Feature: Dianne Borsenik Day 6

Dianne, it has been an extreme pleasure having you with us this week. Thanks for sharing more about yourself as well. You are such a kind, talented and charismatic person. It has been an honor to feature you and your poetry! It has been a fun week!

To the readers: If you live in the North East Ohio area you must stop by and catch a Lix and Kix show. Read on to find out why. :)

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Co-Founder/Co-Host, Dianne Borsenik on The Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza:

As "Mr. Lix and Ms. Kix", John and Dianne perform her poem "Shotgun" at the Feed The Gays Benefit, April 2009

The Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza came about thanks to Robert Plant, former lead singer of Led Zeppelin and recent co-singer with Alison Krauss. Seriously! LOL. James (my husband) and I went to see Plant and Krauss perform in Cleveland last year, and it was such a beautiful summer night that we were relunctant to go home right away. We decided to stop for a beverage in Tremont, and my husband suggested the gloriously neoned 806 Martini and Wine Bar. The general manager wanted to know what brought us to Tremont, and when he heard I read poetry (I'd just discovered the Lit Café readings the week before), wanted to know if I would do a poetry reading there-- a two hour poetry reading! That seemed a bit overwhelming to do by myself, so I invited my friend John Burroughs, who had hit the local poetry scene about the same time as I (we kept running into each other at the readings, where I would end up following him at the open mic-- a daunting experience), to join me. I loved the way he performed his wonderful poetry instead of just reading it, and I was confident that he would wow the audience.

We did our first show, Lix and Kix Uncensored, in October of 2008. When the 806 asked us to do a monthly show, we expanded and adapted it to its current format, with features and an open mic. John is the perfect partner, and we decide on the features and the lineup together, and make any business decisions, such as change of venue (806 to Bela Dubby to Visible Voice Books, and back to Bela Dubby), together. He came up with the name "Lix & Kix", and I designed the official "Mr. Lix" logo. He does blog, photo, and video coverage, and I design the posters and graphics. We both advertise. I couldn't ask for a better business partner or friend!

We're up to our tenth show now, and still going strong. Each show has been unique. We've had a steady string of outstanding and unbelievably talented poets and musicians feature for us, and have developed an enthusiastic and supportive audience. And our open mic has been immensely entertaining and revealing-- there are a lot of hidden gems in the Cleveland poetry scene! The energy level fluctuates, but has blasted the roof off more than once, and we have great expectations in the coming months.

Basically, we want to bring poetry to the people, regardless of style, age, education, ethnicity, gender, or popularity. First timers are as welcome as esteemed professionals. It's the poetry that matters, the art of the word. We need to spread that word, make it as entertaining as possible, and insure that poetry exists as a vital and essential art to be enjoyed and lived. Power to the people! (Yeah, yeah, I'm a child of the sixties!)

John and I have, on occasion, performed our own poetry together as features-- when we do this, we use the Lix & Kix name-- watch for us! Or, watch out for us, lol.

For information on upcoming shows, up-to-the-minute announcements, and to see photos of previous shows, you can visit our official webpage at www.myspace.com/lixandkix. We have some high-energy shows coming up, with some super poets and musicians-- be sure to check out the list!

For blog coverage and video of our shows, check out www.crisischronicles.com. You can always "Google" us as well; several audience members video-record and photograph the show on a regular basis, and you can experience the show through their eyes in their own blog coverage. And we thank everyone-- everyone!-- for your interest and support, past, present, and future. You rock!

-- Dianne Borsenik 2009


Mr. Lix says "Be There or Be Square, Bay-Bee!"

Mr. Lix & Ms. Kix

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Buy Dianne's Chapbook HardDrive/SoftWear at Crisis Chronicles Press. You'll be glad you did!