Sean Conlon
A talented writer and compelling performer, Sean Patrick Conlon is a dedicated student of the page and a firm believer in the power of spoken word. Born and raised in rural Virginia. the house where Sean grew up was once a Civil War hospital, and is believed to be haunted. As a boy, Sean delighted in lifting up the carpets to show guests where the blood from wounded soldiers had stained the wooden floorboards.
As a poet, his constant devotion to both the craft of writing and live showmanship has fast earned him a reputation as being one of the hardest working and most original artists in the spoken word community today. As slam master of the Hampshire College Slam Collective, Sean founded the first Nationally Certified spoken word venue based on a college campus, and has coached teams in two national competitions. As a competitor at the 2008 College Union Poetry Slam Invitational and the 2008 National Poetry Slam, Sean is the first person asked to read an opening poem on the final night of competition for both tournaments in a single year.
A focus on interdisciplinary study at Hampshire College allowed Sean to combine a passion for spoken word and music with research in media analysis and experimental cognitive psychology. Taking information gleaned from scientific studies on the brain in relation to romantic and sexual behavior, Sean wrote, directed and starred in The Pornography Diaries, a one-man show of rock music and spoken word poetry, discussing the effect of romantic and pornographic media on love and sex in modern society.
Since graduation, Sean has published a book of poems from the show (The Pornography Diaries, Penmanship Books, 2009) as well as a companion CD featuring both music and poetry and is set to embark on a 60 day national tour in support of these releases. In addition to these publications, Sean has also released 5 chapbooks in the last year, with two more already in the works. While the amount of time Sean puts into his art on a daily basis is evidenced by his staggering output, Sean's poetry, at times both confessional and surreal, hilarious and tragic, stands as proof that he still loves to peel back the layers and show where the bloodstains are.
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