I found a great guide on Do Something about how to organize a poetry slam. If you want to organize a poetry slam, I recommend reading it. It seems especially helpful to students. What do you think?
Spoken word artist Gina ‘Ginger’ Bernal performs her poem “Choking” in the following video:
After this video was filmed, she went on to play along side John Travolta in a Love Song for Bobby Long. I hope to see more spoken word work from her, though. What do you think?
Thanksgiving was just last Thursday, but what I have not seen yet is a spoken word poem in which someone lists all of the things that they are thankful for. I’m sure there are some out there like that. If you know of any, send me a link. If it is on YouTube, I’ll post it here.
I just read an interesting interview with Evie Shockley. Check it out, and come back here to post a comment about the interview. Evie Shockley teaches creative writing and African American literature at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.
My favorite part of the interview is when Evie Shockley explains why he does not use capital letters in his poetry.
What do you think?
Harrison Jordan interviewed the Juno-winning Canadian hip-hop artist Buck 65 and his DJ, Skratch Bastid. This Buck 65 interview is about about 14 minutes long. In it, Buck 65 talks about his youth, growing up in Nova Scotia, his new album ‘Situation’, and his perception of the mainstream hip hop scene. The following is a ‘teaser’ for the interview:
What do you think?
I just read a very interesting article about street poets who will write poems on the spot about topics or themes that bystanders choose.
At first, it amazed me to think that they could do that. However, after thinking about it, I realize it is similar to how rappers can freestyle or battle.
What do you think? Would you be able to come up with themed poems on the spot like that?
I just read an interesting article by Donald Hall entitled Death to the Death of Poetry. In the article, he explores poetry and verse in modern society, and addresses the common perception that it is a dying art. Although he is mostly talking about written verse and poetry readings, I think the article can be uniquely interesting from the perspective of someone heavily involved with performance poetry. Near the end of the article, he says, “The poetry reading helps toward understanding… because the poet’s voice and gesture provide entrance to the poetry.” What do you think?
I found a great spoken word video on YouTube today. In the video, Rachel McKibbens and Marty McConnell perform their group piece at Bar 13. Check it out (NSFW):
That’s a good poem and a great performance. Those ladies are real crowd pleasers. A few of their lines about their love for love had me literally laughing out loud in front of my computer screen.
I think those two spoken word poets are also featured in Word Warriors: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Revolution
What do you think?
Kesed, I Am performed the following poem about climate change at Powershift 2007, a gathering of over 5,000 youth from all across the US who came together to discuss solutions to the clmate crisis. The sound quality of the video is not too good, but I want to post anyway because I like this performance poem so much. Check it out:
Global warming needs the attention, especially from the younger generations. In the past, powerful people have cared more about making a quick buck than about the future of the planet. We have sold our grandchildren’s future for SUVs and corporate profits. I hope to see more poems address serious global issues such as climate change and the environment.
What do you think?
I just read an interesting by Carlos David Garcia that compares written verse with spoken word poetry. The article offers a description of the modern spoken word movement, including a recap of its history.
Near the end of the article the author says that the fan bases each type of poetry would not appreciate the other. While they often involve different cultures, I still think that many people respect and enjoy both forms of poetry. Additionally, I think that they have room to blend together more. For example, consider the middle-ground of basic poetry readings–a mix of the fast-paced, performance-based spoken word poetry and the slower, interpretive written poetry.
What do you think?