Say What?? New Spoken Word Site!!

Ah Google. It's pretty darn awesome what you can find by simply typing "spoken word" into your search engine :) This week, I discovered Poetryspeaks.com. This one stop shop let's you check out poet bios, videos, and order mp3s of poets reading their work!!

The site's search capability lets you find what you need by searching the poet's name or the name of the piece. If you create your own account (which I did, pronto!!), you can customize your page, show love to your fav poets, and post why you think poetry rocks, as part of their "Why Poetry" project.

An all around awesome place to explore!

Discover new poems and old favorites on PS·Voices.
Experience slam and spoken word poetry on SpokenWord.
Want an audience for your poetry? Upload now to YourMic.

POETRY > War

So, I've been reading a lot about the mass rapes that happened in Guinea during last month's military crack down. Hundreds of women, peacefully protesting for democracy were ambushed and raped by military officers...in broad daylight!! I know...madness!! It made my soul hurt and more or less broke my tiny little heart into pieces all week. But, it also inspired me to search around the net for some good news.



AND, I FOUND some!! Poets Against The War. There's more than a bit of politicin' on here, so be forewarned...but it's an amazing celebration of self-expression in the face of war. The organization's mission is simple -

to continue the tradition of socially engaged poetry by creating venues for poetry as a voice against war, tyranny and oppression.

There is something so empowering and liberating about art:-) I was even inspired to write a bit myself.

Poetry > War
BY Susan Baba

She will never kill
for justice
and you cannot make her.
She will fight with all her might for you to see that we are all precious
from the smallest to the greatest among us
we all have worth.
She will fight
with words,
attack you when you are not looking
with the bullet of self-expression.
She will read and write and create and love until the wall breaks
and there's a crack big enough
for hope to slip through.
That is what a poet can do.

::love::peace::justice

Fresh Pickins at Poetry Daily

When I'm stumped for new poems, nothing beats the simple google search. Poem+Classic+Awesome+(whatever other generic search term I can come up with) and BAM!! Poem magic:-) On today's random search, I discovered Poetry Daily. This great site is pretty much an anthology of great works that's easy to browse and fun to explore. They also have a paperback anthology that was released in 2003, so even if you're not much of a fan of the Internet, there's no excuse for not checking them out.

More details below.

Enjoy!

Poetry Daily is an anthology of contemporary poetry. Each day, we bring you a new poem from new books, magazines, and journals.

Poems are chosen from the work of a wide variety of poets published or translated in the English language. Our most eminent poets are represented in the selections, but also poets who are less well known. The daily poem is selected for its literary quality and to provide you with a window on a very broad range of poetry offered annually by publishers large and small. Included with each poem is information about the poet and the poem's source.

Can you Really Adopt a Poet? You Betchya!!

If you're like me, your love affair with the written word has probably made you do some nutty things...from going back to your on again off again poet boyfriend to driving for hours in a thunderstorm to catch your favorite spoken word artist spit for just one night. So, what better way to support your addiction than by "adopting a poet!??!?! Technically, the money doesn't go to the poets (most of these cats have been chilling with their maker for years and years), but it does help with the upkeep of the Poets.org website. And, while the techies that are in charge of the upkeep are probably not "struggling artists," in the purest form of the word, they are helping to keep the written word alive in this digital word and personify everything that the Evolution of Paper means to me.

I've included a bit more info below. Check out the site here

Why?
Based on the popular "Adopt-a-Highway" programs that provide for the care and maintenance of our nation's roads, the Academy of American Poets has created an "Adopt-a-Poet" program to support the care and maintenance of this website.

By giving a special gift to adopt one of the poets on Poets.org, you can help us make critically needed upgrades and improvements to the site—and help us make sure that, in the coming year and beyond, we can continue to offer students, teachers, poetry enthusiasts and all Americans the most educational, entertaining, and comprehensive poetry resource available anywhere.

To adopt one of the poets on Poets.org, simply give a contribution of $30 or more and let us know which poet you want to adopt. Or, if it's possible for you to send a larger gift, you can adopt two poets for a contribution of $50, three for a gift of $70, or five poets if your contribution is in the amount of $100 or more.

For the Love of Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz has a new book out and you need to pick it up...stat! Honestly...this is on my Amazon wish list and will probably be a present from me to me as soon as the pay check rolls in this week. Check out the description below-

The first definitive history of one of the 21st century's most explosive art movements, Words In Your Face explores the birth, growing pains and continuing development of the Poetry Slam -- a raucous poetry event that has been called "a pop culture phenomenon" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times), "the death of art" (Harold Bloom, Paris Review) and has been blamed for making "poetry sexy again in a way it hasn't been since the heyday of the Beats" (Stephen Holden, The New York Times).

