Have you ever seen I Married an Axe Murderer? It’s an entertaining romantic comedy – but the best parts of the movie are where Mike Meyers recites beatnik poetry.
Lee’s initial reaction after seeing the movie was, “OMG, I wanna do that for our Christmas party! Let’s have a beatnik poetry jam!” And we did… The First Annual Phillips Design Beatnik Poetry Jam!
First, get space at the Momo. Cool! Next, a three-piece band, you gotta have a base player. Like totally. Buy berets. Check. Make a poster. Double check. Buy wine. Yes. Hors d’oeuvres? For sure. Prepare crazy poetry. Reach deep into your soul. Dress in black. Act hip. Party!
We worked out a series of hand signals for the band: Point into the air and they played a flourish. Roll your index finger around in a circle and they played a steady beat. A hand across your throat was “Cut!”
People were very creative! Here’s some examples:
Josh Glasgow, former Phillips Designer, now a state worker, who’s life revolves around the ubiquitous…
Post it Note
Yellow
Blue
Pink
Rectangle or
Square
Any shape and size you want
You can stick it anywhere
Jot it
Sketch it
Keep it short
‘Cause it’s only a
Post It Note
The poetry recited by Mike Meyers in the movie details the agony of his dating adventures. Lee followed in kind:
Woman!
Woe-man!
Woooooooooeeeeeeeee-man!
I had a bag
She had a trunk
She wanted me
To move all her junk.
I moved it all once
And said “Never a-gain”!
‘Cause Lady, your baggage
Is cause’n me pain.
My wig said Run! Run!
My heart said Stay! Stay?
I made the choice;
I split far away.
I wasn’t ready
To take the big step.
Co. Mitt. Ment? Hell!
I ain’t jiggy for dat!
I wasn’t jive.
But, now that I am
The wren’s not around;
Ain’t life just grand?
Jane? Get me off this crazy thing called
Luuuuuuuv (Blows out candle…)
Matt Phillips, programmer and technology geek, exhorting on the new paradigm:
hotdog thumping videogame pulse machine
dancing processed feet
gotta square your wid, but…
churn
my dreams?
catatonic plastic fistfights
sleeping in factories
my heart?
electron traffic battering ram
cracking the green glass city
REVOLT!
or glaze your gaze and open wide
long live the new flesh! (scream)
Bill Santos, Photography Maestro:
my granny…
she’s young,
she’s cool,
she runs around in a Cadillac with BIIIGGG fins…
and bullet lights!
…got plastic covers on the seats.
She made my mom…
uptight!
But that’s OK…
Her kids are chilllll.
Lee is a big fan of Jim Flora whose artwork was the inspiration for our invitation and poster. Ya dig?
