4 Poems by Garland Lee Thompson Jr

Garland Lee Thompson Jr is a Poet, Writer, Actor, Producer, Director, and Playwright. In 1990 He started attending the open mic poetry reading at Highland Grounds Coffeehouse in Hollywood, CA, and soon after that he began to be asked to feature at various venues, and readings in Southern California. With his friend, and fellow poet Mauro Monteiro, he also began producing his own poetry readings as well, including the popular series, MR. MOJO'S NEIGHBORHOOD. Moving to Austin, TX in the early '90's he continued to produce, and feature, at poetry readings. It was here that he also got involved with the Poetry Slam movement, first by competing, then by creating his own slam, "SHOOTOUT AT THE PLANET: GARLAND'S POETRY SLAM AND RENT PARTY", voted Austin's Most Friendly Poetry Slam in 1995. In 1998, after moving to Monterey, CA a couple of years earlier, he created the annual WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP POETRY SLAM ( www.westcoastslam.com) at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. It has since become one of the largest annual events of its kind on the west coast. January 2003 found him starting another event in Monterey with Poet Kitty Pettrucelli, called THE RUBBER CHICKEN POETRY SLAM & OPEN MIC , which runs twice a month to this day. He recently featured at the BEAT EVOLUTION poetry reading, as part of the annual Howl! Festival in NYC, and is currently working on his first manuscript for publication.