Spoken word icons such as Saul Williams, Maggie Estep, Bob Holman and John S. Hall join scores of other poets, organizers, filmmakers, scholars and critics in bringing the story of the New York City Poetry Slam movement to life. From its origins in the roofless, unheated Nuyorican Poets Cafe and its mid-90s rise in the pop culture ranks thanks to MTV and Lollapalooza, to its fresh successes on stage and small screen thanks to Russell Simmon's Def Poetry projects and its devoted following among youth poets, queer poets and poets of color, the Poetry Slam is analyzed, idealized and criticized, all from a uniquely New York perspective.

One thing I must say - this woman knows how the heck to name a book! Beside Words In Your Face , Cristin has three other titles with equally spectacular names.

Dear Future Boyfriend
Hot Teen Slut
Working Class Represent
Oh Terrible Youth

ps...If you haven't checked out her website, you're missing out on...life. Yes...life!! She's awesome. Nuf Said:-)

http://www.aptowicz.com/NEW!

Just For Fun: Nerd Link (thx @Geesu)

Ever wondered the breakdown of Twitter users? The number of nukes it would take to destroy the world? Or the timeline of global media scare stories? Or...how many people prefer coffee or tea. Well, wonder no more!!!


Information is Beautiful is a site that presents ideas, issues, knowledge, and data in a visually stimulating way. Charts, graphs, the whole nie yards. In essence, a nerd's paradise. Connect with your inner statistician:-)

Enjoy!

www.informationisbeautiful.net/

Great Links: Urban Word NYC

Looking for writing workshops for teens in the NYC area? Check out - www.urbanwordnyc.org. So jealous of the NYC poetry scene. How can we get some of this in the Nati?

Info from their site...sounds like they're about the business. If you've been, let me know. I'm curious to hear what it's like.

Enjoy:-)

Founded on the belief that teenagers can and must speak for themselves, Urban Word NYC™ (UW) has been at the forefront of the youth spoken word, poetry and hip-hop movements in New York City since 1999. Urban Word NYC presents literary arts education and youth development programs in the areas of creative writing, journalism, college prep, literature and hip-hop. UW provides FREE, safe and uncensored writing workshops to teens year round, and hosts the Annual NYC Teen Poetry Slam, NY Knicks Poetry Slam, local and national youth slams, festivals, reading series, open mics, and more. UW works directly with 15,000 teens per year in New York City alone, and as a steering committee member of the National Youth Spoken Word Coalition, has partner programs in 45 cities. UW also has a vigorous community educator and teacher training series which links inquiry-based classroom practices with the most progressive academic trends in student-centered pedagogy.

Urban Word NYC believes that free self-expression —— matured in an enhanced critical literacy environment —— improves selfconfidence and strengthens educational achievement for NYC’s inner city youth. We promote active literacy, critical thought, and positive social dialogue across boundaries of age, race, class, gender, culture, and sexuality. Our many workshops are designed to enhance critical thinking skills, leadership, and to ignite a personal commitment to growth and learning which leads to heightened inschool performance, and greater interest in pursuing higher education.

Looking for Representation?

I ::heart:: those brave enough to make art their careers and so does Layman Lyric Productions. This agency specialzes in musical acts, including acoustic singer songwriters and live bands, and (hells yeah!!) slam poetry.

We also operate as a full-service agency for National Touring Artists including today's most noted and popular musicians in every genre. Our energetic staff prides itself in professionalism and kindness and is dedicated to providing quality entertainment for Colleges, Universities and Schools across the U.S. and abroad.

If you're looking for representation, you might want to check them out.

According to their site, their "artists include some of the hottest Up and Coming and Nationally Recognized Touring Musicians on the College Market and World Renown HBO Def Poets, and National Poetry Slam Champions. View bios, watch demos, download EPK's, Pics and contract Riders, and contact our agents with booking requests all here at laymanlyric.com."

Words Without Borders

This "great link" leads to an organization that works to the translate, publish, and promote contemporary literature from all over the world. They feature writing from even the most obscure regions of the globe and give an international voice to the silenced. According to their site, their mission is to -

"opens doors to international exchange through translation, publication, and promotion of the world’s best writing. WWB publishes selected prose and poetry on the web and in print anthologies (the next one to focus on the Islamic world), stages special events that connect foreign writers to the general public and media, develops materials for high school teachers to use foreign literature in classrooms, and continues to build an unparalleled online resource center for contemporary global writing.

