day one

Victoria is a lovely place. From the hotel, there are lots of store and restaurant filled streets branching out in all directions. This city doesn't appear to have suffered from the abandoned urban core syndrome that has plagued so many other places. There is a record store across the street where I picked up a couple of interesting slabs of wax.

Returning from lunch with Farty McGee (who, it should be noted, only let out one deathly poisonous fart on the plane the day earlier, and who, it should also be noted is being called Farty McGee solely on the basis that I had to change hotel rooms after losing a game of rock paper scissors), we started running into poets everywhere. There are some very cool cats in town this week. Someone pointed out that everyone seems like they would be an outcast in their own town, but we form some kind of community here.

The plan for the night was to meet at the venue to get registered and pick up our festival things. I was given a bag with things in it, but I jammed it into my backpack and I don't really know what's in it so 'things' is the best description I can provide.

After sitting and having the rules read to us, we mingled and drank and waited for the Last Chance Slam to start. It was an interesting display. The team that was formed is a fucking monster of a squad. Zaccheus, Truth Is, Magpie Ulysses, and some guy who's name eludes me but who raps with an affected accent.

Post show, the word went out that there was a game of poetry tag to be played and a bunch of heavyweight poets (both competitors and organizers) appeared in a room to spit pieces for eachother without any rules or considerations beyond having fun. It was grand, and rolled out long into the night with everyone in the room taking a turn.

Being here so far isn't easy. A friend in Montreal has seemingly lost his mind and I'm trying to balance myself between being helpful and not letting external drama rattle me while I'm away. I'm still feeling a bit of a sting from the lack of support from home. There wasn't much from the community before, and there's not much now. I keep looking to see if anyone has any words of encouragement, but very few do, it seems... Thanks to those who have wished their luck. I'm going to need it here.