DAN HOUSTON: A young man whose slant rhyme hits back at dysfunction.  Wise, with quick growth, this Lyman Hall High School (Wallingford, CT) freshman currently holds the title of Individual Slam Champion in CT.  

Recently, Dan appeared on 60 Minutes in the segment about the phenomena of Poetry Slam.  He competed in the 1999 National poetry Slam in Chicago.  Dan has been a featured poet throughout New England and New York, the Cantab Lunge in Boston, Yale Barnes & Noble in New Haven, Rhombus Gallery-Burlington, Vermont, the 12th Note in Stratford as well as festivals in New Haven, Meriden & Stamford, CT.

In addition to poetry, Dan has been recognized for essays on courage and sports safety.  Dan is an accomplished musician playing jazz & blues on piano & saxophone.  He also plays guitar.

Dying Without Ian - DWI 
by Dan Houston

Heart beat......... beep
Heart beat......... beep
Heart beat......... beep
Heart beat......... beep
shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 

Lifeline of a brother sounding in the night
Telling to his mother everything is still alright.
Big brother sits, tears frozen to his cheek
Clutching baby brother's hand
Wishing him release from sleep
Desperate to understand
How to have avoided this nowhere land
Frightened older brother grasp baby brother's hand,
Frightened brother's blood beats through baby brother's hand. 

Will people keep asking where have all the children gone?
Will the only answer be, straight to heaven where they belong? 

I am looking for the answers.
I heard rumors of a wise man in Tibet,
But right now, I know holding on to this hand is my best bet,
cause this Damn world needs a reality check. 

Check, check,
Because people only want to hear what they want to here,
in this world of cruel reality. In a land of imperfect democracy,
a justice of hypocrisy, life holds on only through the night, gives up the
fight . 

Check.........Check.........Check......this, 

August 24, 1997
A drunk man drive'n sent my brother straight to heaven
You see my brother was killed by a DWI
Whose third eye was blinded by all the JD inside
So how could he have remembered all the rules of the road to abide
During his little, happy-go-lucky, joy-ride.
Which turned into vehicular homicide. 

But no one wants to hear why this boy's life was taken,
why his body was left trembling and shaking,
trying to repent all the sins he has committed in his nine years on earth,
before judgement time comes.
But why should he be repenting his sins,
He was only nine years old.
He wasn't trying to be bold,
Ian was only doing what he was told, 

"Go down to the corner store, hon. We're out of milk.
Be back soon. Dinners almost ready.
Here's two dollars and Ian I'd better get all my change back sometime
today."
His destination only a few yards away,
how could he know he would pay
for walking too slow on a hot summers day, turning into night quicker than expected. 

A hit and run as the day turned into night
left my brother spinning on a street corner with a busted out light,
CRASH!
Neighbors poured down to Ian's side
on the corner stores sidewalk where he lied
and cried and cried, as blood poured from his side,
clutched in his hand, a milk carton still intact.
His mom holding him, he whispers,
"I promised Ma, the change, it's in my pocket.
It's exact. I love you." 

Rushed to the hospital at the speed of light
the heartbeat kept going, everything still alright,
'till late in the night Ian gave up the fight -
was released from sleep to sleep the never ending slumber,
but I wonder how can I go on without my little baby brother. 

MY BROTHER WAS KILLED BY A DWI
AND I'M DYING WITHOUT IAN
BUT NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR IT
I'M DYING WITHOUT IAN
BUT NO ON WANTS TO HEAR IT
I'M DYING WITHOUT IAN

Little baby brother "I always called you I"
and now I know why
'cause you and me were one
and without you there is no "I" 
and I'm dying without Ian -  i am DWI 

but no one wants to hear it, 

FLATLINE!