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Doug Shields

Feature date(s): 08/01/2004

Doug Shields is a performance poet whose stage characters include an ambulance patient who jolts out of death, an invalid who hallucinates God, and a stalker on a pogo stick. He founded and hosted the Houston Poetry Slam and is currently Slammaster of the Ozarks. Doug drives the ugliest Ford in the Burbs and holds a degree in physics from the University of Houston.

DOUG'S FUN ANECDOTE:

In 2000 I was meandering through a crowd of stoners at the Last Concert Cafe in Houston. A naked stranger named Dave walked up and gave me a sweaty hug. I was startled. He mentioned that he wanted a poetry event in his art commune. I suggeted that he start an audienced-judged poetry competition, or slam.

"Cool idea," he said. "Will you organize it?"

Me? Hell no. I don't want to organize a slam. I want to be a passive participant. You do the work, and I'll reap the benefits. Get it?

Dave enticed me with another sweaty hug. I relented and agreed to organize. Three months later, the Houston-Southmore Poetry Slam was born.

Since then, the Southmore Poetry Slam has produced over 50 shows and featured poets from Los Angeles to Boston. Its own Houston Slam Team ranked 8th in the nation after their first competitive year.