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Poetry in motion

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you.

The District's Lamont Carey indeed will be in the spotlight on the latest installment of "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry 43," airing at midnight tonight on HBO.

It's not his first experience with the premium cable network, though.

The lifelong Southeast resident, 33, has been featured in various roles on "The Wire," an acting gig he obtained after network suits saw a tape of his freestyle performance (poetry made up on the spot) in D.C.'s Hip-Hop Theater Festival. He also helped others get small roles on the acclaimed hit drama through his company, LaCarey Entertainment.

"HBO called and said they wanted me to perform, and I began writing about three months ago," says the multitalented Mr. Carey, author of "Why I Keep U A Secret," a heartfelt book filled with poems about love, relationships and life.

"I'm the luckiest man in the world," Mr. Carey says of his HBO exposure.

He's certainly one of the busiest.

Along with writing, acting and managing other aspiring artists, he also hosts a program ("Da Lamont Carey Show") on Blogtalkradio.com and has toured the country performing at major festivals and humanitarian events, including AIDS Relief for Uganda.

Mr. Carey taped two original works (both are featured on his latest CD) for tonight's HBO appearance: "Katrina: I Have Nothing," a poem about the aftermath of the devastating 2005 storm; and "I Can't Read," his thought-provoking view of the educational system.