Mad Swirl Ranting & Raving Insane Campaign 08

Our Fellow Mad Ones...

One half score and a couple-few days ago, Mad Swirl brought forth on this mad, mad blue marble, a new creation, conceived in Swirling Madness, and dedicated to the declaration that all mad ones are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great creative war, testing whether the mad ones, any of the mad ones so conceived and so dedicated to madness, can long endure. We have come to dedicate a portion of the web, as a final posting place for those who here gave their mad spirits so that this madness might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

Just what's our agenda? Lend us your ear and we'll tell you.

Some Fundamental Madnesses

:: Of, By & For the Artists...
:: Read our Lips, No Old Poetry...
:: Change We Can Believe In...

Of the Artists, by the Artists, for the Artists...Mad Gallery's Promise to You!

The Mad Gallery is a beautiful space where we proudly display the many facets of the visual arts. From the furthest reaches of this mad, mad world we have gathered together just a few of the most maddest painters, sculptors, photographers & illustrators that we could and swirled them all together here.

Currently featured in the Gallery is painter Jimmy Ovadia. Jimmy's art "leads us on a transformative psychedelic odyssey full of unique and creative dreamlike portholes. It takes the mind through twists and turns perceived through levels of consciousness and mysticism. Jimmy's quest is toward an abstract surrealistic art that visually unites the body, mind, soul and spirit. It elucidates and enlightens the individual and the world around them."

Also in the gallery since our last virtual meeting are new works from David Arthur-Simons, Tom Harding, Peter Schwartz, Shelly Pinder and Greg Lamer.

Read Our Lips, No Old Poetry...Always Swirling New Poets in Mad Swirl's Poetry Forum!

Now with over 80 poets (and growing everyday), Mad Swirl's Poetry Forum is truly a poetic voice to be reckoned with. This massive online collection features some of the maddest poets from all over this big blue marble of ours. Now tell us, would we lie to you?

The Forum is truly a living and breathing entity, growing and flowing every day...so it's best to come by often to view the latest. Here is just a morsel, an excerpt if you will, from one of our featured poets Glen Still:

A True Liberator

A tribe of innocents
Lead to the pulpit
Believing in the ghost
To rise up

But a metal sword
Comes dancing through the fire
Cuts them all...
Blood Red Bleeds
The first step to amortize one self
Into the system

I imagined a freer world
I imagined her by my side
I see no one here now
I must go off to fight a war
Try to find a way to defeat this common god
The one that doesn't keep his promises
The one that vexes me against my neighbor
Therefore I refuse to raise the gun

(click here to read and hear the complete poem "A True Liberator")

Here are some of the poets we've added to the Forum lately...

Staff Writers: Johnny Olson · Lisa Olson

Featured Writers: Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal · M. H. Clay · Justin Hyde · Paul Sexton · Glen Still · Mel Waldman

Contributors: Robert Louis Henry · Gayle Bell · Nicole Kuwik · Tom Harding · Bernard Alain · Paul Sexton · Kat Dixon · Claude Barret · Cabe Lindsay · Colin James · Raffi Kiureghian · Ray Succre · Jessamyn Cuneo · Kirsten Reinking · Anne Ransom · Dan Provost · Joe Quinn · Gary Beck · Scott Larson · Nick Orf · Max Earl Blair · Melanie Brown · Connor O'Brien · George Harding · Clive Matson · Kenneth P Gurney · Larry Anderson · Moctezuma Johnson · Gene Barry · Changming Yuan · Jonathan Hayes · Jack Henry · Joseph Reich

and many more...

Change We Can Believe In...Mad Swirl Open Mic Night!

This is the official and unanimous Declaration of Mad Swirl Open Mic Night at Absinthe Lounge every 1st Wednesday of the month.

When in the course of Mad Swirl Open Mic events it becomes necessary for us mad ones to dissolve the mental and physical miles between us and gather together for the madness, which connects us with one another. And to assume among the powers of the host of this madness, the separate and equal time in front of the mic to which the Laws of Booze and of Nature's Tea entitle us. Fortunately, this sometimes enables they that would declare these causes to impel them to poetic revolution. Soooo...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all poets, musicians, singers, storytellers, comedians, and performers are mostly created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are poems, songs and the pursuit of madness.

And for your support of Mad Swirl Open Mic, with a firm reliance on the intoxication from Absinthe Lounge, we mutually pledge to you our words, our tunes and our sacred madness.

Come one. Come all. Come to participate. Come to appreciate. Come to support your fellow mad ones.

