Scratch 'n dent dreams.
I'm on a bit of a Def Poetry binge at the moment. Let me share with you.
I've mentioned once or twice that I'd love to try slam poetry; it's a relatively new aim, but it looks like an incredible experience. Raw, creative, emotional; it's one of my goals to get up on stage and perform a poem with the sheer life and perfect rhythm that some of my favourite poets do.
Unfortunately, although I'm not a complete wall-flower, I'm really not good on stage. I lack a massive amount of confidence, and nerves always get in the way. But I'll manage this, one day. When I move to uni and a make a fresh start, with new people, I'll give it a try.
Def Poetry seems to act like both an encouragement and the complete opposite; it's incredible to see so many poets from so many walks of life emptying their souls out on stage, with perfect cadance and emphasis and conviction. I love it. On the downside, they perform with everything I lack, and it's a turn-off. How on earth could I write something like this, let alone perform it like they do? I have things in the pipeline but they're unfinished, and certainly unperformable. I lack both confidence and motivation, but I think, ultimately, Def Poetry helps.
(For the record, Def Poetry is an American TV programme with performed poetry, hosted by Mos Def. Not the biggest fan of him, myself, but I love everything else I've seen.)
Some favourites:
This clip introduced me to the show, and it's brilliant. I love Taylor Mali, and this poem strikes all the right chords; who isn't a victim of this? I know I've been (although not nearly as much as others I know; a girl who goes on my schoolbus uses the word "like" several times a sentence, and it's particularly grating if she's being loud).
I love the rhythm of this, and it never fails to make me laugh. "I just can't controooool myself!"
Oh, I love this so much. Passionate, fast, veering from emotion to emotion; it's incredible. It flows so brilliantly, it could be a song. This is what I aspire to; to do this. I always get chills when she says thunder in the sky.
Blistering, self-acknowledging, powerful; this is fantastic. Very different from Gina Loring, but it holds a different kind of lyricism; from the very start it just falls out of her and it looks very cathartic. Also, I love the partnership she has with the audience, and how they react to her. This is what puts me off doing it; I feel that I would just be met with silence, rather than the camaraderie that exists here.
I only discovered these today, but I think I like Maggie Estep. She's so dry; it's fantastic. And while I've heard people complain about the way she uses paper, I like it, particularly in the second poem; it gives her the look of someone simply reciting what she thinks others need to hear. I love her delivery, as well. "To hell with sticking my head in the oven; I'm happy!"
And, of course, a re-post of my favourite (although this isn't from Def Poetry:
He talks inspiration; he is inspiration. I love the power and the simplicity of this. Also, I love the fact that there's a video of him performing this in 2008; this video is from 2005, and he's kept it! He obviously knows how good it is.
So...yes. (Oh, God; I'm sorry, Mr Mali!) Slam poetry is something I'd like to try, but need to work up my nerve. I have ideas; ideas with rhythm and a semblance of cadence. They're just not quite solidified. Give it time.
Anyway, back to more immediate issues; it's the Torchwood preview tomorrow! HUZZAH! My excitement has been slightly muffled by tension over whether the Tube strike will be over by tomorrow; the websites say so, but there are rumours spreading, and I'll really need to use the Underground tomorrow.
Still, asides from that, eeeeeeeeeep! Meeting lucy_locket! Eve Myles! Gareth David-Lloyd! James Moran, it turns out! I'll have to try and say hello, if I see him. Caitlin Moran! Children of Earth! HURRAH!
I'm taking it as a given that Kai Owen and John won't be there, which isn't making me upset at all. They've both got their separate, far more important problems to recover from.
Right, must go pack a bag. Have to get up ridiculously early tomorrow morning to catch a bus to London. I haven't taken the bus up there in a while, but I love doing it, because I did it so often when I was younger; when you see Windsor Castle in the distance, and the blue roof of the mosque in the distance, and the statue of the boy and the dolphin, you know you're almost there. Eeeeeep!
Will report back as soon as I get back (hopefully with photos), although I haven't decided in how much detail, yet. I know people will want to be spoiled, but I don't want everything to be revealed for them; ruins the fun.
