southwest shootout
V.20 No.24 | 6/16/2011

Poetry News
Southwest Guest
NHCC’s resident word-slinger will join Southwest Shootout
Joaquin Zihuatanejo radiates enthusiasm. When I was introduced to him at a poetry reading two weeks ago, he looked like a kid who just got a great present. In fact, he did: Zihuatanejo won an artist residency at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, which pays for him to live in Albuquerque for a month and work on his various artistic projects. Not only did he perform the night we met, but, serendipitously, he’ll be here during the Southwest Shootout regional poetry slam (see this week’s issue). Zihuatanejo spoke by phone about the irons he has in the fire and his plans for the slam.

Festival Preview
BANG BANG!
Slam poets shoot each other with words
Poets from around the country will take aim and fire at one another, turning Albuquerque into an O.K. Corral of lyricism. The 2011 Southwest Shootout features wordsmiths from Louisiana, Colorado, Texas and, of course, New Mexico performing their particular flavor of poetry.