by Courtenay Nearburg

Los Angeles is the home of many a disgruntled poet. Many never escape the doldrums of obscurity, lost in the melee of starving artists and career waitrons. This is not the case for lgjaffe. A confrontational style dominates his latest publication, Unprotected Poetry World Tour, and he brings that strong, justifiably angry voice to Austin on his own world tour September 19 and 20.

Who can protect you now that you have had unsafe poetry?

Igjaffe is dedicated to the eradication of oppression. His style is demanding, with exacting details of prejudice, victimization, and honest reflection on the state of our society, where the anti-establishment has become the status quo, and liberation from "freedomland" has become another disappointing ride in a theme park.

Igjaffe speaks of the rights of man and the rights of poets. He returns the language to the people, insisting that each of us participate in his indignation, and his frustration with unenlightened government and families, which could only be born of a greater love and admiration for humanity. Citing more musicians than writers as influences, Igjaffe maintains a pleasing rhythm in his work, with a percussionist's passion for explosion and dramatics.

Among his mentors, he names Leonard Cohen, Lightnin' Hopkins, Edith Piaf, Basho, and Maya Angelou. Of the Lost Poets, Igjaffe says, "In all their anger there is so much beauty and hope...," which is an apt description of his own work. Born March 31, 1948, in the Bronx, Igjaffe moved to Los Angeles in 1971 and published his first collection of poetry, Emotional Tone Poems, in 1973. He is currently the host of "Poetic License" at The Nerve Lounge in Sherman Oaks, California, and was recently featured at Celebrity Centre International in Hollywood.

Igjaffe describes this poem as "the culmination of feeling and desire to capture a part of Los Angeles that most people never see. I wanted to capture the raw naked feeling of L.A., so here it is."

los angeles underground  

the underground of
los angeles flows
like its river
hard and concrete
riff raffs of humanity
speaking in tongues
a crawling underbelly
of civilization
a plaintive sax riff
rifles the air
aimless junk
and some almost
alive things drifting
and me
and you
as we move through
the underground of l. a.
on cerebral wavelengths
justifying our mediums
crucifying our gods
waiting for pickpockets
and panhandlers
to search our
minds for quarters
taking away
free thoughts
making us
into slaves
leaving us
with lost memories
and very little lust
no more plaintive cries
or pitiful glances
stripped bare and naked
l. a. underground
bursts with
screams from indiscrimi-nate
races racing through the
streams of pathos
a guitar wails
in the moonlight
and souls drink from
an empty trough
people run from
each others arms
tasting freedom
from woven tongues
soaked in ashes of disdain
the music continues
a stressed out choir of mismatched
voices scat along the
river of tears
soothing tones
echo in my ears
the silence of flowers
blooming holding
passions in their stems
we wander hopelessly
to the shores of
l . a. underground
delighting in each
others meandering
peasantry
losing airs with disdain
the bass drives
the beat
i look at you
i look at you
looking at me
coveting the silent storm
battering our egos
ids and other mechanical
things stripped naked
from the pavement
lying on the beach of the
l. a. river so hard
so concrete
cherished not abandoned
just littered with grief
hearts pounding in
torturous melody
twisted acreage underground
yielding the flotsam and jetsam
of l. a.'s spiritual catharsis

how hollow are the
riffs bartending our souls

Igjaffe's scheduled performances in Austin for the Unprotected Poetry World Tour are Friday, September 19 at 11 p.m. at Mojo's Daily Grind, 2714 Guadalupe; Saturday, September 20 at 4 p.m. in the DiverseArts Little Gallery at the Heritage House, 810 East 13th, with a reception at 5 p.m., where he will be joined by local poets Dr. Marvin G. Kimbrough and Floyd Freeman; and later on Saturday for Quackenbush's Special Feature, 2120 Guadalupe, at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Stazja McFadyen at (512) 346-7773.