Defying Boundaries—Regie Cabico On Poetry, Culture, And Teaching

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio, I’m your host, James Navé. Today, I’m thrilled to be in conversation with my longtime friend, the one and only Regie Cabico—a poet, performer, and spoken word legend whose impact on the literary world is undeniable. Regie and I first crossed paths in 1994 at the National Poetry Slam in Asheville. He was a rising star out of New York City, and even then, his performances were electric—raw, fearless, and full of life. Over the years, he’s become one of the most dynamic figures in performance poetry, winning the Nuyorican Poets Café Grand Slam and taking top honors at multiple National Poetry Slams. He’s appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, NPR’s Snap Judgment, and MTV’s Free Your Mind, not to mention being published in Poetry Magazine, The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, and The Academy of American Poets platform. Now based in Washington, D.C., Regie continues to shape the literary landscape, mentoring young poets, teaching performance techniques, and bringing poetry into classrooms, theaters, and communities nationwide. His long-awaited debut full-length collection, A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex, just hit the shelves, blending humor, surrealism, and sharp cultural critique. In this episode, Regie and I reminisce about our early days in spoken word, explore the evolution of poetry from stage to page, and dig into the deeper truths that poetry reveals—sometimes through hyperbole, sometimes through raw honesty. Whether we’re talking about teaching middle schoolers the art of exaggeration or reflecting on the shifting role of poetry in our lives, one thing is clear: Regie has never stopped pushing the boundaries of what poetry can be. Join us for this lively, heartfelt conversation with a true poetic force.