipline.

The relationship fractures with the rise of modern consumer culture. Santa becomes a corporate icon, his sleigh filled with mass-produced goods and advertising slogans. Krampus refuses to participate and is exiled into obscurity. In the poem’s final movement, Krampus senses his return—not as a feared enforcer, but as a sanitized, commercial mascot. Stripped of menace and agency, he ends the poem afraid for the first time, watching Santa preside over a world where even fear itself has been domesticated and sold.

Analysis of “Hooked Klaus” by The Klute

At its core, “Hooked Klaus” is a critique of commercialization and cultural sanitization. The poem contrasts ancient, communal storytelling—where fear, consequence, and morality were intertwined—with modern consumer capitalism, which repackages even monsters into safe, profitable images. Krampus is not defeated by goodness but by branding.

The Good Cop/Bad Cop framing establishes a moral economy: children are shaped by both reward and punishment. The poem argues that Santa’s modern incarnation has abandoned balance in favor of endless indulgence, transforming morality into consumption. The chilling one-word revelation—“Plastics”—serves as a turning point, symbolizing artificiality, disposability, and the loss of craftsmanship, tradition, and meaning.
Krampus’s long catalog of global names and monstrous traits underscores his universality. He is not merely a villain but a necessary cultural function: the embodiment of consequence. His fear at the poem’s end is especially powerful because it reverses expectations. What terrifies Krampus is not eradication, but domestication—being rendered “safe,” “fun,” and “marketable.”

The poem’s final image, of Krampus gelded and paraded like Santa’s reindeer, delivers its sharpest indictment. Even rebellion, darkness, and myth are absorbed into spectacle. In this world, nothing remains sacred or dangerous; everything can be packaged.

Conclusion

“Hooked Klaus” blends folklore, satire, and cultural criticism into a darkly lyrical meditation on modern Christmas. By giving Krampus a voice, The Klute reframes him not as a monster, but as a casualty of consumerism. The poem suggests that when fear, discipline, and myth are stripped of their teeth, society may gain comfort—but lose depth, accountability, and meaning.

Discover more poetry inspired by Arizona HERE.

Lydia Gates

November 20, 2025

Lydia Gates — Queer Autistic Performance Poet from Flagstaff, Arizona

Lydia Gates is a queer autistic performance poet and crochet artist based in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she lives with her wife, Lucy, and their “three adorable feline monster children.” Known for her dynamic stage presence, emotionally incisive writing, and creative interdisciplinary work, Gates has become a powerful and beloved voice in Arizona’s contemporary poetry scene.

Explore more Arizona performance poets.

A Leader in the Northern Arizona Poetry Community

Gates is the managing organizer of FlagSlam, the long-running poetry slam of Northern Arizona established in 2000. Under her leadership, FlagSlam has grown into a vibrant hub for poets, performers, and spoken-word enthusiasts across the region.

Her work in the community reflects a deep commitment to accessibility, queer visibility, neurodivergent expression, and the transformative power of performance poetry.

Learn about poets in Flagstaff.

Accolades, Features & Recognition

Lydia Gates has been recognized widely for her contribution to arts and culture in Arizona. Highlights include:

Featured by the Arizona Republic
2024 Viola Awards finalist, one of Northern Arizona’s most prestigious arts honors
Frequent featured poet across festivals, showcases, and arts events

Her 2024 featured performances include:

Discover Flagstaff
Art X Festival
Poet Brews
Harvest
MOCAF (Museum of Contemporary Art Flagstaff)
Off the Rails

These appearances reflect her growing profile as both a regional and national performance poet.

Competitive Slam Poetry Career

Gates has competed at regional and national poetry slams, earning a strong reputation for her bold delivery, emotional clarity, and storytelling craft.

Major competitions include:

2017 & 2018 National Poetry Slams
2019 Southwest Shootout
2023 Beyond the Neon Regional
2023 & 2024 Bigfoot Poetry Slam
2024 Chicharra Poetry Slam

Her performance style blends vulnerability, humor, and fierce social insight—qualities that continue to resonate with audiences across the country.

Published Poetry Collections

Lydia Gates is the author of four poetry collections, each reflecting a distinct chapter of her creative evolution:

I Was an Empire (2017)
She Dreams the Moon (2018)
Changeling (2021)
Algorithmancer (2024)

Her books explore themes such as identity, transformation, queerness, mythology, neurodivergence, and the magic hidden within everyday life. All four titles are currently available on Amazon.

