1965: I was born in Enid, Oklahoma.

1992: I began writing poetry, at the tender age of 27.

2000: Moved to Seattle, where I soon after began competing in The Seattle Poetry Slam, where I was a semi-finalist that year, and placed second, thereby securing for myself a gluestick.

2001: Read my work as part of The Poetry Truck Tour, a Seattle Poetry Festival event.

Co-hosted The World's Longest Open Mic (96 hours) with April Ardito, host of The Worcester, Mass. Poetry Slam, at the Hurricane Café, an event that was part of The National Poetry Slam 2001, in Seattle.

Started my own open mic reading, Licorice Ice Cream, at Thee Aurafice Café.

Contributed "The Day Peter Max Threw Up" to Beautiful Lumber", an anthology of Seattle Poets, edited by Dennis Tyler.

2002: Published best-selling chapbook, "Poem Poem", early in the year
Inaugurated The Jet City Poetry Slam at The Central in Pioneer Square by being the first poet to read on opening night.

Won a Poetry Challenge at The Jet City Slam. The word was "proliferate."

Published second best-selling chapbook, "That Great Tofu Day to Come", in the summer.

Featured at The Seattle Poetry Slam.

Created The (now defunct) Jet City Poetry Slam Website.

Read as Edna St. Vincent Millay in The Dead Poets' Slam at The Seattle Poetry Slam, 2002

2003: Published third chapbook, "Frozen Fish".

Won The Seattle Poetry Slam at The Bad Juju Lounge, Wednesday, June 4.

Read as Samuel Taylor Coleridge at The Dead Poets' Slam, 2003.

2004: Competed in third Semi-Final of The Seattle Poetry Slam on April 21.

Came in second in at The Seattle Poetry Slam, thus earning one point towards
the next Semi-Final Slam. Won a donkey key chain that looked like Don King
in chaps.

Competed in Dead Poets' Slam as Oscar Wilde.

2005: Won IWPS Preliminary Slam at The Seattle Poetry Slam.

2006: Co-founded the One One Four Poetry Series.

2008: Competed as Warren Zevon in Dead Poets' Slam

2009: Released début spoken word CD, "No Shibboleth"

© 2009 Bruce V. Bracken