Lacey Nagy // Gainesville, FL

Born Gemini in 1981, this empowering, mind sizzling wordsmith began performing spoken word art three years ago in Tampa Bay, Florida. Lacey Nagy is the former Creative Director for the Write Side Poets, Inc. and was responsible for organizing workshops for children’s acting camps, fundraising, and was the choreographer for the team poetry pieces that came in first place in the Fighting Words Slam. In 2004, she won first place in the Black on Black Rhyme Annual Slam, scoring the highest out of all three categories by performing a love poem… risky since love poetry is not too popular in spoken word competitions.

Kylie Slavik // Gainesville, FL

Kylie grew up in upstate New York and started writing poetry at age nine. She has always been intrigued by how language creates reality and how in turn reality informs language... so poetry has always been a magic door, an open window, to explore new landscapes and make new worlds... She attended several universities and graduated with a BA in 2003. Since then she has been a vital force in the Gainesville community working as a cook and self-educating in her many interests such as nutrition, philosophy, art, music, religion, mysticism, yoga, meditation, and the healing arts.

Eddie B // Gainesville, FL

Hey, my name is Edwin Barker. My stage name is Eddie B. I'm still very much a novice at this spittin' thing, but I am very much needed in the group for my mature, calming influence. No telling where these wild crazy women might lead if left uncalmed. Actually, I just hang on for the ride and occassionally say, "Hey, look at that!" or "What about this?" and other mature observations. I've always considered myself a wordsmith, but many years of careless, self-defeating behavior left me with little to show for it. During the course of the last three years I have been in a program that has helped me begin to recover from the actions that had led me to places that I was not happy to be.

David Maas // Gainesville, FL

David Maas has been writing poetry, fiction, essays, editorials, laundry lists, and bathroom graffiti for decades.  In previous lives, he managed restaurants, sold books, taught math, and played with computers.  David is a dog-lover with two cats, likes children but has none, has a deep respect for animals though enjoys eating meat, stays up late and is an early riser.  In short, he is completely crazy, which is probably why he writes poetry.His real love has always been writing.  He helps with many ThirdEyeSpoken events—and also produces and hosts The Word Is Spoken!, a weekly show featuring invited poets, musicians, and performers, plus OPEN MIC.

John Byrne // Gainesville, FL

John Byrne grew up in Titusville, Florida with a love of lyrical hip-hop of acts like A Tribe Called Quest, Jurassic 5 and Arrested Development.  After attending ThirdEyeSpoken’s second anniversary show, John was inspired to get involved as a producer.  He soon began writing and performing his own poetry. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and Florida College of Integrative Health.  As an Acupuncture Physician, John has a passion for health, wellness and assisting his patients in personal empowerment.  

Jimmy Nil Fishhawk //

Gainesville, FL

I'm Florida born and raised--grew up on the East coast, went to college over on the West coast, moved to the landlocked, breeze-deprived, swamp-dogged middle of the state to start a punk rock band that never happened, but fell in love with Gainesville and its surroundings in the meantime. I believe in the transformative, alchemical power of language, and I believe that poetry is the most the primal human mode of artistic expression.  I also think that poetry is in all of us, is for all of us, is about all of us. 

Mary Held // Gainesville, FL

Mary Held has been a creative poet since the age of fourteen. She began publishing her poetry at the age of seventeen. She has briefly written for the local St. Augustine newspaper. She is now a proud member of ThirdEyeSpoken, volunteering on the production crew, as a visual artist, and as a poet/speaker. "I like helping out in the community." She is also a professional pet sitter. 

Lyssa England // Gainesville, FL

Entering the world in September, 1985, Lyssa is constantly striving to achieve her goals. From the glorious task of obtaining that forbidden cookie on the counter, to getting her artistic voice out in the public, she puts 1000% into all her efforts. Nothing is too high for her to reach, which she firmly believes at her 5 foot stance. She grew up predominately in the sticks of Northern Idaho, as an outward and somewhat in-your-face country girl. Her mother would say that art has been flowing from her fingers since she realized she had them.  Drawing on the walls and furniture with whatever medium was accessable.

Starr Blaisedale // Gainesville, FL

Starr Blaisedale is a spoken word artist who brings a certain sparkle to the stage. She is currently an accounting major at Saint Leo University, so she runs frantically toward any art-filled hobby she can get her mind into. She began with ThirdEyeSpoken around two years ago, and remembers the exhilaration of performing spoken word on stage for the first time. Starr is also a ThirdEye promoter, who gallops around town asking for sponsorship and community support. Starr is an outgoing individual with a gentle spirit. Her poems range from mourning to inspiration, and she never fails to get inspired by hearing other poets speak their truths.

Johnny Rocket // Gainesville, FL

Johnny Rocket is a published poet and performer who splits time and heart between Asheville, North Carolina and Gainesville, Florida. A member of both Third Eye Spoken and Letterbomb Collective, a group out of the CMC poetry jam, Johnny has published 3 books of poetry and one anthology of poetry by Oscar dePaz and Carlos Orama out of Johnny's publishing company Transrocket Productions.

Flynn Allen // Gainesville, FL

Hey my name's Flynn Allen I am a poet, spoken-word artist, and activist born and raised in Gainesville, Florida. My politics cannot be kept away from my writing. Most of what I do is politically or socially charged. I think my style is a blend between poetry and hip hop styled spoken word. Spoken word and hip hop are on the forefront of social change. I respect anyone who is trying to use their creative outlet as a tool to motivate and educate. I am a Union Carpenter and have been involved with various organizing efforts.

Alea Wise // Gainesville, FL

Being asked to write a biography about myself is probably one of the hardest tasks to do. It’s asking how you want to be portrayed and what do you find important about yourself? It’s hard to narrow down what is what, and where to begin so I figured I would just give an overview. As you have probably already noticed I can tend to be dramatic. I am a native to Gainesville, born in at 5 lbs 3 oz in Alachua General Hospital bleeding orange and blue.