Absinthe Lounge · 1409 South Lamar Street · Dallas, 75215

"So, come on iconoclasts, forward! Already the foreboding sky grows dark and silent!" Renzo Novatore Arcola


Make Your Picks...Mad Swirl Issue Six!

Time is running out to get your hands on Mad Swirl Six: The Blue Note Issue, a 28 full-color-page, 23-track collection of beat-utiful collaborations between poetry and music.

This Blue Note Issue is Mad Swirl's ode to the insanity that is Mad Swirl Open Mic Night. In this issue, you'll find the poetry and music of some of the most maddest of the mad ones...

Johnny Olson · Lisa Olson · Cheyenne Gallion · Paul Sexton · Opalina Salas · MH Clay · Desmene Statum · Josh Weir · Roderick Richardson · Chris Zimmerly · Swirve · Tim Thomaston

For this very limited time we are offering Mad Swirl Six: The Blue Note Issue for the low, low price of $5!

How do you get your hands on this amazing collection of madness? You have 3 options...

PayPal! It's safe! It's easy! It's instant!

OR

Visit us at Mad Swirl's Open Mic Night and buy an issue direct from Johnny O.

OR

Send us an e-mail and we can discuss payment options.

It just doesn't get any easier then that! Get your Mad Swirl Six fix as fast as you can!

Our Price: $5.00
S & H: $2.00

All the Hip Kids Are Doing It, Why Not You?

VOTE. We're not going to get all preachy, try to sway you in sOme suBtle wAy to MAke you vote for who we like best. We just want to do our public service by saying GO VOTE! Did we say that loud enough? GO VOTE!! A tad louder? GO VOTE!!! Not registered? Need more info? Visit RockTheVote.com

"The stakes are too high for government to be a spectator sport." Barbara Jordan

So, our Fellow Mad Ones, to include Joe's Six-Pack & Plumber...

This insane nation, under-ground, shall swirl together a new kind of madness -- and this zine of the mad ones, by the mad ones, for the mad ones, shall not perish from this big beautiful blue marble.

Stayed tuned to Mad Swirl for even more in the coming days, weeks, months and years as we continue to weave this mad web and print this mad page and set this mad stage whether we get voted in or not. So there.

Sincerely?
Johnny O
Madman-in-Chief of Mad Swirl

The whole Mad Swirl of everything to come begins...now!

Lots'o'News from the Eye of the Swirl

::: Summer 2008 :::

"Time, time, time, see what's become of me..."

Sure has been awhile, huh? Sometimes it seems like the days fly into weeks and into months and next thing you know it's summer. The last time you heard from us we had Santa on the header of this message, if that gives you any idea of time passed.

So what exactly has been going since we celebrated the birth of Santa? Boy oh boy and my oh my, a whole lotta madness has been swirling!

Are you ready to take the Swirl for a spin? Well then, LET's GO!

::: Heerrre's...Mad Swirl Six: The Blue Note Issue! :::

The long-awaited, much-anticipated full-color print issue, a 28-page, 23-track collection of poetry and music was officially released at Mad Swirl Open Mic Night to a full-house of mad ones, 07.02.08 at Absinthe Lounge.

This Blue Note Issue is Mad Swirl's ode to the insanity that is Mad Swirl Open Mic Night. In this issue, you'll find the poetry and music of some of the most maddest of the mad ones...

Johnny Olson · Lisa Olson · Cheyenne Gallion · Paul Sexton · Opalina Salas · MH Clay · Desmene Statum · Josh Weir · Roderick Richardson · Chris Zimmerly · Swirve · Tim Thomaston

This beat-utiful collaboration of madness is now available for purchase. Get 'em while they last!!!

Scroll on down to get your fix of Mad Swirl Issue Six...

::: Behold...Mad Swirl's Online Poetry Forum! :::

Now with over 70 poets, the Mad Swirl Poetry Forum is truly a poetic online village featuring some of the maddest poets from all over this big blue marble of ours.

The Forum is truly a living and breathing entity, growing and flowing every day...so it's best to come by often to view the latest.

Here are some of the poets we've added lately...

Mel Waldman · Johnny Olson · Robert Louis Henry · M. H. Clay · Gayle Bell · R. Jay Slais · Roderick Richardson · Joseph Reich · Janann Dawkins · Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal · Dennis Wilken · Nathan Tyree · Puma Perl · Justin Hyde · Nicole Kuwik · Victoria Munn · Isaiah Vianese · Ra! Gabriel · John Grey · Tom Harding · Rob Plath · Rafael Andrade Garza · Glen Still · Mary McLaughlin...

