Category Archives: CANADA

See you @L’Escalier in three days!
Post by EThan Yang

With more than 15 poets/poetesses lined up for the night, I don’t know about you, but I am as excited as ever! As a sneak peak, here is the list of participants (in no particular order):

As a reminder, here’s the detail of the night:

Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm (poets/poetesses please show up by 5:30pm)
Address: 552 St. Catherine East, right across from Place Emilie-Gamelin

See you all there!

Posted: 06:46, September 25, 2013

On “Racism, Stereotypes, Ethnic Slurs And More” – Deborah/Diana
Post by EThan Yang 

Student at McGill University. Thinker and Dreamer. Opinionated. Sometimes controversial but always honest

“Do You Understand?”
For full version, click here. 

Excerpt: “We cannot blame heterosexuals for not understanding homosexuals, cis folk for not understanding trans folk, men for not understanding women, Whites for not understanding Blacks, Christians for not understanding Atheists, (…) To blame one group for not understanding another is to miss the larger picture – that each human being lives their own life, and that their experiences, opinions, and reactions to situations are molded by factors as countless as the stars in the sky. Race, class, sexuality, gender, attractiveness, disability, intelligence – the moment we reduce someone to the sum of their traits is the moment we forget to look at them as a person. “

Portrait of a Farmer – James Onono Ojok
Post by EThan Yang 

This year 100TPC514 is pleased to announce a special feature of an Uganda poet, to be read by our MC.

“Portrait of a Farmer”

By James Onono Ojok

She planted her seeds
Waited and weeded
Weeded in tune with tending
And hoped for a better yield
When rain delayed
She laboured with calabash and can
in hand
As she desired a better yield
Darling of the garden
A gardener by origin
Her home village adorned with Tugu palm
Their jewel like fruit cherished in her ancestral home
But the garden of her mind held greater fruits.
Her nation proclaimed the glory of mighty Tugu
Those crops which survived the sun
Had stood still on the hill top
awaiting harvest.
With expectation of bounty
She went to the garden again
A royal arrow cut her down
She cried to no one, “Take care of my harvest!”
Strong blind wind passed by with other harvest
But her garden still stands on the hilltop.
Foreigners enjoy the fruit she planted
As the gardener lies down
Even though she made a wish . . .
That God should protect her harvest
Like a caring farmer.
Everywhere I have looked for her
In my dreams
I have sought for her
Where her garden hangs on the hilltop
Bushes are eating up the hilltop
Though strangers enjoy her crops
She hears no more
She waves as in vision
Her wish
That God should protect her harvest,
For those who need it
For those who care
For those coming with a clean heart.
The caring farmer
Kept her garden
Kept it for strangers
Never did she enjoy her sweat
The caring farmer
Prays for her harvest
Prays for her garden
If you see a woman
Teaching her child
Unborn in her womb,
Tell them both about the uncertainty of the world
Let them know about the caring farmer.

Posted: 05:23, September 15, 2013

Let’s jazz Up for Change – Michael Gauthier Trio
Post by EThan Yang

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

A legend at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Michael Gauthier’s soulful approach to the jazz guitar follows Aaron Copland’s philosophy: “Music should be as simple as possible but no simpler.” A self-taught improviser, Gauthier’s prowess as a performer has placed him on stage with numerous internationally known jazz stars. His playing style evokes the human voice and is influenced by guitarists Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, and Robert Johnson, and singers Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix. His compositions incorporate dancing rhythms, lyrical conversations and a touch of blues. A favorite on the club and festival scene, he can be heard regulary on both local and national radio broadcasts. Mike teaches jazz at l’Université de Montréal, McGill, Bishop’s, and l’Université de Sherbrooke and has also been a jury member for the Alcan Canadian Jazz Competition and le Ministère des Affaires Culturels du Québec.

Watch a video of his performance as a Trio “Fly Me to the Moon”:

Posted: 09:23, September 9, 2013 

Hip Hop Graffiti Artist – Regimental Oneton
Post by Ethan Yang

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

Regimental Oneton at the Under Pressure Festival 2013

Regimental Oneton, a long-term participant of 100TPC514, has recently released an album, Enter the 36 Tentacles, with Mic-key “Big Brosky” Byron (scroll down), a work of art “notable for its incredibly witty punchlines and complex pentameters.” Last year he wowed the audience with his rhythmic hip-hop that dealt with international difficulties at a personal level.

Can’t wait to see him? Here is a video of him creating graffiti in downtown Montreal:

http://youtu.be/kzCWk4hAfq0

Posted: 21:19, September 8, 2013 

Big Brosky 1925 – Mic-key Boston
Post by Ethan Yang 

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

Photograph taken by Norman Robert, all rights reserved and used exclusively with permission. I am grateful and thankful to Norman Robert who kindly granted me permission to have this photo on this page.

