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Upcoming Event
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY PRESENTS:
"MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE"
"Music Saved MY Life" is a unique and engaging experience featuring MIKE-E and The AfroFlow Tour as well as other cultural artists promoting the importance of making informed, healthy decisions and advocating against tobacco use via music and spoken word. Visit musicsavedmylifeacs.com for more exciting details.
May 14th, 2012 9:00am
Governors State University
1 University Parkway
University Park, IL
Host: Yvonne Buckner
It's A Matter of Intent
We were talking recently about the difference between spoken word and poetry. To be honest, every time someone asks me about the two, I have a different answer.
To be honest, I have been irresolute on the matter. I mean, really, isn't a poet a spoken word artist? I have asked more than a few of my colleagues, and the resounded answer seems to be rooted in intent. When you write, what is your intent? It is too much of a thin line between the two, and who knows, you may be a spoken word artist and not know it.
My cousin, A. Belmer is a writer of poetry. He is not; however, a spoken word artist. His contentment rests in writing and publishing his poetry. I have spoken to other poets who share the same sentiment. A poet recently shared with me that she has literally hundreds and hundreds of poems she has never shared with anyone.
When I write poetry, it's like energy in my hands. I literally have to write the poem down. In my heart, I know that I'm in a creative moment, and when it passes, it will be lost forever. There will be another creative moment, but not that one. Whatever is available, whether it's a napkin, back of a store receipt, on my hands, the poem must be recorded. I guess you can call me a poet. A writer of poetry.
Other times, I am driving along in my car and I will just start "flowing". I am always creating poetry and speaking the poem out loud. Often times, my prayers move into poetry, and it is not convenient to record the poem because I'm praying it. When I'm doing an event I often do impromptu poems on the spot.
When I am writing poetry, it is in my imagination as to how I am going to recite that same poem. As soon as the poem is finished, I have the poem in my hand, I'm walking around reading the poem as if there is an audience in front of me. My intent is to present the poem in the most creative, powerful, dramatic way possible.
I am "going for broke", holding nothing back when I speak my poems out loud. I guess you can call me a spoken word artist, because my intent is to speak the words I have written.
So there you have it. You can be a writer of poetry or a spoken word artist, or both. This by no means is a comprehensive study, just my opinion on the art form that I love so much, was put on earth to do, and will be found doing until I breathe my last.
VIllage of Park Forest Black History Program
Commission on Human Relations &
The Village of Park Forest Present
Black History Month Program "From Slavery to the White House"
Saturday February 25, 2012
Guest Speaker: Jessie Jackson, Jr
Presentations by: Dusable Museum's Musical Performance Department
Poetry by: Yvonne Buckner
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