npm travel journal 3: chicago, il

Today we are visiting Ed DeCaria's Think, Kid, Think in Chicago, to see what's happening with the March Madness Poetry Tournament as it moves into the final rounds.  I had a really great poetry experience in Chicago when I attended the NCTE Convention there in 2011.  I don't know where in the great geography of Chicago that Ed lives, but I have the impression it might be somewhere near Fenway Park...

Round 5 is the Final Four and includes some folks I know:

BJ Lee, fellow Poets' Garage member!  Her word is INCONTINENT

vs.

J.J. Close.  His word is KERFUFFLE, an extremely useful word I learned while teaching in London.

Samuel Kent, my victoriouscompetitor in Round 2!  His word is DEFENESTRATE.

vs.

Karyn Linnell, AKA Mother Streusel.  Her word is CONFABULATION.

They will post poems of unlimited length on Friday morning, and the public, authlete and classroom voting will commence that same day.  We will return to this destination to view the last matchup on April 10th to see who emerges as the champion.  May the hardiest, cleverest, thinkiest poet win!