Slam Poet Gayle Danley

from:
The Poetry of Pain: Slam Poet Gayle Danley Teaches Children How Words can Soothe their Wounds
By Christina Ianzito

Sunday, November 23, 2008; Page W16
(an excerpt from Washington Post)

She starts off with a poem titled "Round Like Bubbles": "Round like a big fat green birthday balloon kissing the sky," Gayle Danley begins, then turns her backside to the audience of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders at Deerfield Run Elementary School in Laurel and adds, "Why can't I have a round one like J. Lo?"

The 275 students giggle nervously, immediately certain that this rather loud 43-year-old woman, a nationally renowned slam poet in jeans and a green maternity blouse, isn't going to be teaching them any kind of poetry they've ever heard before. This stuff doesn't rhyme. And, what? Did she just mention Jennifer Lopez in a poem?

"How come I don't look like J. Lo?" the poet nearly shouts, plaintively stressing the word "I," with a Southern accent, as the children titter. "You ever look in the mirror and go, 'How come I don't have hair that sings down my spine? How come?' " A few lines later, she switches gears: "I don't need to be Halle Berry, I don't need to be Alicia Keys, I don't need to be bald-headed Britney" -- they really crack up at that one -- "I have it going on, because I have you."

(Article truncated. Rest of article can be found here)

Reunion. com Invite Apologies -- Computer Glitch Spam

Dear Friends of Votre Vray,

It seems that Reunion.com has sent spam to everyone in my address list without my permission. I received an invite from my dear friend that I'd known since I was four years old, so I "joined" the Reunion list. Then, the list manager asked if I wanted to automatically invite everyone in my address book. I clicked the choice that said no, I'd invite people manually, but alas, it started to do its thing anyway. I tried to stop it, and thought I did so successfully until I received a barrage of messages and calls from friends, family, business contacts and former colleagues stating they'd been invited.

Please know this will never happen again. It was absolutely unintentional and I know that we're all too busy to mess with all of this social media all of the time. I do not have a paid membership with Reunion.com and at this point do not intend to. 

If you want to follow me and what I'm doing, the blog is the best way or ask to be put on my monthly Constant Contact newsletter list. I did just join Facebook at the invitation of a fellow local poet that I admire and am a member there if you're interested in being on my "friends" list. Honest, though, I am not sure I'll use Facebook much at all. The Votre Vray project eats up all of my spare time (in a good way).

Again, I'm sorry you were spammed and it will not occur again.

-Mel.