We return to McGeary’s on Monday, August 27 for another edition of Poets Speak Loud with this month’s featured poet L-Majesty. Luis Pabon has read at many of the local poetry open mics over the years, most recently at Nitty Gritty Slam #22, and if you were at the 2012 Albany Word Fest open mic, then you know the way that L-Majesty’s words can touch those in the audience.
Here is how he describes himself:
Who is L-Majesty?
L-Majesty is a clever construct, a moniker, a stage name used during open mic performances to express a supreme love for words and a sincere desire to master metaphors, harmonize similes and breathe new life into personification pieces.
My real name is Luis Pabon. I am many things. I am an: Individual, Son, Brother, Uncle, Poet, Writer, Social Worker, Artist, Singer, Songwriter just to name a few of the roles I occupy. I am of Black and Puerto Rican descent and was born and raised in Bronx, NY. I lived in the Bronx for over twenty years before migrating to Albany in 2003. I moved to Albany for three reasons: to finish my graduate studies, locate affordable housing and escape the oppressive clutches of gentrification.
I am a magnificent wordsmith who has had a love affair with the purity of language since the tender age of 6. I first learned the power of words when I was 8yrs old. During that time I had the flu and chicken soup and orange juice were not making me feel better so I surrendered to my flu-induced hallucinations and wrote my first piece about sycamore trees. After drafting that piece, I felt so much better. The catharsis held wonderful healing properties and from that point on I have continued to derive private joy from the process called writing.
It wasn’t until I went to the Nuyorican Poets Café as a teen that I began to realize that words can move off the page and into the lives of others. I realized that I had the ability to touch lives with the power and precision of my words. So I began performing at the Open Rooms and various open mics in New York City.
Since moving to Albany, I have participated in a variety of Open Mics, Poetry Slams and Talent Competitions. In August 2011, I won First Place in the Division 3 Plaza Lites Competition which afforded me the opportunity to share my work with a wider audience and network with other talented performance artists. It is a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by a group of such talented and inspiring individuals and I look forward to a lifetime career of performing and writing a life I wouldn’t mind living twice.
My work explores the intricate nuances between humanity and the divine. I examine topics such as sexuality, religion, love, technology, relationships, government, injustice and race. These topics are the most difficult to explore at times as they rest on the fulcrum of curiosity and fear. However the guiding principle that I employ when writing poetry is this: “Write the poem that you are most afraid to write as that is the poem that will break into the human condition and honestly steal pieces of understanding”.
For a preview of what you can expect at Poets Speak Loud on the 27th, head on over to L-Majesty’s poets page.
Each month you will be able to read more about the Poets Speak Loud featured poet by going to albanypoets.com/poets and going to the Featured Poet section.
Poets Speak Loud is a monthly open mic for poetry and spoken word with a featured poet hosted by local poet Mary Panza at McGeary’s (4 Clinton Square, Albany) in downtown Albany on the last Monday of each and every month.
Sign-up for the open mic is 7:00pm, we start around 8pm
