About

 

While I have been writing poetry since the first grade, my first brush with performance poetry began when I was 15 years old, in 1995.

 

At Catbirds, a local coffeeshop/bar in Houston, I watched as the gangly, dreadlock-haired, black man in overalls walk up to the mic stand and spout off a poem about growing up in the projects of Houston. He had one strap of his overalls fashionably unbuckled, as that was the way to wear them in the early 90s.

 

He, then, introduced the next poet who spoke about the interconnectivity of the people in one apartment complex and how their lives were all intermingled. Everyone tapped their glasses in applause, as that was the Catbird way, much like snapping fingers was in Allen Ginsberg's day. From then on, I was hooked.

 

My early days of performance poetry in Austin were scary. Placing all my emotions out there for all to see. Regrettably, after my first time, I didn't go back for an entire year. But once I found the courage, I began my quest to become a real live performance poet.

 

Since those first shaky steps into performance poetry I have performed at open-mics, hosted poetry events, and been invited to share at large events. Many of the coffeeshops I first performed at are now extinct, like Saradora's in Round Rock or Gaby and Mo's on Manor Road in Austin. But many are still around, like Ruta Maya's and Spiderhouse in Austin, Texas. You can see my cute picture below of me at Gaby & Mo's in 2001 hanging out with Xenogia, a local poetry group!

 

 

Within the last seven years, I have gotten married and had four beautiful daughters. It seems that my writing, in general, took a sabbatical. But it has re-emerged full-force and even more focused on my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

A couple last tidbits, my husband is a videographer and works with Austin Media Outreach (AMO) to produce documentaries for Jesus, I am a homeschooling mom as of 2009, I love Francine Rivers' books and wasting time on Facebook (much to my children's dismay), I love to code websites (used to do it professionally, but now only for fun...I designed this one!), I like Jane Austen-type movies, I like decorating and having babies.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading a little about me and my journey with Christ. All my poems are meant to glorify Him. Some are serious, some are silly, some are raw with emotion, but all of them are a part of me that I am willing to share with the world.

 

My goal is to perform for an audience in a way that He calls me. I haven't found that way yet, but I do believe that it is almost time!

 

Elaine Elizabeth Mingus