in response to the slam poetry debate

[black-dawning.livejournal.com]

I posted this Buddy Wakefield clip as a comment, but I think it deserves its own entry. Buddy Wakefield is a great slam poet. Does that mean great rant and nonsense? See for yourself.

"Flockprinter" by Buddy Wakefield

Comments

[turboswami.livejournal.com]

Eh.

I guess if you flap your arms with enough vigor, people will just assume you're saying something meaningful.

He's not so smart, but oh, how his blood boils!

[un-crayon-rouge.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's mainly the arm-flapping that made this a less than enjoyable experience. It's distracting. And the fast fast forward. Poetry means savoring words, man, not counting seconds.

[black-dawning.livejournal.com]

Is that what poetry really means?

[un-crayon-rouge.livejournal.com]

Of course not. This was written in haste at seven in the morning. But it is is an important part, that is often lost in slam poetry. I'm not against slam poetry as a whole, and I'm not all about canon and whatnot. I personally don't enjoy slam much because I associate poetry with the kind of slowness we don't get much of in our ordinary lives. I come to poetry for contemplation, when I look for fast rhythm I go somewhere else, usually music. But that's just me.

[black-dawning.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Slow contemplation, it's a good argument for poetry. But I'd argue that music and poetry tread the same water and that words ultimately thread rhythms together quite like an instrument does. It's all in the way we look at things. This isn't my favorite example of slam poetry, but Buddy Wakefield is great with rousing crowds and letting images flow electric through his body. It's a good example of performance. Poetry is kind of the underdog as far as mediums go, so it's refreshing to hear the crowd go wild for words. Certainly, Buddy isn't my favorite slam poet, but he isn't "not so smart" either. He knows exactly how to ignite a crowd.