Dar’ron Cambra birthed his first real poem in an attempt to escape the word count of daily writing assignments while in high school. His first live performance was interrupted by a heart attack. A large ego and the desire for attention drew Dar’ron from the page to the stage; after many failed attempts and embarrassing mistakes, Dar’ron has become a noticeable figure in the Hawai’i slam poetry community (because he is tall) and is a Mentor and Workshop Facilitator for Youth Speaks Hawai’i, where he copies the talented teens’ poetry and passes it off as his own.

He has helped coach teens from Hawai’i to back to back national championships at Brave New Voices and has represented Hawai’i three times in national adult competition. He has created and maintains an innovative program where poets, as registered substitutes, visit classrooms and facilitate workshops similar to the after school workshops. His CD “TRUE Confessions of a Compulsive LIAR” has been self-released, using pieces from his chapbook with the same name.

The CD is a wonderful mix of poetry and music, produced by artists from both Washington and Hawai’i. The follow-up collection, “(A Poet’s) Hypocritical Oaf” (containing “Plantation Generation”) is in the works. For more info visit his website, www.poorwettree.com or Contact darron@youthspeakshawaii.org.