What is Spoken Word Poetry?
Spoken word poetry is poetry that is written on a page but performed for an audience. Because it is performed, this poetry tends to demonstrate a heavy use of rhythm, improvisation, free association, rhymes, rich poetic phrases, word play and slang. It is more aggressive and “in your face” than more traditional forms of poetry.
- Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
- Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Poet Breathe Now- Adam GottliebIf I Should Have a Daughter- Sarah Kay |
Tips from the Experts:Tips for Writing Spoken Word Poetry 1. Context matters. Know your audience. A good poet uses this knowledge to hit as hard as he or she can in a particular scenario. 2. Substance over style. Spoken-word is more than pretty art—it’s an opportunity to say something to an audience. The best spoken-word is powerful and ultimately transformative because of what it says, not how it says it. Pretty words with no meaningful foundation ring hollow. Spoken word often, though certainly not always, utilizes complex and interesting rhymes. 3. Challenge the audience. The best art doesn’t tell people what they want to hear—it pushes them out of their comfort zones. 4. Being original and memorable is more important than being “good.” What new perspective do you have? How are you going to make your work stand out? Your challenge is not to “write well;” it is to slap your audience in the face with something meaningful, powerful and memorable. Spoken Word Poetry commonly relies on first-person narratives, or stories told about the poet’s personal experiences. Poems that focus on general observations about people and events are also common.
5. Be specific. For example, don’t write about “love,” tell a detailed story about a specific moment in your life when you felt loved. |
To This Day - Shane KoyczanOn Girls who Read- Mark Grist |
6. Study the art of poetry. Don’t just get up on stage and rant and rave. Understand dynamics, structure, metaphor, imagery, assonance & consonance, rhythm, concrete vs. abstract language and all of the little things that go into making what is traditionally considered good poetry. Even if you want to break rules, you should be able to do so intentionally.
7. Poetry—especially spoken-word—is about communication. At the end of the day, you’re not up on stage to celebrate how brilliant you are; you’re up there to open up lanes of communication, to say something that might get someone else to think or feel something, to build community—artistically, intellectually and physically. 8. Study other performers. YouTube is a great resource for this. As you watch, pay attention to what other performers are doing: What kinds of choices are they making with their voices and gestures? Who are your favorite performers, and what about their performance or poetry do you find compelling? 9. Try memorizing your poetry. Memorizing your poetry is a great way to stretch and grow as an artist. Also, in my opinion, it’s absolutely the best way to achieve a full and fulfilling performance experience. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of performing spoken word without the encumbrance of having to hold a piece of paper or a book. 10. Rehearse. Speaking of performing again and again, rehearsal is fundamental to consistent and successful performances. Find a rehearsal space where you can be uninterrupted and can feel free to experiment with your voice and gestures. Definitely, work on developing your poems—make choices, commit to them, learn them, and do them consistently. When I first started performing, I would rehearse like mad, and that rehearsal paid off when I was in front of audiences. The performance of my poems was second nature to me, and I could focus on enjoying the experience, rather than worrying about my next line or next gesture. But, there’s a balance between knowing your poems and running them into the ground. So, rehearse, but don’t be so compulsive about it that your poem no longer sounds fresh. |
S for Lisp - George Watsky |