Spoken Word Blog

Do you have a computer microphone? Do you have a video camera?

If you have either of those, you can record yourself reciting one of your poems! Then you can send it to us. If you do, we will post it on this blog, which includes syndicating through RSS.

If you have a recording of your poem, as either a video or just an audio file, please contact us and we will have you email it to us as an attachment.

Please do not simply send us lyrics. This is a website for spoken word and performance poetry, not for written poetry. We appreciate it if you send us lyrics with your recording, but please do not just send the lyrics.

This is your chance to get some free exposure. Then you can tell people you’ve been published on SpokenWordArt.com!

A youtube user by the handle blessedpoetically posted the following video poem about a deadbeat dad, entitled Life Without Him:

I like that emotive spoken word poem. She makes the viewer feel the pain of a daughter growing up without a father. I especially like the line about revoking the deadbeat’s license to reproduce.

Society tolerates deadbeat dads too much, if you ask me.

What do you think?

In the following video, Amanda Hiebert performs at the 3rd Annual Canadian Festival of Spoken Word:

I enjoy that poem and its emotional powerfulness. I think she performed well. The poem offered an interesting perspective about domestic violence.

What do you think?

In the following video, Alvin Lau performs his poem, What Tiger Said:

I don’t necessarily agree with all of the poets opinions, but I the powerfulness of the performance and poem awed me. He has a lot of talent.

What do you think?

Diane Duke Williams recently wrote about a spoken word piece calls attention to hepatitis B. I include an excerpt:

When then-classmates Jason Hill and Leon Scott, M.D., performed a spoken word piece about health disparities and the roles of physicians during the 2004 Medical School class show, the audience was captivated by what became the highlight of the show.

“It was impossible not to be engulfed by what they were saying,” said Kathy Lee, now national Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) president and a fourth-year student at the School of Medicine. “It was such a fresh, creative way to get a message across.”

So when Lee was planning a training conference on preventing hepatitis B, she recruited Hill and Scott to create a spoken word performance piece. Spoken word is an innovative performing art that intertwines elements of rap and poetry.

Once again, they stole the show.

“After Jason and Leon performed, the room was silent, and everyone was in awe of what they had just seen,” she said. “I will never forget the intensity in the room.”

Their spoken word piece became part of APAMSA’s national campaign, “APAMSA fights to break the hepatitis B cycle.” The goal of this project is to use innovative methods to educate the public about the hepatitis B epidemic in the Asian-Pacific American population.

As such a powerful form of communication, I like to see spoken word used to address important social issues. I personally do not trust vaccinations, but I still like to see spoken word used to raise awareness about anything. Also, prevent hepatitis B by not having unprotected sex among other similar precautions.

What do you think?

I want this to be the best blog and website about spoken word and performance poetry. If you have any suggestions on how to improve, please send them to me. You can comment on this blog post, or any blog post for that matter. Also, you can use our contact form.

Please do not be shy! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please send them to me.

In the following video, Pamela Snned performs her poem I Phone:

I enjoyed this poem much more than most. I love the idea of a caffeine inspired revolt. I appreciate when artists can mix humor and entertainment with political and social points.

What do you think?

In the following video, Joseph Tabajonda performs his poem, My Eyes Drew Weary:

The above performance took place at the 2007 Miss and Mister Philippine Weekend Pageant. I like it. He worked the crowd well. They even applauded him during his poem.

In the following video, Poetique performs her poem, GUN:

I like it. She performs very well. The poem contains a lot of metaphors. I do not think I understood it completely. What do you think?

In the following video, Jessica Care Moore performs her poem, Black Statute of Liberty:

It looks like the Apollo. I like the poem. She used a common symbol, so that helps get the poems message across to such a large audience.