One of the Bay area's longest-running spoken-word groups, Black on Black Rhyme, hosts its Seventh Annual Pajama Poetry Nite at its weekly open-mic poetry event. Locals are encouraged to don pj's and come out and enjoy erotic/love poetry by a range of wordsmiths, including featured guest Taalam Acey. The professional Newark, N.J.-based spoken word artist spends much time on the road, performing pieces from his ever-expanding catalogue (10 CDs and counting), and earning the title of "Slam Champion" at numerous slam poetry competitions across the country. Acey's 2008 release, Self-Construct, has him waxing over funky rhythms, his erotic poetry featuring particularly smooth and vivid wordplay. From "Touched": "In her house, things made their way off, down, and out/ tongue to calf extra slow up the back of her leg/ then, back to both of her soles/ watched her knees fold into her breast/ she touched the top of her own head with clenched fists/ my hands around her waist / my chin glistening all manners of wet/ I reached out and grabbed her moans/ massaged them through several octaves/ switched the pitch in pitch darkness/ created a song./ She tried to keep it together/ but it fell apart/ 'cause when I entered her body, she could feel it in her heart." Tues., Aug. 26, 9 p.m., Harbor Club Restaurant and Lounge, 915 E. Grant Ave., Tampa, $15 in advance/$20 at the door, 813-810-3582, blackonblackrhyme.com.
