Local hookah lounge hosts erotic poetry slam
Kim Torres
Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Life & Style
The Ozark Poetry Slam team shut down last year because of its loss of a monthly location but has come back with more edge than ever.
The White Rabbit, a hookah lounge on the corner of Wedington Drive and Rupple Road, has become the new Ozark Poetry Slam venue.
Doug Shields and Ronnie Stephens lead the poetry slam.
"Most people don't know what a slam is. It's a poetry stage-show of competition," Shields said.
Fayetteville is one of the 20 oldest slam towns.
Every month there is a different theme, and this month's theme is eroticism.
February is thought to be the month of happiness, love, lust and all-rising eroticism (the focus on sexual craving.)
"Our whole calendar is based on this night. The reason we slam on the second week of the month is so we can hit Valentine's Day," Shields said. "It's twice as fun and it's automatic."
The second Tuesday of each month from 8-11 p.m. is dedicated to slam poetry at The White Rabbit. The admission is $5 but the fun is free.
Those 18 and older are invited to listen to "virgin and veteran competitors," according to the Ozark Poetry Slam page on MySpace.com.
Enjoying a hookah costs $10 for the first bowl and $5 for each additional bowl; all must be paid in cash.
The $5 admission fee is used for future featured poets and prizes.
"All proceeds we make [during the slam poetry] go to the winners for prizes," said Barbara Villegas, 20-year-old owner of The White Rabbit.
There is a 12-competitor maximum, but there is no minimum.
"There is a three-minute limit as to how long one person can be on stage. After three minutes, the competitor is penalized," Shields said.
There are two rounds in the competition.
The first round consists of the preliminary poems. The second will help determine the winning poet.
There is a sacrificial poet who participates but does not compete in the slam, Shields said.
He or she is used to gauge whether the contestants are better or worse than his or her work.
The White Rabbit, a hookah lounge on the corner of Wedington Drive and Rupple Road, has become the new Ozark Poetry Slam venue.
Doug Shields and Ronnie Stephens lead the poetry slam.
"Most people don't know what a slam is. It's a poetry stage-show of competition," Shields said.
Fayetteville is one of the 20 oldest slam towns.
Every month there is a different theme, and this month's theme is eroticism.
February is thought to be the month of happiness, love, lust and all-rising eroticism (the focus on sexual craving.)
"Our whole calendar is based on this night. The reason we slam on the second week of the month is so we can hit Valentine's Day," Shields said. "It's twice as fun and it's automatic."
The second Tuesday of each month from 8-11 p.m. is dedicated to slam poetry at The White Rabbit. The admission is $5 but the fun is free.
Those 18 and older are invited to listen to "virgin and veteran competitors," according to the Ozark Poetry Slam page on MySpace.com.
Enjoying a hookah costs $10 for the first bowl and $5 for each additional bowl; all must be paid in cash.
The $5 admission fee is used for future featured poets and prizes.
"All proceeds we make [during the slam poetry] go to the winners for prizes," said Barbara Villegas, 20-year-old owner of The White Rabbit.
There is a 12-competitor maximum, but there is no minimum.
"There is a three-minute limit as to how long one person can be on stage. After three minutes, the competitor is penalized," Shields said.
There are two rounds in the competition.
The first round consists of the preliminary poems. The second will help determine the winning poet.
There is a sacrificial poet who participates but does not compete in the slam, Shields said.
He or she is used to gauge whether the contestants are better or worse than his or her work.
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Hookah Bar
posted 2/15/07 @ 6:00 PM CST
The White Rabbit lounge sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the article.
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