Artistic Focus: Poetry, Performance & Crochet

While performance poetry is her primary genre, Gates is also an accomplished crochet artist, merging fiber arts with narrative expression. Her multidisciplinary practice gives her work a tactile, imaginative dimension—one that blurs the line between handmade craft, personal mythology, and embodied storytelling.

Presence in Flagstaff’s Creative Culture

As a Flagstaff-based artist, Gates plays an essential role in the city’s growing arts community. Her ongoing contributions to local events, youth slams, regional showcases, and creative festivals help foster an inclusive environment where emerging voices feel empowered to speak, perform, and create.

Why Lydia Gates Matters to Arizona Poetry

Lydia Gates represents the energy and evolution of modern Arizona spoken word. Her work as a poet, performer, organizer, educator, and queer autistic artist expands the landscape of what poetry can be—and who poetry can belong to.

Through her writing, her stage performances, and her leadership at FlagSlam, she continues to shape the future of Arizona literature with authenticity, courage, and an unmistakable artistic voice.

Discover more poets of Arizona HERE. Learning about Lydia Gates made you want to see poetry performed? Check out our Events Listings HERE. Are you a poet and want to take advantage of all of the opportunities in the Grand Canyon State? Check out our Arizona Poetry Resources page. Lastly, peruse, explore, read, and interpret hundreds of poems written or inspired about the landscape, culture, politics, and people in the great state of Arizona, from the southern city of Tucson to the Grand Canyon in the north, our collection of poetry is available for you.

B-Jam (Ben Gardea)

October 22, 2025

Arizona Slam Poet, Performer, and Community Builder

Ben Gardea, known throughout the Southwest poetry scene as B-Jam, is a nationally recognized slam poet, performer, and workshop leader based in Phoenix, Arizona. A driving force in the Arizona spoken word community, Gardea blends personal vulnerability, rhythmic delivery, and social awareness into performances that resonate across audiences and generations.

B-Jam’s journey to poetry began not in a classroom, but through recovery, resilience, and self-reinvention. After facing a life-altering struggle with avascular necrosis and undergoing multiple hip replacements, Gardea found his voice in the rhythms of spoken word at venues like Lawn Gnome Publishing and The Lost Leaf— using poetry as both healing and rebellion. His work stands as an invitation for others to speak their truths aloud, transforming pain into presence and survival into art.

As Arizona State Champion of the Arizona State Poetry Society (ASPS) and a Top 10 nationally ranked slam poet at the National Poetry Slam hosted by New Mexico’s Blackberry Peach, B-Jam’s performances are known for their precision, musical cadence, and emotional intensity. His work combines the personal and the political, the raw and the redemptive — embodying the ethos of a poet who lives what he writes.

Poetic Style & Themes

B-Jam’s poetry thrives in the space between rhythm and revelation. His performances draw from the oral tradition of hip-hop and slam poetry, carrying the same pulse as a drumbeat or heartbeat — honest, urgent, and unapologetically human.

Themes of recovery, faith, fatherhood, disability, and identity appear throughout his work. Rather than offering polished conclusions, his poems stay in motion, revealing the daily process of becoming. Whether he’s unpacking the weight of survival, the ache of transformation, or the joy of community, B-Jam writes with a voice that feels lived-in, deeply empathetic, and grounded in Arizona’s desert landscapes.

He has said that poetry, for him, is “not a performance but a conversation with every version of myself that made it here.” That intimacy defines his work — connecting audiences not just to his story, but to their own.

Community Work & Performance

Beyond the stage, B-Jam is one of Arizona’s most active poetry organizers and mentors. He serves as the Spoken Word and Slam Coordinator for the Arizona State Poetry Society, where he helps bridge page and stage, guiding poets toward both competitive and collaborative spaces.

He also hosts the monthly Phoenix Poetry Slam, held at The Lost Leaf and Heritage HQ, two long-running hubs for Arizona’s creative community. Under his leadership, the Phoenix Slam has become a cornerstone of the Arizona spoken word scene, offering open mics, featured readings, and safe spaces for emerging artists to test and share new work.

