In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Rouletters spoke about drugs and fantasies, and welcomed poets who were in town for the Austin International Poetry Festival.The host translated a line from her spoken word piece into binary code and featured the number 8 on her dress. HELEN BUCK noted that drugs are anything that gets you high–in this case, her grandkids.

R.G. HOOK experienced drug flashbacks while cleaning up.

BRENNAN UTLEY recorded surreal conversations, making the audience feel that SOMEONE must be high.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON revealed her fantastic dream where people represented zeroes and ones, reflecting and sharing their values.

THOM THE WORLD POET led the audience in the ABC’s of drugs and addiction.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Click the link to see the performances on the following open mic artists: BIRDMAN 313, HELEN BUCK, TREV THE ROAD POET, BRENNAN UTLEY, EL GUAPO, URSULA PIKE, ELLEN BRAVERMAN, DAVID LESTER YOUNG, RG HOOK, & THOM THE WORLD POET.

BIRDMAN 313HELEN BUCK TREV THE ROAD POET BRENNAN UTLEY EL GUAPO URSULA PIKE ELLEN BRAVERMAN DAVID LESTER YOUNG R.G. HOOK

THOM THE WORLD POET

Just like the theme, the Rouletters planned to take a posed picture, but that went sideways.At least the themed books were organized. LIABLEWRITER told of her travels to the Discipline Desert, first strumming a tune on her banjolele.

HOPE RUIZ reminisced about crossing multiple bridges to pursue happiness.

BRENNAN UTLEY tapped into the fever pitch between night and dawn at a festival.

ARALYN HUGHES discovered a new world, starting with her corrected vision.

HELEN BUCK revealed the double-edged sword of social media.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON chronicled her memorable moments of crossing international borders when traveling while black.

THOM THE WORLD POET, accompanied by LIABLEWRITER, poetically contrasted world events, politics, and people like night and day.

OPEN MIC

Click on the link below to view the performances of the following open mic artists: BIRDMAN 313, CASEY GLEN GRAYPOOL, LIABLEWRITER, BRENNAN UTLEY, STEPHANIE ELISE FRENO, TEXWADOR, BRIAN GROSZ, ELLEN BRAVERMAN, DAVID LESTER YOUNG & INVISIBLE THOM.

BIRDMAN 313 CASEY GLEN GRAYPOOL LIABLEWRITER BRENNAN UTLEY STEPHANIE ELISE FRENO TEXWADOR BRIAN GROSZ ELLEN BRAVERMAN DAVID LESTER YOUNG

THOM THE WORLD POET

The Rouletters talked dirty at the latest show.Par for the course, the theme book table just rocked with dirty-talking books!

NICOLE CORTICHIATO shared her dirty-talking quickies: complete with a list of urban diction synonyms for “clitoris.”R. G. HOOK Revealed the three dirty words that made her fall in love.

GUME LAUREL III gave insight into encounters with desires and ridicule.

HOPE RUIZ finally told us about what bunnies do.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON blended sweet-sounding words together with bittersweet ones for her Valentine’s Day tribute.

THOM THE WORLD POET, accompanied by REBECCA ASHE and DANIEL DAVILA, spoke about the beginning of Love in the Garden of Eden and Earth’s mud.

OPEN MIC

Please click on the link to view the performances of the following open mic artists:

STEPHANIE JOHNSON, GUME LAUREL III, BATO THE POET, R. G. HOOK, BRIAN GROSZ, HOPE RUIZ, LIABLE WRITER, MAGIC JACK ATX, ARALYN HUGHES, JENNIFER BERLINER, BIG!

STEPHANIE JOHNSON GUME LAUREL III DANIEL DAVILA NICOLE CORICHIATO R. G. HOOK BRIAN GROSZ HOPE RUIZ LIABLEWRITER MAGIC JACK ATX ARALYN HUGHES JENNIFER BERLINER THOM THE WORLD POET accompanied by DANIEL DAVILA

OPEN MIC STEPHANIE JOHNSON GUME LAUREL III DANIEL DAVILA NICOLE CORICHIATO R. G. HOOK BRIAN GROSZ HOPE RUIZ LIABLEWRITER MAGIC JACK ARALYN HUGHES JENNIFER BERLINER THOM THE WORLD POET accompanied by DANIEL DAVILA

Talk Dirty to Me Fan Favorite Winners: GUME LAUREL III & JENNIFER BERLINER

Kicking off 2018, an award-winning movie star hosted the January roulette. All the Rouletters shared how they experienced new beginnings.BRENNAN UTLEY suggested many ways to begin, complete with hyperlinks, which he signaled reading, using finger cymbals.

