lisa b

Biography

lisa b. is a queer Canadian acupuncturist and spoken word poet, currently living in Manchester. She's articulate, passionate, political, occasionally raunchy, and frequently very funny. lisa's poetry is impossible to sum up in one of these blurbs. But here's an attempt. She's got something thought-provoking and moving for every audience. She's equally at home performing for elderly grannies in Big River, Saskatchewan as for radical queers in the GLBT Centre in downtown Manchester. One of her favourite compliments is "I hate poetry but I love yours!" Since 2001 she has self-published 4 chapbooks, (ask her next time you see her; she might have some in her bag) and performed across Canada, in the United States, in Spain and in Britain. In 2004 she worked with Glenna Garramone and members of Barley Wik and Po'Girl to record "Salvaged Music," a full-length cd of spoken word poetry with diverse instrumentation. (REALLY diverse: banjo and djembe, harmonica and accordion, mandolin, charango, piano, vocal backup and bass guitar.) "Salvaged Music" ushers the listener through sarcasm, thoughtfulness, cheekiness, anger, arousal, children's stories, a river in Northern Alberta, the Canadian prairies as seen from the train, and sheer exhilaration. lisa tackles issues of war, racism, sexual violence, and gender politics, and celebrates sexuality, natural beauty, community and music, all in one joyous recording. (Listen/download/buy it at http://cdbaby.com/cd/lisabmusic.) In 2005 lisa became the first spoken word poet to tour all the way across Canada (ha! They said it couldn't be done!) organizing, promoting and performing 20 well-attended shows in 15 big cities and small towns from coast to coast with very little advice and even less funding. The Canada Council for the Arts has cautioned her about being overly ambitious. Since June 3rd 2007 lisa has leapt into the Manchester performance poetry world and is enjoying herself hugely, winning slams, raising eyebrows, making friends (and also revelling in bike-riding in a city so very FLAT!) She is currently participating in Apples and Snakes' Incubate project, being paid to develop her writing and performance, and is frequently pinching herself 'cause she can hardly believe it.

Samples

A SMALL VOICE (TO OTHER WHITE ARTISTS) they said “This is a festival of art and diversity, and everyone is welcome, because art transcends race and class!” and a small voice at the back of the room said yeah, maybe. but not all art. and not all the time. they said “One love, one consciousness, we’re all the same inside, we’ll replace the world’s hate with love tonight!” and a small voice at the back of the room said do we erase privilege by refusing to face it? she sang “I’m a colourblind member of the rainbow tribe!” and a small voice at the back of the room said you might find it harder to ignore white skin if the skin you were in was some other colour. they said “But guilt is worse than useless, it paralyzes, it drowns us!” and a small voice insists no one one wants you to drown! they shouted “We are not personally to blame for the pain in this world!” and a small voice said but what if, when you felt yourself sinking, you made responsibility your raft? What if you found that to be not at all the same as accepting blame? a small voice at the back of the room almost pleads is this at least worth a conversation? they said “We are here to focus on the positive. This gathering is about unity.” and a small voice at the back of the room said no, it’s not. not yet. - lisa b 2007 (Anyone interested in discussing artists’ responsibilities to their communities, please email lisa at luckygoatnews@yahoo.ca.)

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.