Our ultimate aim is to introduce exciting international writing to the general public — travelers, teachers, students, publishers, and a new generation of eclectic readers — by presenting international literature not as a static, elite phenomenon, but a portal through which to explore the world. In the richness of cultural information we present, we hope to help foster a “globalization” of cultural engagement and exchange, one that allows many voices in many languages to prosper."

They're pretty much the "Tower of Babel" of the new millennium! Unifying nations through a common love of the written word! So...pretty much - hottness personified:-) For the month of June, they have been featuring Pakistani writers. I've included a clip of one of their most popular essays below.

Enjoy:-)

Intizaar Hussain The First Morning
Translated from the Urdu by Basharat Peer

I have no definite answer to questions about why I migrated from India to Pakistan after the partition in 1947. I look back and see a crowded train rushing past lively and desolate towns and villages, under a bright sun, and in the dark of night. The train is running through the most frightening night and the passengers are quiet like statues. I strain to hear them breathe. Where will the train stop? And will it move again, if it stops?

More

Stuff I Like: Def Poetry Jam

In case you haven't noticed, I am a mega humongous fan of Def Poetry Jam. This show rocks for so many reasons. Besides being hosted by the ultra attractive Mos Def, I credit Def Poetry with making poetry hott again. When it first aired in 2005 (might need to fact check?), It brought spoken word to thousands of US households in a totally non-confrontational way. I must say, that it was truly my inspiration for getting hip to this form of self-expression. Yes, I had always written poem and stories and things as a kid, but seeing that work performed as eloquently as the guests on the show did, helped me take my art to a whole other level. Besides their single slip up last season when they had DMX on (really!!?? to say that his poem about "the industry" was horrible would be an understatement of the grossest form), they have kept it hot for six seasons and have continued to provide a forum for new and famous talent to share the same stage and a common love of the word.

"Recognizing the power of urban poetry on modern culture, top rap music impresario Simmons, whose Def Jam Records launched the careers of artists such as LL Cool J and Jay-Z, teamed up with HBO to create Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry in 2001, turning the spotlight on the freshest and most fearless voices in America today."

Sadly, I have been sans HBO for the past few months, but I'm kept up with the season through random clips that sneak onto the Internet. If you're looking for something to get me for Christmas, birthday, Wednesday or whatever, please consider the Def Poetry DVD. Thanks!!

And...if for some crazy reason, you are not hip to this show, please run (do not walk!) to your local library or video rental store at grab season 6 on dvd.

Great Links: Top 50 Poems

Have you ever wondered what the top 50 poems of ALL.TIME are?!?! I'm not really sure how they came up with this list, but I guess all lovers of poetry should get hip to the poets on here. Some of the poems on this list are the absolutely hottness. Some of these were news to me...but all of them are worth your time:-)

Enjoy peeps!

1. Phenomenal Woman - Maya Angelou
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein
3. If You Forget Me - Pablo Neruda
4. I carry your heart with me - E. E. Cummings
5. The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost
6. A Dream Within A Dream - Edgar Allan Poe
7. There is another sky - Emily Dickinson
8. Life Is Fine - Langston Hughes
9. A Girl - Ezra Pound
10. Messy Room - Shel Silverstein

Top 50 Poems

Just For Fun: Chicas Project at the Nuyorican

OMG friends!! I try to go to this poetry spot every time I'm in the city, but something else always comes up. boo... At least i get to live through this bad a$$ chicas. Watch as the ladies of the Chicas Project explore the historic space, learn the fundamentals of spoken word and create their own great pieces for the stage!

enjoy!






Need more chicas? Click here

Great Links: PoetCD

There's no better way to stay warm on those cold, lonely nights than picking up some hot poetry cds...

This is great for finding cds of old favs and international talents and for discovering new gems!

Great Links: Malaria Awareness Day

In honor of Malaria Awarenedd Day, check out MalariaNoMore





Malaria No More was born of a simple, startling insight: that ending malaria's death grip on Africa is the best humanitarian investment we can make in the world today. Nothing else can have the same impact on as many people's lives and livelihoods as quickly or cheaply.

Great Links: Poetz.com

I have the distinct honor and pleasure of being in NYC every few months. I havent yet been able to take advantage of the shows on this list, but you should if you're ever in the city!


Poets.com

Great Links: IndieFeed

Mongo , the host of this awesome podcast, is the absolute authority on all things spoken word. Every day that I listen, i get even more inspired, discover new (soon to be) fav artists and rediscover my love of poetry. It's easy as pie to subscribe to it and, I promise, you will never be the same again! Check it out!