Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

Slam Poet

11 26 78 ndash Present Day

Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz was born on November 26 1978 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

bull She graduated from Central High School of Philadelphia in 1996

bull She received her Bachelor of Fine

Arts degree in Dramatic Writing

from New York University in 2000

bull In 1998 Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz co-founded the NYC-Urbana Poetry Slam series

bull She also began working as an editor on the

ldquoAdultrdquo section for Aboutcom

bull At the same time in 2000 she was

the founding cafeacute manager for the

Bowery Poetry Club

bull She has won multiple slam poetrywriting awards since high school

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz also became a rights manager at the Artists Rights Society

bull In 2013 she received the Amy

Clampitt Residency in

Lenox Massachusetts

bull In 2011 she was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz is one of

the few slam poets to win the

NEA grant and the only slam poet to

receive the Amy Clampitt

Residency award

The residency takes place in the former residence

of poet Amy Clampitt and provides an established or emerging poet or literary

scholar with the rare gift of extended time and a

reasonable stipend so that he or she

may substantially furtherhis or her creative work

Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUTThe boy found hanging on the golf course

The boy with the bruises whorsquod arriveto school coatless in the middle of the winter

The man with the red face and the thick stutterwho cleaned up our vomit in grade school

The veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TPCASTT-ing

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz was born on November 26 1978 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

bull She graduated from Central High School of Philadelphia in 1996

bull She received her Bachelor of Fine

Arts degree in Dramatic Writing

from New York University in 2000

bull In 1998 Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz co-founded the NYC-Urbana Poetry Slam series

bull She also began working as an editor on the

ldquoAdultrdquo section for Aboutcom

bull At the same time in 2000 she was

the founding cafeacute manager for the

Bowery Poetry Club

bull She has won multiple slam poetrywriting awards since high school

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz also became a rights manager at the Artists Rights Society

bull In 2013 she received the Amy

Clampitt Residency in

Lenox Massachusetts

bull In 2011 she was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz is one of

the few slam poets to win the

NEA grant and the only slam poet to

receive the Amy Clampitt

Residency award

The residency takes place in the former residence

of poet Amy Clampitt and provides an established or emerging poet or literary

scholar with the rare gift of extended time and a

reasonable stipend so that he or she

may substantially furtherhis or her creative work

Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUTThe boy found hanging on the golf course

The boy with the bruises whorsquod arriveto school coatless in the middle of the winter

The man with the red face and the thick stutterwho cleaned up our vomit in grade school

The veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TPCASTT-ing

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

bull She has won multiple slam poetrywriting awards since high school

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz also became a rights manager at the Artists Rights Society

bull In 2013 she received the Amy

Clampitt Residency in

Lenox Massachusetts

bull In 2011 she was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry

bull Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz is one of

the few slam poets to win the

NEA grant and the only slam poet to

receive the Amy Clampitt

Residency award

The residency takes place in the former residence

of poet Amy Clampitt and provides an established or emerging poet or literary

scholar with the rare gift of extended time and a

reasonable stipend so that he or she

may substantially furtherhis or her creative work

Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUTThe boy found hanging on the golf course

The boy with the bruises whorsquod arriveto school coatless in the middle of the winter

The man with the red face and the thick stutterwho cleaned up our vomit in grade school

The veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TPCASTT-ing

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUTThe boy found hanging on the golf course

The boy with the bruises whorsquod arriveto school coatless in the middle of the winter

The man with the red face and the thick stutterwho cleaned up our vomit in grade school

The veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TPCASTT-ing

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

TPCASTT-ing

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

THINGS WE DIDNrsquoT TALK ABOUT

The boy found hanging on the golf courseThe boy with the bruises whorsquod arrive

to school coatless in the middle of the winterThe man with the red face and the thick stutter

who cleaned up our vomit in grade schoolThe veteran who spoke to the seventh gradeconfessed how scared hersquod been and wept

The cousin who disappeared completely after she refused to eat anything but olives

The mother who was a drunk The fatherwho told us all he was an undercover copand thatrsquos why he had the gun The boywho got shot The boy who got cancer

in both legs his angry dad his frail sistersWhy we never got any responses to our get well

soon cards the mute teachers continuing their lessons plans What happened to that hungry black dog whorsquod bolt

through to school yard the onethat refused to stay leashed

TITLE- a list of things people donrsquot mention PARAPHRASE-

~the boy found hanging on the golf course~the poor boy who was abused~The suffering man stuck to cleaning up after everyone~the traumatized veteran~the cousin who became anorexic and died from malnutrition ~the drunk mom~the father who tried to cover up the reason for having a gun~the boy who was shot~the boy who got cancer his dad became depressed and angry while his sisters became neglected~teachers having to go on knowing they lost a child and that is why there was no responses to the Get Well cards~the missing dog

This diction adds a sense of depression and being miserable for the reader Also the way that the poem is very

blunt makes everything stronger and adds to a solemn feel when reading the poem

ATTITUDETONE- gloomy depressing miserable

SHIFT- The shifts in this poem are at every period Every sentence is a shift into a new topic or idea

TITLE- not only a list of things people donrsquot mention but also a list of things people wonrsquot and in a way canrsquot mention

THEME- There are things in this life in which everyone is aware of yet canrsquot and doesnrsquot talk about

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-

-What I Learned-

bull When TPCASTTing Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowiczrsquos poetry I learned more about ldquoslamrdquo poetry rather than poetry with extensive symbolism and metaphors

bull I learned how to better distinguish shifts in a poem

bull I learned that some poets are very blunt and straightforward in their poetry rather than confusing and complicated

• Cristin OrsquoKeefe Aptowicz
• Slide 2
• Slide 3
• Slide 4
• Slide 5
• Slide 6
• Slide 7
• -What I Learned-