...and oh so many more!

::: Take a Stroll thru the Mad Gallery! :::

Welcome to the Mad Gallery. This beautiful space is the place where we proudly display the many mad facets of the visual arts.

Currently featured is painter David Arthur-Simons. David's works depict ideal places of peace, harmony and symmetry where people fly, leap and glide through the air from one dimension to another, constantly defying the accepted illusions of life. This is just the first of many more installments of David's vast collection to be featured in the Mad Gallery. And when you're done being inspired by David's work...

...from the furthest reaches of this mad, mad world we have gathered together just a few of the most maddest painters, sculptors, photographers & illustrators that we could and swirled them all together here. Come by and visit the gallery...

Get your stroll on here...

::: Mad Swirl Open Mic: Where the Mad Ones Are! :::

Every 1st Wednesday night Mad Swirl has its open mic and we make mad mischief of one kind, and another until our mothers call us "Mad Ones!" and send us to Dallas' Absinthe Lounge without our supper.

Come go mad with Mad Swirl's monthly showcase of beat-utiful mad ones as we strive to break the madness barrier! If you are a poet, musician, actor, singer and/or performer and live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area then come-n-preach-it!

Come one. Come all. Come to participate. Come to appreciate. Come to support your fellow mad ones.

Absinthe Lounge · 1409 S Lamar St · Dallas

Get more info, see pics and hear audio from last 1st Wednesday's madness here!

::: Get Your Mad Swirl Issue Six Fix Here! :::

This limited-edition, numbered copy of Mad Swirl is 28 full-color pages of swirling madness that captures some of the most maddest of the mad ones and the insanity that is the Dallas poetry and music scene!

What would you be willing to pay for this limited edition, numbered copy of Mad Swirl? Don't answer yet!

A bonus with this mad zine is a 23-track CD of the whole issue performed and recorded live at Absinthe Lounge, with music by Swirve! Now how much would you pay? $20 would be worth it. $10? That sure would be a great deal!

For this limited time we are offering Mad Swirl Six: The Blue Note Issue for the low, low price of $5!

How do you get your hands on this amazing collection of madness? You have 3 options...

PayPal! It's safe! It's easy! It's instant! It's right here! Click and get whisked away into PayPal's safe and capable hands.

OR

Come visit us at Mad Swirl's Open Mic Night and buy an issue direct from Johnny O

OR

Send us an e-mail (crazy@madswirl.com) or visit us on MySpace and we can discuss payment options.

It just doesn't get any easier then that!

Give me my Mad Swirl Six fix as fast as you can!

We told you there was a lot going on in the Land of Swirling Madness! There's even more in store in the coming days, weeks, months and years as we weave this mad web and print this mad page and set this mad stage.

Keep on swirling madly, our fellow mad ones, because the whole Mad Swirl of everything to come begins...NOW!

Reach out and touch Mad Swirl the electronic-mail kinda way at crazy@madswirl.com

Or visit us on the Wide World of the Web at MadSwirl.com

Mad Swirlin' Holiday Greetings to You

::: Winter 2007 :::



Ho Ho Ho-llo Mad,
...and all that other happily sappily sugary stuff to you and yours this holiday season!

And since t'is the swirling season for giving and sharing, for loving and caring, we here at Mad Swirl couldn't think of a better way to spend these chilly holy-day's then by caring to share the latest mad-happenings at MadSwirl.com with you and yours!

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On the 1st day of madness Mad Swirl gave to me...
...a brand new short story!

Welcome to Mad Swirl's Short Story library. We've all got a story to tell but some of us have an itch that we have to scratch and this is the place where the itchers go to scratch it. Here's a glimpse at our latest scratcher Joseph Goosey...

Someday I Will Be On the Lamb and Sorely Missed
I got out of my car. I sensed that it was about 82 degrees. Very unseasonable. I wished to just lay down on the sidewalk, perhaps an eagle would swoop down low and take me in as one of it's own. This was unlikely so I kept walking. I was out of the car now and on my feet so there really was not much else. I looked like an escapee from either some sort of work release program or a Northeastern writers conference because I was still wearing my cashmere sweater. Like I said, very unseasonable. In an attempt to minimize my visibility to passers-by I ducked into a coffee shop. The girl behind the counter looked as though she had the answers to some very important and philosophical questions...

Click here for more EVEN if you've been bad!

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On the 2nd day of madness Mad Swirl gave to me...
...some wild and ca-razy poetry!

