Mike The Poet sings the flatlands and the mean streets.
In the City of Quartz, he is his generation's Walt Whitman
--- Mike Davis
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Mike Sonksen
aka
Mike the PoeT
is a Poet Journalist Historian Teacher
3rd generation LA native.
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I AM ALIVE IN LOS ANGELES!
AVAILABLE @ indie bookstores in LA like Imix Books, Skylight Books, Vromans, Crewest, Museum of Neon Art, Archrivals in Little Tokyo
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I Am Alive in Los Angeles by Mike the Poet (iUniverse.com, $13.95) is a freefall through the labyrinth that is Los Angeles. In love with words for words' sake, Mike the Poet hurls them at you with great precision and with moments of humor and insight that explode in your heart like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Although he sees something good in everything Southern Cali--from gangs to the fashion industry-- and loves the city so much he can wax poetic about an area code (562), a street (Wilshire Blvd.), or even overpopulation ("Density"), this young third generation Los Angeleno is no blissed-out urban romantic. His epic of epics is "L.A. Love and War" and he leaves no doubt whose side he's on as he delineates the battlefront: "People wanna settle the score/Between the haves and the have nots/Country clubs and crooked cops/Range rovers & bus stops." And music ("Make some motherfuckin' noise!") is everywhere, not just in the chapter called "Nothin' Matters But the Music." Musicians are a big part of the dazzling "LA Authors," a list of "Great LA Albums" ranges from David Axelrod to N.W.A., and, above all, music's in the variety of the groove that makes people move in almost every poem. A great and needed antidote to all the glib, know-nothing LA-haters worldwide.
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The appeal of I Am Alive in Los Angeles is its effortlessness. Its
political without telling you to wear a badge or jump on any bandwagon and its funny wihout the neon-colored punchlines. All lovers of intricate wordplay, add this to your list.
---Straight No Chaser.
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MIKE THE POET
Mike Sonksen, also known as, Mike the Poet, is a Los Angeles-based writer spoken word poet, widely acclaimed for his live performances, contributions to international publications & legendary city tours. For over a decade, Mike has performed at numerous venueS: bookstores, museums, nightclubs, art galleries. From the page to the stage his work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Kotori, Anthem, L.A. Weekly, L.A. Citybeat, L.A. Alternative Press, O.C. Weekly, Long Beach Business Journal. Mike's energy was instrumental as co-founder of the webzine Getunderground.com. & the last 4 years with Jointz magazine. His poem "I've Seen the Best Minds of My Generation, was licensed by Scion.
Mike's book "I Am Alive in Los Angeles!" captures the energy of the City of Angels. The CD of the same name was given 4 Stars by URB Magazine Over the last decade Mike has also become known for his L.A. City Tours. As a 3rd generation LA native, his tours of Hollywood with Red Line Tours & the Museum of Neon Art incorporate poetry & L.A. history.
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This cat has the ability to not only speak as a poets poet- in metaphors, cadence, and description- but also articulate the smells, touch, and taste of the world around him in such a fundamental manner you leave the listening session excited about re-touching life. Get re-inspired about existence in L.A.! Viva Mike the Poet!
---Raashan Ahmad (Emcee, Crown City Rockers)
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FOR BOOKING INFO
SEND ME A MESSAGE
OR EMAIL!!
HoLLa!!
mike_sonksen@yahoo.com
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"I AM ALIVE IN LOS ANGELES!"
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"DENSITY"
