Blackdrop presents 'INYA FACE!'

Open Mic Event

Contact: 07824832591

Come and join us in an evening of LETTING GO! If you've ever felt like Expressing your more upfront material
but havent had the appropiate event to do so, then this is it. Bring ya messages have a PROPA RANT and let the
people feel what you are saying. Almost anything goes,the only curbs are NO Racism, Sexism, Genderism or having a personal go at a particular member of the audience.
sign up in the OPEN MIC and LET GO OF SOME STEAM!!!!

ALSO

Our featured guest is none other than ROY MCFARLANE Birminghams current Poet Laureate.He is also an Editor of the recently published 'Celebrate Wha?' a collection of poems from 10 Black British Poets in the Midlands.
He will be joining in with the theme as well as some more of his popular works.
here are some words from the BBC NEWS pages;


Roy McFarlane is new Poet Laureate for Birmingham

Roy McFarlane has been writing poetry around the West Midlands for 10 years
Birmingham's new Poet Laureate has been announced, and he is 47-year-old Roy McFarlane.
Roy, who was brought up in Wolverhampton before moving to Birmingham, has been writing poetry for over 10 years.
He applied to become the city's poet laureate in August 2010 and made the final shortlist of five candidates.
And the mental health worker won the award after reading one of his poems at his final interview.
"You send in four poems and give a statement about what you intend to do for the year," he told BBC WM's Ed Doolan.
Roy, who is part of the National Academy of Writing based at Birmingham City University, is Birmingham's 15th Poet Laureate and now has the responsibility to promote poetry across the West Midlands and beyond.
And that is something he is looking forward to as he carries the title for the next 12 months.

"There's so much you can do when you find yourself in that position to promote and encourage poetry," he said.
"Doors are open and you get invited into schools, prisons and communities and can do workshops, a presentation or teaching around poetry.
"I get the impression I'll get commissioned to write a special piece on an event or special visit," Roy added.

and here is some of his poetry;

The Struggle of Normality

Making me mad is the way you abuse me, disuse me
Spin webs of lies from within and without
Entangling me with ideologies and theologies
That wrap around my instability
Causing me to walk past my existence a thousand times
Chasing ghost of personalities that are far removed from me
And you think you know me
Through Freudian telepathy
It’s time we threw away that psychology
Or at least please remember my culturality
Or even consider the DNA of slavery
All written over my chromosome
And maybe this madness around me
Would be different if there was a global atonement
For a past steeped in insanity
And if I gave you my shoes
To walk around my mind
I’d ask you please step cautiously
Where you’ll find me in the corner
Trying to build my identity
In this struggle of normality.




Michelle Obama in Harlem by Roy McFarlane

I saw Micelle Obama in Harlem
With her halo of Afro
Billowing in the autumn breeze
Looking like Angela Davis

I saw her during summertime
Walking down Lennox Ave
With a crown of cainerow
Following in the steps of Malcolm X

Once I was in the Schomburg
And she was reading
Their eyes were watching God
Whilst twiddling with the curls
Of her newly coffered hair.

She was jamming at a Jazz event
With her hair wrapped all royal high
And the next day I saw her
Giving praise to the most high
With her hair let down
Flowing in treselles of plaits
Across her beautiful golden shoulders

And I’ve seen her celebrate
Kwanzaa in all of its Kuumba
Drinking from a unity cup
With short kinky spiral of curls.


I saw Barack and Michelle in springtime
Like Solomon and Makeda singing a love song
Looking into each others eyes
Whilst his finger weaved through
Her Black candy floss hair

And one quiet morning
When the birds were singing
She was moved by a little girl
With new Nubian locks
Who touched her face,
Stroked her hair and cried.



Roy McFarlane Poet Laureate 2010-2011



some links to hear some of Roy's work;


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLzb9cA9PmI

http://www.smokestack-books.co.uk/book.php?book=57


Come join us APRIL 5TH ONLY £3 ON THE DOOR!

Price: £3.00

Time: 20:00hrs - 22:00hrs