B-Jam’s commitment to community extends statewide — he regularly travels to Prescott, Tucson, and Flagstaff to perform, judge, and host workshops, helping build a connected network of poets throughout the state. His mentorship of younger performers and first-time poets has helped dozens find confidence in their own voices, creating ripple effects that continue to strengthen Arizona’s literary landscape.

Recognition & Awards

In addition to his Arizona State Championship, B-Jam has represented the state on national stages, including the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam and other regional showcases. His performance work has been featured on stages and digital platforms alike, recognized for its authenticity, musical timing, and emotional range.

Media outlets and organizations including the Arizona State Poetry Society, Prescott Poetry Series, and Fountain Hills Times have highlighted Gardea’s contributions as a performer, teacher, and advocate for accessible art.

Workshops & Mentorship

As a teaching artist, B-Jam leads “Page to Stage: The Journey,” a workshop designed to help writers transform written poems into performance-ready pieces. The series walks poets through the entire process — from crafting honest drafts to finding breath, tone, and rhythm onstage. His workshops often blend elements of mindfulness, movement, and performance technique, helping participants not only strengthen their craft but also deepen their relationship with their voice.

Students consistently describe his mentorship as empowering and deeply human — a space where laughter, tears, and growth share the same breath.

Legacy & Influence in Arizona Poetry

In an era where poetry often lives fleetingly online, B-Jam’s work reclaims poetry as a living act — a gathering, a pulse, a community. His influence in Arizona’s spoken word revival is felt not only in his own performances but in the countless poets he’s coached, encouraged, and celebrated.

Through his leadership with the Arizona State Poetry Society, his hosting of live slams, and his teaching practice, Ben Gardea continues to elevate the art form throughout the Southwest. His poetry reminds audiences that voice is a form of survival and that every poem spoken aloud plants a seed for someone else’s courage.

Today, whether onstage in downtown Phoenix or leading a workshop in a small Arizona town, B-Jam stands as one of the state’s most powerful examples of poetry in motion — living proof that storytelling, when rooted in truth, can heal and transform both the writer and the world around them.

Alas poor yorick poem by the klute featuring hyperrealistic jester at ren fair | azpoetry. Com

‘Alas Poor Yorick’ by The Klute

October 4, 2025

Alas, Poor Yorick

I regard the sad little man
As I stand in line at Ye Olde Churro Hut
With equal measures of pity and hatred
He wears a tri-cornered, tri-colored hat that is by design
Three sizes too large for his head
Upon each corner rests a single bell that jingles
With each act of prehistoric vaudeville that he performs
Mistaking the expression on my face as an invitation
He’s coming my way
Little does he know, I hate jesters
I hate them with the white-hot intensity of an Inquisitor’s branding iron
Jesters provoke within me a desire to transcend the Renaissance
And go back to the Stone Age
Where it would be perfectly acceptable to take a large rock
And smash his proto-mime skull in
But this is the modern era
While I’m certain that no jury in America
Would convict me for killing a jester
I stay my hand
Because this is not his fault
He doesn’t want to be a jester
No one does.
No one wants to don a pair of tights,
Paint their faces in the tradition of Emmett Kelly
And prance about like a magnificent poof
If God had granted him the stature he would have chosen to be a knight
Or at least a page
Had he been born with rakish good looks and a way with the ladies,
He could have been a rogue
And if he had been in possession of musical talent
He could have been a minstrel
(although I hate minstrels too)
But his thin, short, and sexless reality
Has collided with the Dungeons and Dragons fantasies of his youth
And the result continues his happy ambling gait
Towards my place in line at Ye Olde Churro Hut
I desperately scan the crowd for a broadsword
To cleave this clown in twain
But finding none,
I steel myself for the upcoming barrage of stale quips, bad puns, and friendly jibes
“Prithee my lord, wouldst thou like to hear the tale of Punch and Judy?”
I grab him by his massive lapels and pull him to my face

No.
No I wouldn’t.

There’s a reason why Punch and Judy didn’t make it out of the Middle Ages alive.
People are fonder of the Black Death than they are of Punch and Judy.
Now I know this isn’t your fault.
All I want is some fried dough
And I’ll leave.

The awkward silence is broken by the shout of “Huzzah! Another twenty pounds for the King!”
I release him and he scurries off to the friendly couple from Sun City
That seem quite willing to put up with his capering.
I collect my Churro and sit under a shade tree
Of all the things arcane that this Renaissance Fair had to conjure up

Alas poor Yorick.
I knew him Horatio.

