Spoken Word Poetry

Introduction

When young adults find poetry they can relate to and discover that poets as young as they are might be taken seriously, they are more likely to write their own poetry for an audience. They might consider publishing in Teen Ink, one of the most established venues for young writers (Eleveld 15). Or they might prefer publishing on one of the many websites that feature poetry written by young adults. Or they might take part in spoken word events such as open mic nights or poetry slams.

If we look at the commonalities between the Nuyorican Poetry Café of New York, Feelah Sistah Collective of South Africa and Stockholm's Annual International Poetry Olympics, we will find that all of them are literary societies devoted towards the art of speaking, writing and presentation.

Discussion

Spoken word poetry is always contextualized historically and also undergoes immediate social re-construction and re-production during each performance (Eleveld 15). This is an important foundation to build upon because before a performer even takes the stage, the stage itself is understood to be a contested site where negotiations of meaning and subjectivity take place. The performance of a spoken word piece implies a constant state of change (Eleveld 15). No two performances will render identical meanings, nor is that a useful goal. Although the material being performed may remain consistent, the purpose of repeated performances in different venues and contexts is to gain different perspectives and values that will drive future understandings and readings of the performance and thus the performer (Eleveld 15). Poet Laureate Billy Collins (2003) suggests that poetry performance offers a double connection: one with the poet and one with the audience. He continues, “Hearing a poem lends the experience immediacy, a reality not found on the page” (p. 4). The key to this triple layered energy flow is the bodily transaction that takes place during a live performance of original work. Throughout such a performance, variable understandings and competing discourses involve some pretty serious stakes. There is a struggle for power that often results in the expression of a desire for agency (Eleveld 15). No singular outcome can be guaranteed; however, there is always the likelihood that multiple and opposing interpretations of any performance will occur. Spoken word poetry is a method that is useful in exploring these possibilities. Performing spoken word poetry has provided Collective Energy with an outlet, a way to interrogate their views, realities and ideas about themselves and the world around them (Eleveld 15).

The act of performing their perspectives both imagined and real is an act of resistance (Eleveld 15). I argue that the performance of these positions is feminist because the experiences the student artists have lived and the world we desire to live in have been continually stripped of its value and worth by the patriarchal, classist, and racist society in which we live. This society is experienced directly through their personal experiences in their home communities and through their higher education (Eleveld 15).

By resisting the boundaries ...