‘Hope’ makes Clinton man a winner at poetry slam


March 3, 2010 · Updated 1:10 PM 

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It must have been absolutely wonderful, lovely even.

Kevin Fristad of Clinton was declared the winner of the poetry slam at Maurlee’s Take-Out in Langley.

The slam, sponsored by the Whidbey Island Arts Council, was hosted by the venerable Jim Freeman. Poets were given 10 words suggested by the audience, and they needed to use at least three of them.

The suggested words were: resolutely, brick, crime, tank, baseball, alfalfa, absolutely, wonderful, overlooking and lovely. Fristad’s winning poem:

HOPE

I speed resolutely toward the brick wall with clenched teeth,

white knuckling the wheel at congressional crimes and forestalled legislation.

Driven with tanked energy, shredded baseballs, and low alfalfa prices,

I pound the pedal as brown air pours in.

Voting with HOPE, I watch with astonishment the unfolding of a failed state

as broken mortar lets go of flying bricks that land like wounded doves.

The next poetry slam will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 10 at Mukilteo Coffee Roasters off Crawford Road in Langley.

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