About the poem “Alas Poor Yorick” by The Klute

Alas Poor Yorick was written by The Klute in 2002, originally intended for a chapbook entitled “Damn the Torpedoes”. The Klute was a popular Arizona slam poet for nearly 25 years, and this poem captures his satirical voice. Also known as Bernard Schober, The Klute often used humor to introduce new ideas into the Arizona culture. At the time, this poem was performed for mostly conservative audiences that dominated Arizona from the 1950s until the state began to flip politically in 2020.

Summary of “Alas, Poor Yorick” by The Klute

In “Alas, Poor Yorick,” The Klute offers a darkly comic and sharply observational monologue set in the most mundane of absurd modern arenas: a Renaissance Fair churro stand. The speaker, waiting in line at “Ye Olde Churro Hut,” encounters a jester — a small, pitiful man dressed in an oversized tri-cornered hat with jingling bells. The sight ignites within the narrator an almost comically violent hatred, one rooted less in the man himself and more in what he represents: forced mirth, historical reenactment gone wrong, and the discomfort of artificial joy.

As the speaker imagines crushing the “proto-mime skull” of this self-styled fool, he acknowledges the absurdity of his own reaction — “this is not his fault,” he admits — and begins to psychoanalyze the jester’s predicament. No one, he claims, wants to be a jester. Instead, life and circumstance have whittled the man into this tragicomic role, doomed to caper for others’ amusement while suppressing his dignity.

The narrative crescendos when the jester approaches, performing with “stale quips, bad puns, and friendly jibes.” The speaker’s fantasy and frustration boil over in a moment of confrontation. He grabs the man’s lapels and delivers a scathing retort: a demand for silence and a rejection of the hollow spectacle around him. The poem closes with the speaker’s self-aware echo of Hamlet’s most famous line — “Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio.” — transforming Shakespeare’s meditation on mortality into a contemporary satire on performance, identity, and modern disillusionment.

Analysis: The Jester, the Poet, and the Human Condition

Beneath its humor, “Alas, Poor Yorick” is a deeply layered piece about frustration with artifice and longing for authenticity. The Klute’s speaker projects his existential exhaustion onto the jester — a figure both ridiculous and tragic — who serves as a mirror of humanity’s own clownish struggle to find purpose. The setting at a Renaissance Fair, a space of contrived nostalgia, underscores the tension between the past we romanticize and the hollow performance of that nostalgia in the present.

The poem’s voice blends satire and confession, a hallmark of The Klute’s performance style. His hyperbolic hatred (“the white-hot intensity of an Inquisitor’s branding iron”) collapses into reluctant empathy. The jester becomes an avatar of lost dreams and failed self-transformation — the “thin, short, and sexless reality” colliding with the “Dungeons & Dragons fantasies of his youth.” Through humor and mock aggression, the speaker grapples with his own place in a society addicted to spectacle and performance, where even rebellion feels choreographed.

Language, Rhythm, and Tone

The poem reads like a rant-turned-revelation, fusing the theatricality of Shakespearean soliloquy with the comic rhythm of spoken word poetry. The Klute’s diction moves effortlessly between the archaic (“Prithee my lord”) and the contemporary (“I desperately scan the crowd for a broadsword”), creating a tension that mirrors the absurd coexistence of medieval pageantry and modern consumer culture.

The mock-heroic tone — elevating a churro-stand encounter into an epic battle — allows The Klute to explore the futility of righteous anger in an age of trivial distractions. Even the speaker’s imagined violence serves no purpose beyond catharsis; his rebellion ends, fittingly, in snack-time apathy beneath a “shade tree.” The final line’s allusion to Hamlet reframes this moment of quiet surrender as both humorous and mournful: in trying to reject artifice, the speaker realizes he is part of it.

Themes: Performance, Identity, and Disillusionment

Performance as Survival: The jester, forced to entertain, becomes a metaphor for anyone trapped in performative social roles — whether artist, worker, or consumer.
Hatred as Projection: The speaker’s loathing reveals more about his own disillusionment than the jester’s flaws. His anger masks the fear that he too might be a performer without meaning.
The Death of Authenticity: By referencing Hamlet’s Yorick — a literal skull of a dead fool — The Klute implies that sincerity itself is dead, buried beneath layers of irony and spectacle.

