Comments on: book review: the spoken word revolution redux http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/08/book-review-the-spoken-word-revolution-redux/ because poem is an action Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:51:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Crafty Green Poet http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/08/book-review-the-spoken-word-revolution-redux/#comment-7908 Crafty Green Poet Sat, 10 May 2008 08:39:49 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=147#comment-7908 Dave - you make a very good point there, that's why its great to have CDs with this book! I think yes some performance poetry can be dumbed down, it is a risk with live audiences but it has a passion and a vibrancy that is often lost in literary poetry. Linda - great that your kids enjoy the books and CDs! Jessica - thanks! Dave - you make a very good point there, that’s why its great to have CDs with this book! I think yes some performance poetry can be dumbed down, it is a risk with live audiences but it has a passion and a vibrancy that is often lost in literary poetry.

Linda - great that your kids enjoy the books and CDs!

Jessica - thanks!

]]> By: Dave http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/08/book-review-the-spoken-word-revolution-redux/#comment-7902 Dave Fri, 09 May 2008 14:06:29 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=147#comment-7902 <em>Dare I ask the question: is literary poetry in fact the sign of a failure in poetics?</em> Thanks for raising this question, which has haunted me for years. I'm a connoisseur of oral poetry, and find that the best of it really does translate well to the page. I find a lot of slam poetry really flat on the page, though - and i want to like it so much! I worry that the demands of the audience - usually in a bar, and therefore, under the influence of alcohol, perhaps not inclined to be intellectually challenged - are dumbing down the content. I haven't seen the anthology you review, so I should probably reserve judgement, but as Mr. Kooser may have pointed out, people are still reading Homer and Shi Jing 2500 years later. Anyway, great essay. Dare I ask the question: is literary poetry in fact the sign of a failure in poetics?

Thanks for raising this question, which has haunted me for years. I’m a connoisseur of oral poetry, and find that the best of it really does translate well to the page. I find a lot of slam poetry really flat on the page, though - and i want to like it so much! I worry that the demands of the audience - usually in a bar, and therefore, under the influence of alcohol, perhaps not inclined to be intellectually challenged - are dumbing down the content. I haven’t seen the anthology you review, so I should probably reserve judgement, but as Mr. Kooser may have pointed out, people are still reading Homer and Shi Jing 2500 years later.

Anyway, great essay.

]]> By: Linda Jacobs http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/08/book-review-the-spoken-word-revolution-redux/#comment-7899 Linda Jacobs Thu, 08 May 2008 18:31:49 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=147#comment-7899 I have both the books and love them! I use many of the poems in my classes as poems-of-the-day. sometimes I read the poems as the kids follow along and sometimes I play the CD. "Sonny's Lettah" is one of their favorites. I can see their eyes light up when they realize that poetry is more than just the old stand-bys that they've been bored with forever. All of a sudden it's alive and speaking their language. Excellent review, Juliet! I have both the books and love them! I use many of the poems in my classes as poems-of-the-day. sometimes I read the poems as the kids follow along and sometimes I play the CD. “Sonny’s Lettah” is one of their favorites. I can see their eyes light up when they realize that poetry is more than just the old stand-bys that they’ve been bored with forever. All of a sudden it’s alive and speaking their language.

Excellent review, Juliet!

]]> By: Jessica http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/08/book-review-the-spoken-word-revolution-redux/#comment-7898 Jessica Thu, 08 May 2008 17:55:45 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=147#comment-7898 What a fantastic review! I love your comparisons of literary poetry theory with the quotes from slam poets. I'm totally picking up this book now! What a fantastic review! I love your comparisons of literary poetry theory with the quotes from slam poets. I’m totally picking up this book now!

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