Mike or Mic?

The July edition of Poetz Monthly Update asked: is it Open Mike? or Open Mic? This was something we'd been wondering about, and thought that one or two other poets might share our nerdy curiosity. But the replies came in right away, thick and fast and -- sometimes -- furious. (In fact, the sourest response was also one of the funniest: "Do not ask questions about subjects with verbiage such as syntax, when your website is poetz." )

We asked for replies in verse, and promised to publish the best one in the next monthly. Our hands-down favorite is F.J. Bergmann's "Oh My Mi_...", which went out to 6500 subscribers in our August update. (Not a subscriber? You can be!) AND THE MIKES HAVE IT! Read on for the pros, the cons, and the grand finale of FJ's issue-clinching poem...

they say mike...	they say mic..
One Vote for K If you must have a C, curvaceous and whistling and thin, if you must have a C, be thoroughly formal, be multisyllabic, say microphone... Open mike is like the way hankies have thrown off the D of elderly handkerchief fame. Open sesame Open house Open hearted Open heart surgery Open up your heart and let the sun shine in Open O poem O mighty K, O pen I say Open Mike and leave him that way Peggy Miller	Mike at the Mic clutching and stroking the cylinder like other happy tools he speaks to it in verse and it repeats everything he tells it only much more forcefully Mike caresses his beloved Mic and Mic caresses him back true love unrequited narcissism requited sums greater than components parts overshadow their parts and in the dim reflection of Mike's tormented words the espresso machine sings Mic a haunting machine harmony Mic's in love in phase and in series jimmy smith
Some people think it's kinda slick To shorthand "microphone" as "mic". Myself I think it's just as dumb As spelling orgasm as "cum." Lift up, crack open the good book, folks, Where 'tis writ for all to see: "Come" is the word that's long been known, And "mike" is fine for "microphone." As poet-pedant I've been weary Of spelling idiosyncrasy-- Thanks for the chance to air this plea: Read and believe the dictionary. Lilla Lyon	i thinks it's an open microphone not an open mikerophone that would be like having some guy named mike up on stage all openned up n' stuff singing his blues about this gash in his belly or thigh or whatever.. that's my thoughts i've always called my open mic an open mic joey dunscombe (who hosts one in madison wis. every monday at Genna's downtown)
THE PERFORMANCE Sweet Mike, how long have I been longing to whisper to your enigmatic net to hear my heart pounding through your metal softness Sweet Mike, only you provide me that means to touch the alien concealed in the corner wondering how he came here to sit before my furled red carpet of words Sweet Mike, Just give me the word, Let me show what I have Open for me Karen Alkalay-Gut	5 points of view on the debate: a.) use an accent mark pretentious, but functional above the "mic's" "i" b.) anyone who doesn't know that "mic" is short for "microphone" should be pelted with small stones. it's obvious, (thanks very much), the word should be pronounced as such, especially when it is placed in reference to performance space. c.) "bicycle" gets shortened to "bike." "microphone" gets shortened to "mike." e.) check what the style manuals say regarding abbreviations today. Emily Axelrod Note from Poetz: Though Emily does seem to land firmly on the Mic side of the debate, the question was really decided for us -- in favor of Mike -- the minute we saw her item (c). Go figure!
I used to be Tech Editor at Audio magazine, where this came up often. We always used "mike" except when quoting the legends on a hardware panel. So do most other magazines in the field (in fact, I know of no exceptions). Ivan Berger	MIC is my vote. Having been on radio since 1977, I find that the world now knows this term, whereas 25 years ago it was only used by broadcasters. In this electronic world of wires and cables and microwave and cyberspace, why should we protect the audience from the correct name for the thing we speak our spirit into? It is a MICrophone Grace Cavalieri
Offensive, aggravating, but on topic: Michael, the lyrical Mick, composed poems, both racial and sick. At the last open mike, He rhymed Kike with Dyke, and a Lesbian Jew opened Mic. Bob Faw	AT THE MIC is Mike with poem in hand (Perhaps not funny, but I'm writing this after a long day and I DO believe I have the answer. THANKS for your monthly.) Rachel Gladstone-Gelman
Open Mike. Even though it looks like some dude named Mike has met his mugger, it's better than Open Mic which looks like a slur of sorts. Charlie Newman It is spelled REIACNHEASRDKCIOMXBERLYHHEUNRRLYEY But is pronounced Open Miek The E is silent Maria "open m k" Kusznir	There once was a poet named Mike. When he opened, they said "take a hike", but he was so slick, he renamed himself "Mick", but he spelled it and said it like "Mic". Barbara Dixon It's always been open "mic" which is short for microphone. An open "Mike" is a gay Michael who has come out of the closet, or a Michael who is open for just about anything. Swashatl@aol.com n answer to your question it is officially open mic. Unless of course you start the readings with a guy or gal named Mike taking off their clothing and masturbating on the stand. Mic is the technical abbreviation for microphone. Lawrence Berger
My fiancee Larissa reasons thus: "It's always been open mike because mike has always been the abbreviation for microphone." I prefer "open microphone" because it's archaic. Also because I have a friend named Mike who is a very open person, and I might confuse the two. Open mic, on the other hand, could be construed as a backhanded racial slur. If I didn't like the archaic "microphone" so much, I would go with "OPEN" because the microphone is implied, as it always is. After all, people go for the OPEN and often don't need a mike. Eric Yost Note from Poetz: The aforementioned fiancee is now officially the wife! congratulations, Eric & Larissa!	True Story Mike was a likeable dude and I really don't mean to be rude, but his last name was Hunt and when called, let's be blunt, outloud his name was quite lewd! Anne MacNaughton (This poor guy must have had really dull parents who didn't notice what the abbreviation would sound like! I knew this guy & I think it ruined his life. So if it's Mike who's "open, I get the same image. Please, let's use the standard media abbreviation: mic)