RYAN GOSSEN created new normals with the in-laws and a toddler.

HOPE RUIZ shocked the host by NOT reading about the three bunnies Santa gifted her.

AUDREY BRAZEEL was anxious to start her new year by just sitting there…when she thrives in chaos.

URSULA PIKE provided vivid examples of why beginnings are wonderful and endings suck.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON celebrated the outing of open-secret sexual predators in Hollywood and other workplace environments.

INVISIBLE THOM shared, among other things, his morning routine of reading astrology and the comics.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Please click below to view the performances of the following artists: BRIAN GROSZ, STEPHANIE JOHNSON, BRENNAN UTLEY, HOPE RUIZ, JADE BOVE, R. G. HOOK, RYAN GOSSEN, SHERRY LOWRY, & INVISIBLE THOM

BRIAN GROSZSTEPHANIE JOHNSON BRENNAN UTLEY NICOLE CORTICHIATO HOPE RUIZ JADE BOVE R. G. HOOK RYAN GOSSEN SHERRY LOWRY GRACE FLEMING

INVISIBLE THOM

Fabulous marvel

Facetious milestone

Fantabulous magic

The host came prepared for a Festivus celebration in Rouletter style with a personal Bah Humbug on her sweater and then passed out Festivus Miracle candy canes.

The venue was decked out with a seasonal selection of literary delights.Although only three features were officially on the docket, miracles abounded with more artists arriving just in time to share their work.STEPHANIE JOHNSON shared her experience about her first GYN appointment.

HOPE RUIZ wrote about her Warrior Weekend, where, among other things, she walked on hot coals.

HAYLEY LUHR searched high and low for the most valuable treasure.

TERESA Y ROBERSON praised the virtues of internet porn birth control for men and the latest penile implant devices.

THOM THE WORLD POET served up an international smorgasbord of festivus miracles.

Click on the link below to see the open mic performances of the following artists: STEPHANIE JOHNSON, HOPE RUIZ, TERESA Y. ROBERSON, & THOM THE WORLD POET.

Raw pride

Real prize

Radiant person

Despite the rain, pro football game and other events around town, the rouletters rose to the occasion for the penultimate 2017 show.As reflected in the collection of theme-inspired books, we presented pieces based on “Reinvented Past.”Plus, part of our message was stylishly displayed on our T-shirts.The Jigsaw Puzzle Master hosted this month’s event.HOPE RUIZ took a nostalgic and spiritual journey through East Texas ghost towns.

POET KEN documented the changes between the past and the present through two of his ol’ punk rock songs from the ’80s.

MARIA CLARK revealed that even flawed people could do some good.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON acknowledged how we were all puzzle collectors, making the prettiest, most successful picture we could throughout our life.

THOM THE WORLD POET, the hybrid Santa of the afternoon, encouraged questioning the reinvention of the past.

OPEN MIC

Click on the link below to view the performances of STEPHANIE JOHNSON, MARIA CLARK, THE POET BUTCHER, CARRIE ANN PAULO, BRIAN GROSZ, LYNN HERRICK, ELLEN BRAVERMAN, ROSEMARY GUZMAN HOOK, THOM THE WORLD POETSTEPHANIE JOHNSONMARIA CLARKHOPE RUIZURSULA PIKETHE POET BUTCHERJRCARRIE ANN PAULOBRIAN GROSZLYNN HERRICKELLEN BRAVERMANROSEMARY GUZMAN HOOK

THOM THE WORLD POET

Aberrant dangerous shape-sifting ninja

Ancient devilish scary ne’er-do-well

Abnormal deceitful scraggy numen

‘Tis the season for spooky tales.Even a rouletter from Houston came up for the occasion.Eventually, all the rouletters were in the space to share stormy tales.One rouletter even wore her “cloak and dagger” attire and brought a rainmaker to lend out to others in case anyone wanted to create a dark and stormy night.Adding to the festive mood, Malvern Books celebrated its 4th anniversary, pumping out all the cake the audience could digest.The mini group picture only involved the two rouletters who dressed for a nightmarish afternoon. BIRDMAN 313 survived the raging storms preceding Hurricane Harvey.

