"The HEAD, by way of the EAR, to the SYLLABLE
The HEART, by way of the BREATH, to the LINE”
- Charles Olson


Welcome to my poetry research blog! Here's a little background...

Poetry is, at its heart, a very acoustic phenomenon. Distinguished from prose through its emphasis on the use of sound, namely its distinctive rhythms, meters, and rhyme scheme, the earliest known poetry followed the oral tradition. Among the most famous examples of early poetry are Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey,” which were transmitted by word of mouth for centuries.

Following the spread of literacy, poetry increasingly became a written form. Though the play of sounds and rhythms were still very important, and though poets gained the ability to use the visual presentation of their poems to shape the meaning of their work, poetry lost much of its performance aspect. However, during the twentieth century, there was a poetic movement that began re-emphasizing the importance of sound and performance in poetry.

This blog will track my research into the developments in performance poetry in the modern United States. My principal focus will be on poetry slams, but I will be investigating all forms of performance poetry. I’m taking a multi-media approach to this research: not only will I be using articles and books, I will also be watching videos, youtube clips, and, most importantly, attending actual Slams. I’m especially excited for the National Poetry Slam in August.

Specifically, here you will find a record of the performance events that I have and intend to attend.

“Sometimes a good slam strategy is to give the audience something they didn’t know they needed until they’ve heard it. Sometimes it’s aesthetic deduction, sometimes it’s angelic inspiration, but it’s always being true to yourself, your teammates, your muse, and your art."
-- Daniel S. Solis

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

July 17, 2008

I rented the DVD version of the documentary SlamNation to learn a little more about Slam. Most especially, I wanted to see how the makers of this movie approached the study of this fluid and evolving art form.

Here’s what the Netflix write-up had to say about SlamNation:

MOVIE: SlamNation: The Sport of the Spoken Word

Director Paul Devlin’s fast-paced documentary follows four ards as they head to the 1996 National Poetry Slam. The competition begins with the Grand Slam tournament at New ork City’s Nuyorican Poets Café, and then it’s off to the nationals for champs Saul Williams, Beau Sia, Mums the Sohemer and Jessica Care Moore. The quartet view against 26 other teams from across the country in a dramatic contest awash with tension, enmity, and controversy.

Rated NR 1 hr. 23 min. 1998

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