We're going to the show!
*dances off*
I've mentioned once or twice that I'd love to try slam poetry; it's a relatively new aim, but it looks like an incredible experience. Raw, creative, emotional; it's one of my goals to get up on stage and perform a poem with the sheer life and perfect rhythm that some of my favourite poets do.
Unfortunately, although I'm not a complete wall-flower, I'm really not good on stage. I lack a massive amount of confidence, and nerves always get in the way. But I'll manage this, one day. When I move to uni and a make a fresh start, with new people, I'll give it a try.
Def Poetry seems to act like both an encouragement and the complete opposite; it's incredible to see so many poets from so many walks of life emptying their souls out on stage, with perfect cadance and emphasis and conviction. I love it. On the downside, they perform with everything I lack, and it's a turn-off. How on earth could I write something like this, let alone perform it like they do? I have things in the pipeline but they're unfinished, and certainly unperformable. I lack both confidence and motivation, but I think, ultimately, Def Poetry helps.
(For the record, Def Poetry is an American TV programme with performed poetry, hosted by Mos Def. Not the biggest fan of him, myself, but I love everything else I've seen.)
Some favourites:
Click to viewThis clip introduced me to the show, and it's brilliant. I love Taylor Mali, and this poem strikes all the right chords; who isn't a victim of this? I know I've been (although not nearly as much as others I know; a girl who goes on my schoolbus uses the word "like" several times a sentence, and it's particularly grating if she's being loud).
I love the rhythm of this, and it never fails to make me laugh. "I just can't controooool myself!"
Oh, I love this so much. Passionate, fast, veering from emotion to emotion; it's incredible. It flows so brilliantly, it could be a song. This is what I aspire to; to do this. I always get chills when she says thunder in the sky.
Blistering, self-acknowledging, powerful; this is fantastic. Very different from Gina Loring, but it holds a different kind of lyricism; from the very start it just falls out of her and it looks very cathartic. Also, I love the partnership she has with the audience, and how they react to her. This is what puts me off doing it; I feel that I would just be met with silence, rather than the camaraderie that exists here.
I only discovered these today, but I think I like Maggie Estep. She's so dry; it's fantastic. And while I've heard people complain about the way she uses paper, I like it, particularly in the second poem; it gives her the look of someone simply reciting what she thinks others need to hear. I love her delivery, as well. "To hell with sticking my head in the oven; I'm happy!"
And, of course, a re-post of my favourite (although this isn't from Def Poetry:
He talks inspiration; he is inspiration. I love the power and the simplicity of this. Also, I love the fact that there's a video of him performing this in 2008; this video is from 2005, and he's kept it! He obviously knows how good it is.
So...yes. (Oh, God; I'm sorry, Mr Mali!) Slam poetry is something I'd like to try, but need to work up my nerve. I have ideas; ideas with rhythm and a semblance of cadence. They're just not quite solidified. Give it time.
Anyway, back to more immediate issues; it's the Torchwood preview tomorrow! HUZZAH! My excitement has been slightly muffled by tension over whether the Tube strike will be over by tomorrow; the websites say so, but there are rumours spreading, and I'll really need to use the Underground tomorrow.
Still, asides from that, eeeeeeeeeep! Meeting lucy_locket! Eve Myles! Gareth David-Lloyd! James Moran, it turns out! I'll have to try and say hello, if I see him. Caitlin Moran! Children of Earth! HURRAH!
I'm taking it as a given that Kai Owen and John won't be there, which isn't making me upset at all. They've both got their separate, far more important problems to recover from.
Right, must go pack a bag. Have to get up ridiculously early tomorrow morning to catch a bus to London. I haven't taken the bus up there in a while, but I love doing it, because I did it so often when I was younger; when you see Windsor Castle in the distance, and the blue roof of the mosque in the distance, and the statue of the boy and the dolphin, you know you're almost there. Eeeeeep!
Will report back as soon as I get back (hopefully with photos), although I haven't decided in how much detail, yet. I know people will want to be spoiled, but I don't want everything to be revealed for them; ruins the fun.
We're going to the show!
*dances off*