In Memoriam: The Poetics Of Living with poet and novelist Danny Solis

On Good Friday, April 7, 2023, the spoken word community was shaken by the sudden loss of Danny Solis, the vibrant poet and trailblazer of the spoken word community, who died in his sleep at 60. Danny's razor-sharp insights into poetry, culture, and art were respected by all who knew him. I met Danny in 1992 during the National Poetry Slam Championships in Boston. Danny was on the winning Boston team that year. My first memory of Danny is watching him start a Poetry Slam performance from the back of the room before walking up on stage, his loud booming voice completely encompassing the auditorium. Danny and I got to know each other during the week of the national Poetry Slam championships. A few weeks later, my creative partners and I invited Danny to join Poetry Alive!, an Asheville-based educational theater company that fielded teams of poets to tour the country performing traditional poems in dramatic spoken-word fashion for students. Thus Danny moved to Asheville. Not only did Danny do a terrific job with Poetry Alive! he energized the entire Poetry Slam scene in Asheville, along with Allan Wolf, Lee Lancaster, and Ginger West. Remember, this was in the early 90s; the spoken-word movement was gaining momentum, and Danny was inventing and experimenting with performance poetry across the theatrical spectrum. Danny thought big. For example, his significant contributions elevated Asheville to one of the top locations in the early spoken word poetry scene. The Asheville Poetry Slam Team won the 1995 National Poetry Slam championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Danny Solis, Kim Lane, Ted Vacca, and Pat Storm. Danny's insatiable drive for poetic community building led him from Asheville to Albuquerque, Austin, and beyond, where he cultivated thriving spoken word scenes in each location. His unique ability to foster creativity and connection allowed him to make an indelible mark on each community he touched. A national poet with local sensibilities, Danny's creative process always began like this: one table, one piece of paper, one pencil, and one poem. Danny Solis's legacy will continue to inspire and unite poets and dreamers for future generations. As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his extraordinary life and the countless lives he touched with his words and vision. Happy trails, Danny Solis.