We tried to wrap up all these poetic samplings in bows and ribbons but we just couldn't get the tape to stick! So instead we offer this online collection of poetry from the maddest poets from the maddest corners of the world and have showcased them in the Poetry Forum just for you. The Forum is always in flux, living and breathing, evolving and changing, swirling constantly...so please come and come often to view the latest submissions.

Be sure to check this poetry stocking for the interactive holiday collaboration between Merlin the Magical One and Mad Swirl. Smoke 'em if you got 'em and be sure you turn up the volume and shoo away the kiddos before you open "Twas the Night Before Tomorrow"..

If it's been a few months since you came 'round the Forum, it has got lots of new wonderfully mad words from some of the mad ones that color our world. Here's who you may or may not have read since our last meeting...

Roderick Richardson · Ra! Gabriel · Justin Hyde · Joseph Goosey · David Kowalczyk · Shellie Lobis · Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal · Johnny Olson · Glen Still · Moctezuma Johnson · W Alt Burns · Michael Lee Johnson · Sean Bowen · Nicole Lilly · Joseph Veronneau

Santa says tear here to open the poetic presents here...

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On the 3rd day of madness Mad Swirl gave to me...
...new work in the Mad Gal-ler-y!

Welcome to the Mad Gallery...this place where we hang by the chimney with care the many sides of art and mad cheer!

From the furthest reaches of this mad mad world we have gathered together and featured just a few of the most maddest painters, sculptors, photographers & illustrators that we could and swirled them all together here. Come by and visit the gallery and watch as it continues revolving round and round...

Currently, in the Mad Gallery Showcase we have hung the latest additions from Andrew David King and Lia Mildwater.

Behold the artistic presense presents here...

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Every 1st Wednesday Mad Swirl Gives to Me...
...Open Mic Festivities!

As 2008 begins it's mad unraveling, Mad Swirl will continue to swirl collective creative chaos and madness and at Absinthe Lounge on 1st Wednesdays Open Mic.

Come go mad with host Johnny O and the monthly Mad Swirling showing of beat-utifully mad poets, musicians, actors, singers and miscellaneous mad ones as we try to make 2008 one to remember!

Make your list and mark your calendars now...


01.02.08 · 02.06.08 · 03.05.08 · 04.02.08 · 05.07.08 · 06.04.08 · 07.02.08 · 08.06.08 · 09.03.08 · 10.01.08 · 11.05.08 · 12.03.08


Interested in performing? If you are a poet, musician, actor, singer and/or performer and live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area then come-n-preach-it!

Come one. Come all. Come to participate. Come to appreciate. Come to support your fellow mad ones.

And please, by all means, FEEL FREE TO SPREAD THE MAD WORD!

Absinthe Lounge · 1409 S Lamar St · Dallas, 75215

Santa says click here for more information...

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Thanks to Santa for sharing his mad gifts with us, even though he knew all about our naughities and nicities in 2007!

We hope that 2008 brings more and more swirling madness from the mad ones that color our world.

See you in the web, on the page and up on the stage in 2008! And a Happy New Mad Swirling Year!

MAD News from the Eye of the Swirl

MAD News from the Eye of the Swirl

Mad Swirl greetings to YOU,

The MAD Swirl God has moved ME to share with YOU this powerful MAD MESSAGE.

As I was catnapping early in the WEE hours of the afternoon, I was awakened by a strange & POWERFUL sense. I felt shaking in my Bones, Dear brethren, & KNEW deep within MY heart & soul that this was the ONE, the only, the MAD Swirl God stirring me from SLUMBER. As I awoke, I SLID to my knees in a humble & receptive prayer....

"Yes, MAD Swirl" I whispered, wiping sleep from mine MAD eyes.

"My child," The Swirl spoke. "You have done MAD things in my name. You printed MAD Zines. You WOVEN a MAD web in the Wide World of the Web. You have Swirled the MADness WHEREever you can. It is time for more MAD work."

"Just tell me MAD Swirl, What will you have me to do?" I pleaded.

"My child," Lord Swirl spoketh. "You must spread the MADNESS to the MASSES. You must beseech ALL the MAD ONES and the 'AWWW'-ers to open their WEB browsers once more. This time, ye shall tell them to give of their eyes and ears and mouse CLICKS to the MANY MAD poems, paintings, stories, photos and OFFER their sacrificial LOVE offerings to the ministry of the MAD Swirl"

So Brothers and Sisters, I ask you this DAY, I mean Lord Swirl asks you this day, to FALL on your knees and Listen to the dear Lord Swirl and VISIT MAD Swirl dot com!...and Whatever Lord Swirl TELLS you, you mustn't question. Do not, I repeat, do not let the LYING DEVIL try to tell you otherwise. Lord
Swirl is VERY serious about this.