This duality of humor and despair runs throughout The Klute’s work, reflecting his gothic-punk aesthetic and his philosophical fascination with mortality, absurdity, and social commentary.

The Klute’s Arizona Legacy and Performance Style

As a leading voice in Arizona’s spoken word and performance poetry scene, The Klute (Bernard Schober) has become known for fusing theatrical flair with biting satire. His performances at venues like Lawn Gnome Publishing, Caffeine Corridor, and events like The Poe Show channel the dark wit of Edgar Allan Poe through a distinctly modern, sardonic lens.

In “Alas, Poor Yorick,” his humor masks a critique of both cultural escapism and personal alienation — themes that resonate deeply with audiences across Arizona’s desert stages, where performance poetry thrives as both art and social commentary.

Learn More About The Klute

To explore more of The Klute’s work, performances, and influence on Arizona’s modern poetry scene, visit his full poet bio on AZPoetry.com.

Discover how his gothic wit, philosophical edge, and dark humor continue to shape the voice of Arizona poetry.

Chelsea Guevara

September 16, 2025

Chelsea Guevara: U.S.-Salvadoran Voice, Slam Champ & Storyteller of Memory & Belonging

From Utah Roots to National Slam Triumph

Chelsea Guevara is a U.S.-Salvadoran poet and spoken word artist originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2024, she made history by winning the Womxn of the World International Poetry Slam, becoming the first Salvadoran and the first Utahn to take home a national individual slam title.

Her work bridges languages, cultures, and generations. Drawing upon her family’s histories in El Salvador, her experience in Utah, and her identity as a Latina in the U.S., Chelsea weaves together storytelling, academia, and performance to explore themes of history, memory, identity, belonging, and resistance.

Academic Life & Creative Inquiry

Chelsea is currently engaged with the academic world. At the University of Arizona, she has pursued graduate studies in Latin American Studies (as of the latest info), and her coursework deeply informs her poetry. Her academic research—into Salvadoran history, diasporic identity, colonialism, and memory—provides the scaffolding for much of her creative work.

This blending of scholarship and artistry allows her poetry to function not just as aesthetic expression, but as a site of cultural reclamation and historical narrative. Her writing is attentive to both micro-moments (family, language, place) and macro-forces (migration, colonial legacies, social justice).

Published Works & Recognition

Chelsea’s published work includes:

Somewhere Over the Border (micro-chapbook): Finalist for the Gunpowder Press Alta California Chapbook Prize in 2023.
Her poetry has been featured in Button Poetry, Write About Now Poetry, Mapping Literary Utah, and others.
In 2025, she released her full-length collection Cipota with Button Poetry. Cipota explores intergenerational trauma, diaspora, memory, and the reclamation of identity.

Performance, Identity & Community

Chelsea is not just a poet on the page—she’s a performance poet with palpable stage presence. She has performed widely at slam events and spoken word venues, bringing emotional honesty, rich narrative detail, and cultural specificity to her performances. Winning Womxn of the World 2024 placed her squarely in the national spotlight for her ability to command a stage while telling deeply personal stories.

She is also active in organizing poetry events in Tucson, Arizona, helping to build community, nurture younger poets, and create space for Latinx and Central American voices. Her work in events aligns with an ongoing commitment to representation and justice through art.

Themes, Style & Influence

Chelsea’s poetic style is marked by:

Cultural Memory & Diaspora: Memories of El Salvador, family stories, migration, and border crossings appear often in her work.
Identity & Healing: Exploration of what it means to be U.S.-Salvadoran, the tension between past and present, and the personal as political.
Scholar/Poet Hybrid: Her academic background shapes her use of imagery, metaphor, and historical context—she often makes visible what is overlooked.
Performance Energy: Her poems are crafted not just to be read, but to be heard—she’s earned her slam title by giving words emotional power and urgency.

Her influences include both Latin American literary traditions and the spoken word community—she stands at the intersection of diaspora poetics and activism through language.

Key Milestones & Why Chelsea Matters in Arizona Poetry

First Salvadoran and Utahn to win a national individual slam (Womxn of the World, 2024) — a landmark achievement for representation.
Micro-chapbook Somewhere Over the Border recognized at a national level (Alta California prize finalist).
Publication of Cipota in 2025 with a major poetry platform (Button Poetry), helping her reach