MICHELLE SAVAGE-MENA showed how her inner turmoil played out on an airplane between two guys near the bathroom in her fight for elbow room.

CATHRIN GORDON revealed the making of an artist (or a lesbian serial killer).

MARIA CLARK told about what happened when the Purple Guy appeared.

STEPHANIE WEBB described when “dark and stormy” became “dark and steamy.”

TERESA Y. ROBERSON chronicled the evolution of her anxiety-induced nightmares.

THOM THE WORLD POET spoke powerfully about the real-life nightmare of gun violence, followed by the light evoked when strangers come together helping one another out.

OPEN MIC

Click on the following to view the video clips of the open mic artists: STEPHANIE JOHNSON, MARIA CLARK, BIRDMAN 313, QUIET STORM (STEVE QUAKENBUSH), CATHRIN GORDON, LYNN HERRICK, URSULA PIKE, ELLYN SNIDER, BRIAN GROSZ, HOPE RUIZ, ARALYN HUGHES, THE POETIC BUTCHER, & INVISIBLE THOM (THE WORLD POET).

STEPHANIE JOHNSON MARIA CLARK BIRDMAN 313 STEVE QUAKENBUSH CATHRIN GORDON LYNN HERRICK URSULA PIKE ELLYN SNIDER BRIAN GROSZ HOPE RUIZ ARALYN HUGHES THE POETIC BUTCHER

THOM THE WORLD POET

 Offbeat salty scholastic fun

Olden sugary sweet fondue

Olfactory sacred spicy fodder

The soulful collection of books greeted customers and Rouletters alike for this month’s theme. The host and international head chef served up a delicious array of narratives and songs.The Rouletters described their childhood foods or fodder from their school days. WILLIAM HILL sliced up a delicious tale about his winter as a caterer.

HOPE RUIZ recounted how her school days fed her soul and shaped her as a woman.

BRIAN GROSZ recalled some offbeat salty scholastic fun.

MARIA CLARK shared what was food for the religious soul.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON savored the memory of all the different foods she experienced while teaching abroad.

THOM THE WORLD POET proclaimed being a great lover of food, who ate everything and let it pass through him.

OPEN MIC

Please click on the link below to view the performances of the following artists: STEPHANIE JOHNSON, MARIA CLARK, BRIAN GROSZ, HOPE RUIZ, DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL, LYNN HERRICK, & THOM THE WORLD POET.  

STEPHANIE JOHNSONMARIA CLARK BRIAN GROSZ HOPE RUIZ DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL LYNN HERRICK THOM THE WORLD POET

Some of the poets had an after dinner discussion.

Talented odd mind

Twisted offbeat model

Titillating otherworldly memories

As the Austin Writers Roulette theme table showed, the rouletters gathered to talk about their other selves. The all-knowing goddess hosted.For a second month in a row, the ladies outnumbered guys. ALLYSON WHIPPLE donned three different personas: I-10, a rancher and an ancient Meso-american mythical figure through her poetry. SARAH GUNN shared nature and family identity poetry. ROSEMARY HOOK revealed her emerging self.  MAGGIE MANNELL showed how a person changes throughout time. URSULA PIKE contrasted between her foreign and domestic self. HOPE RUIZ recounted the evolution of herself. MARIA CLARK read a haunting tale about multiple “me’s.” TERESA Y. ROBERSON announced that as the all-knowing goddess, her superpower was knowledge, her cool gadgets were books and her archenemy, Ignorance, latest dastardly deed was to destroy the integrity of the meaning of words. THOM THE WORLD POET related how his “other me’s” were the reflection of other people.

OPEN MICELLEN BRAVERMAN SARAH GUNN MARIA CLARK ALLYSON WHIPPLE NORI HUBERT BRIAN GROSZ HOPE RUIZ MACKENZIE MILKSLYNN HERRICK JULIETTE SURRATT MASON MCCLAY

THOM THE WORLD POET