Mic-key ‘Big Brosky’ Boston was born on Quesnel street in Little Burgendy, Montreal. At first started as a spraycan artist in high school. After almost dropping out, his father pulled him back on track and continuously questioned what he was always writing at the kitchen table. Mic-key started doing hip-hop at the age of thirteen and went public with it at fifteen. he hiphop group JOURNEYMEN alongside producer/emcee John Wholetrain and Queens emcee Melo Malo in 2012. Mic-key Boston has been gradually building his fan base and dropped Journeymen’s debut EP, “Pledge of the Respirator” in March of 2013 which was critically acclaimed and was featured on numerous hiphop shows and blogs from local Montreal radio shows and blogs to Chuck D’s radio show “And You Don’t Stop.” In June 2013, Mic-key Boston finally released his highly anticipated full-length album with controversial graffiti artist Regimental Oneton entitled “Enter the 36 Tentacles” which was signed on Planete Break Records.

http://youtu.be/jBo4rUsBr5g

Posted: 13:15, September 7, 2013 

Rap, Rap All the Way – Luna Byron
Post by Ethan Yang 

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

You may not think that rap is all that glorious, and that it is all to do with gangs, sex and drugs, but when it comes to work from Luna Byron, you have to think otherwise. His rap was chosen as the theme song “IT’S THE BIG BANG” of the 1st edition of 100TPC and since then has gone viral. His message of peace and sustainability still rings strong in our hearts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u667ZPZu9Xw&feature=youtu.be

Posted: 3:15, September 7, 2013 

A Poet Artist – Susan Shulman
Post by Ethan Yang

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

100 TPC 514 will be featuring Susan Shulman at the 3rd edition on September 28th at L’L’Escalier Montréal from 6PM-8PM accompanied by Michael Gauthier Trio. Hop on over from the Berri Metro or take the stairs. Info: (514)591-8256. Click on the picture below to see a new work of art “Blues Bunny,” in collaboration with with the KRIS POHLMANN BAND.

Click to see Video

Posted: 14:24, September 6, 2013 

We Are Young – McSWAY Performance Poetry and Haiku Group
Post by Ethan Yang 

Have you signed up for your 5 minutes yet? Fill in the online form now. 

McSWAY is a place where McGill Students (and others too!) can finally find an outlet for their inner spirit for performance poetry! Whether it’s spoken word, open mic, or simply the desire to return to the oratory tradition of poetry, McSWAY will help you realize that dream through group gatherings and workshops. There is no right or wrong when it comes to McSWAY–just a brave soul and the willingness to share your thoughts about anything. It is a safe space.

McSWAY can be read two ways: (1) “Mc” for McGil and “SWAY” for moving the crowd. This is crucial to the spirit of poetry as this art began as persuasive speech. (2) “McS” for McGill Students and WAY for “We Are Young,” which represents the youthful and sometimes callow rigor to embrace the world, and the ability to unabashedly reveal our raw emotions onstage.

McSWAY loves to do poetry improv. Here is one that the club did during their first ever on campus slam competition:

Posted: 21:34, September 5, 2013 

A Romaing Poet – Darcy Corbett
Post by Ethan Yang

Darcy Corbett is a Canadian spoken word artist currently living in Montreal. He has been wandering around North America for the past twenty years riding freight trains and trying to stay out of jail.

Posted: 14:56, September 4, 2013 

The Poet Enthusiast & Our Master of Ceremonies – Betty Esperanza
Post by Ethan Yang

An ardent scipoet, Ethan Yang is true global citizen. Born in the United States and raised in Taiwan, Canada and China, he is the product of an excruxiating blend of sometimes conflicting cultures. As an undergraduate bichemistry major student at McGill University, he has always been interested in the truths about the world that science has revealed and is has been especially fervent about the poetic imagery brought about in the explication of these facts. Although writing about science is not a novelty, the coinage of the term “scipoetry,” “scipoem” and other related terms (except sciku) to describe this genre is. To date he is the president of McSWAY, a performance poetry group at McGill University, has been published in various university magazines and participated in local performances. Below is an example of a recent “scipoem” he has written:

Poetry, Music, Revelry – 100TPC514 is Officially Arriving!
Post by Ethan Yang

Fellow Poets & Poetesses,

With a little over a month to go before the actual event, the organizers of 100TPC514 is excited to share with you these exciting details:

Event:              100TPC514 2013
with music accompaniment by the Michael Gauthier Trio
Date:                6pm – 8pm, September 28^th, 2013
Location:         L’Escalier, 522 St. Catherine Est, Montreal

Please share this happening with your family and friends, for peace, sustainability, and any other important cause. If you know anyone else who’d like to participate, have them sign up through the online form.

Although actions speak louder than words, it’s words that get the actions going.

Let’s do this.

Betty & Ethan

Posted: 22:23, August 27, 2013 

Just TWO more months…
Post by: Ethan Yang

You don’t have to believe it, but the 3rd 100TPC Montreal will happening in two months on September 28, 2013!!! I am excited to hear the great works that we’ve all created over the past year and continue this grass-root effort of democratizing poetry. Here’s a little something that I wrote that might be you more excited:

If you melt an integral,
All that you did will have been in vain,
flowed back into the heart.

If you would like to join us this year, please kindly fill out the following 1.5-minute survey. Don’t forget to check out some of the crazy things we did last year on our channel on Bambuser!

As always, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and reblog with us on Tumblr!

Posted: 13:47, July 28, 2013 

Check Us Out on Facebook; Follow Us On Twitter and Tumblr!
Post by: Ethan Yang