Friday, September 13, 2013

Poetry Slam.

I have been obsessed with Poetry Slam videos lately, coming home every single day only to plug myself in the chair and go through Youtube like a buffet menu. Spoken poetry touches me, inspires me, saddens me, engulfs me. I now have my favorite poets, whose poems I go hunting for and whose poems I cry to.

Sometimes I feel like I know these poets. I see their arrogance, recognize the source of their strength, and feel the battles they have fought. They speak of social issues and their own pain in the most beautifully heartbreaking way, and they have the superpower to weave unassuming words together to paint the most vivid picture. You'll hear the audience in the background gasp at parts and click their fingers as cheers, which escalates into a ringing applause when they can no longer contain their awe.

I always only knew poetry as rhyming words immortalized on a piece of paper. I always only enjoy the works of Tao Lin, Sylvia Plath and Lang Leav, but not anymore. I now equally love the works of Lauren Bullock, Lily Myers, Anny Miners, Hieu Nyugen, Neil Hilborn, and so many more. Spoken poetry lures feelings and thoughts out of you with volume, intonation, and crescendo - qualities that don't reflect on paper. The emotion they punch into every word and gesture is so breathtaking, I just cannot get enough of it.

I made an addition to my bucket list: To save up enough money to fly to Connecticut and Stanford and Oneonta so that I can see my favorite poets perform live. I want to cry with the crowd. I want to click my fingers along. And I want to meet these talented strangers. If you don't know about Poetry Slam, you should really check it out. I promise it will change your life.


This is the first video I stumbled upon on Upworthy, which piqued my curiosity and led me to many many others.

And these are some of my favorites:










Explore the rest of the Poetry Slam world on your own and I think you'll eventually join me on my trip to see them :D xx

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