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Readeth thy MAD Words...and BE Saved!

Welcome to Mad Swirl's Short Story Library. We've all got a story to tell but some of us have an itch that we have to scratch and this is the place where the itchers go to scratcheth.


Here's a glimpse at one of our latest additions by Stephanie Timko...

"Island"

The word was 'island'.

I think the book was about butterflies. It stunned me, as I hovered over the word, not quite certain what it was. 'I. 'S'. I'd never seen anything like it. 'I' and 's' together were 'is'. That was easy. But what was that 'laaaaaaa' thing tacked onto the end? There was an ice cream shop downtown named Isley's.
Isley's had an 'I' and an 'S' in it but, that was the extent of my ability to
associate the word.

Readeth the resteth hereth...

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Speaketh with Tongues on FIRE...inside MAD Swirl's Poetry Forum!

We have collected poetry from the maddest poets from the maddest corners of the world and have showcased them in the Forum just for you. The Forum is always in flux, living and breathing, evolving and changing, swirling constantly, so please come and come often for the latest submissions.

These past few months the Poetry Forum has gotten lots of wonderfully mad words from some of the mad ones that color our world. Here's who you may or may not have read since our last e-meeting...in no particular order:

Ra! Gabriel · Johnny Olson · Roderick Richardson · Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal · M M Harris · Gordon Hilgers · Justin Hyde · Misti Rainwater Lites · M H Clay · Zoe Alexandra · Nicole Lilly · Cabe Lindsay · Shawn Misener · Zachary C Bush · Ananda Selah Osel · Michael Lee Johnson · Drew Kalbach · Kenneth P Gurney · Richard Donnelly

Clicketh HERE to Read Their MAD Words

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See-eth with THINE Eyes the GLORY...of the MAD Gallery!

Welcome to the Mad Gallery...where we take the many sides of art and try our darndest to put them all in one big beautiful basket.

From the furthest reaches of this mad mad world we have gathered together and featured just a few of the most maddest painters, sculptors, photographers & illustrators that we could and swirled them all together in the Mad Gallery. Come by and visit the gallery and watch as it continues revolving round and round...

In the Mad Gallery Showcase we hang the latest additions to our Mad Gallery collection, Misti Rainwater-Lites. Misti came to us from the Poetry Forum side of the Swirl. We saw her artwork on her website, eBuLLieNCe PReSs and asked that she share her madness in the Mad Gallery. She said yes and we said "Yaay!"

Take a stroll thru Misti's MAD Gallery...

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Participateth at MAD Swirl Open MIC Night!

MAD Halleluiahs to all YOU Swirling Brothers and Sisters who have been coming to be SAVED in the EYE of the Swirl at MAD Swirl Open MIC. These past THREE years worth of 1st Wednesday Open MIC Nights at Absinthe Lounge have been BEATutiful!

MAD Swirl continues to Preach it to the Mic at Absinthe Lounge on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Join Johnny O and his Special Guest hosts Lisa OHHH and Zimm at Our next Gathering in the Name of MADness on 11:07:07!

Interested in Testifying? If you are a MAD poet, musician, actor, singer and/or performer and live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area then come-n-preach-it!

Come Oneth. Come Alleth. Come to Participateth. Come to Appreciateth. Come to Supporteth your fellow MAD ones.

The mic opens up around 8:30 and closes when there's no one left standing.

And please, by all means, FEEL FREE TO SPREAD THE MAD WORD!

Absinthe Lounge · 1409 S Lamar St · Dallas, 75215

Lord Swirl says Clicketh HERE for MORE info

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Do YOU want to be SAVED? Then Visit MAD Swirl dot COM! The DEVIL is sly, and he will try to tell you LIES that you should not listen to. He might whisper in your ear "Don't believe this stuff! It's just a hoax to get you to Visit MAD Swirl." He might say "Don't be stupid. They are charlatans!" I say "Satan! I rebuke thee!!! Get thee Behind MAD Swirl, You Lying devil, you!!!

Halleluiahs.
Reverend Brother Elder Swirl the 7th

Reach Out and Touch MAD Swirl the electronic-mail kinda way...

crazy@madswirl.com

OR Visiteth us on the Wide World of the WWW Web at...

www.MADSwirl.com

Mad Swirl • 123 Mad Swirl Lane • Dallas • TX • 75206