The Robert E. Howard Foundation is proud to announce that the first Annual Robert E. Howard Memorial Poetry Slam will be held Saturday, January 13, 2007, at the Black Dog Tavern, 2933 Crockett Street, in Fort Worth, Texas, from 3-5 PM.

Robert E. Howard loved poetry. He read and wrote it his entire life, and by the time of his death he had composed over 800 poetic works. His poetic voice flows through much of his prose writing. REH’s poetry covered a range of topics and styles, from ballads and sonnets to free verse, from humor and anger to challenge and lament.

“Sponsoring a poetry event is a natural for the REH Foundation” said Paul Herman, one of the Directors of the Foundation. “These events will expose new people to REH’s lesser known but very intense poetry, and will encourage others to actively work with poetry. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

For basic information on what a “poetry slam” is, please refer to www.poetryslam.com. In a slight modification of the usual format, participants in each round will be allowed to perform either their own work or poetry by REH. At the end of the competition, not only will participants get a portion of the gate, the best performer will receive a $100 prize, second place will receive a $50 prize. The most “Howardesque” performance, featuring either an actual REH poem or a poem based on REH’s style and themes, will also receive a $100 prize, with second place again receiving $50, for a total of $300 in prize money.

The Black Dog Tavern in Fort Worth is the Metroplex’ premier poetry venue, an eclectic stop that one night may have a heavy metal band, jazz the next, and a poetry slam the following night. The Black Dog is also the sponsor of one of the nation’s best slam teams, lead by the renowned Michael Guinn. And indeed, the Black Dog slam team is planning to participate in the event.

If you are interested in reading some of REH’s poetry, there are several published volumes of REH poetry that can be obtained through a local library, including Always Comes Evening, Echoes from an Iron Harp, Night Images, Shadows of Dreams, and Singers in the Shadows. A new poetry volume, A Rhyme of Salem Town and Other Poems, is expected out in late December.

For additional information, contact the Robert E. Howard Foundation at info@rehfoundation.org.