Toronto Poetry Slam with a Queer Twist coming again in June 2010

Bent Expressions poetry event review Monday January 25. The Queer West Arts Collective first night of bent poetry, an evening of queer expressions on Sunday January 24 night was a terrific success.



A little bar, 850 Dundas St. W. holds 50 and 50 came. The Patio was closed, due to chilly rainy weather, it holds another 30. Some of best queer artists in city were performing Phlip Arima, Parul Pandya, Nicki Ward, Philip Cairns, Kirk DeMatas, Yehuda Fisher, Jay Stewart, David Bateman and Duncan Armstrong. (Biographies of performers)

I never met any of the eight (Poets) before Sunday. They were all virtual Facebook friends. Now they are not. Philip Cairns I do know, was the MC. All the door money went to performers, enough for a few pints of beer. The artist sold few chap books; some gave a copy away to fans and admirers. I went home with three poetry books; one I paid $17.50 for, but it was worth it.


 group of high school students from Rosedale Heights School of the Arts were there, on class assignment.

All the performers want to do Bent Expressions Poetry Night again in a couple of months, maybe in June. Most of the performers identify with Church St. gay village. Being welcomed in new queer space in the west end of the city was a pleasant surprise.

Next time we will expand the event to including musicians and more poets and spoken word artists. - Michael F. Paré, Gang of Souls.