Yesterday I was invited by my wonderful and divine sister Tantra Zawadi to read an essay titled "A Lot of Thinking Lately" authored by poet/writer Shanna Melton. Now I am not sure if its in the water, air, or just in the uniVerse, but it seems that poets are tuned into the same energy. A few day ago I posted a blog "Against Bourgeois Art" which was sort of on the bring of this essay and had I read it first, I probably would have cited it in the post. Anyways, back to the essay. I read through this rattling post by Shanna several times and it was like the sound of a memory reverberating down my consciousness telling me its time for us to remember and reconnect with one another and re-tune ourselves with the spirit of the art in efforts to preserve a culture. Why don't we take a look at some of what she says in this wonderful essay:
"There was a time when I would anticipate gathering with my friends/fellow poets for ciphers. It was sure to be a night where I learned, wrote, and connected with like minds. All the new work we created would fill the room and we would talk about what we enjoyed and needed to fix in the poems...I never questioned the loyalty and love we share as fellow poets who are building a community and network of support."
This indeed was an all too familiar picture of the poetry scene, I thought. What happened, where did the poetry go wrong, did it make a wrong turn down a unlit street? Or did the poets lose sight of what poetry was meant to be? Did we lose all the love, the HUMAN connection to us all, family, and knowing when to support each other without needing to ask. We're letting all the good ones slip away without ever really knowing them...
"If I refer to someone as my friend or family it is not about being nice or shallow. It is because I found beauty inside of them that can be compared to none and it is imperative to surround yourself with beauty...All we do may never be perfect, but it is part of who we are no matter how ugly and/or beautiful. It is an individual decision to love it or leave it alone".
Thank you Shanna for sharing and reminding us who we are. Read Shanna Melton's essay here
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About Freedom Verse Cafe
Freedom Verse Café (FVC) was created as a venue for spoken word artist in the winter of 2008 from a previous venue called "Mic Check" which began its broadcast in June of 2007. Since this venue's inception, it has gone through evolutionary processes to better accomplish its premise of promoting the art of spoken-word poetry and the artists who perform it in a major capacity, but we have also expanded to blending poetry with jazz and soul to create the ultimate experience of spoken word/poetry.
Freedom Verse is geared to promote the artists—who hit the stages, spoken-word venues, and publish their works anywhere that they can—while entertaining and educating listeners all over the world. In FVC we focus on imparting those who audience the genre of spoken-word poetry to its history, disciplines, and its potential impact on mainstream culture. This venue hopes to touch its patrons mentally and spiritually. In this we learn to appreciate the creativity, relevancy, and intentions of the artists.
FVC promotes using online broadcasting and digital downloads of mix-tapes that focuses on providing a positive form of entertainment and educational programming in poetry, jazz, and soul of artist who are destined to change the world.
1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month at 2pm EST/1pm CST
If you have any of the following:
Comments| Air Drops | Venue Announcements | Shout outs
Please call (206)338-1187 and leave a message and we'll get it on the air for FREE!
~Live Chat and Call-in Line!~ reaching more than 490,000 listeners globally, with listeners from S. Africa to Vladivostok, Russia and all across the United States to Europe.
Are a compilation of Spoken word poetry, jazz, and soul blended for the ultimate listening experience. These mixtapes are free to download and are designed to promote the artists who make it possible to provide positive music in a less positive industry. So please support the featured artists by purchasing their work and stopping by their pages and showing some love.
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also available on
Let's Talk Spoken Word | Abiodun Oyewole (The Last Poets)
Komplex | MahogonyDiva | Sekou (Tha Misfit)
Taalam Acey | Maximus Parthas | Queen Sheba
Autum Ashante | Kamal Imani | Abyss One Truth
S. Pearl Sharp | Future | Ngoma | Chenyelu Bomani
...and many others here
Freedom Verse is geared to promote the artists—who hit the stages, spoken-word venues, and publish their works anywhere that they can—while entertaining and educating listeners all over the world. In FVC we focus on imparting those who audience the genre of spoken-word poetry to its history, disciplines, and its potential impact on mainstream culture. This venue hopes to touch its patrons mentally and spiritually. In this we learn to appreciate the creativity, relevancy, and intentions of the artists.
FVC promotes using online broadcasting and digital downloads of mix-tapes that focuses on providing a positive form of entertainment and educational programming in poetry, jazz, and soul of artist who are destined to change the world.
Show Schedule
1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month at 2pm EST/1pm CST
If you have any of the following:
Comments| Air Drops | Venue Announcements | Shout outs
Please call (206)338-1187 and leave a message and we'll get it on the air for FREE!
Freedom Verse Cafe MixTapes Edition
Are a compilation of Spoken word poetry, jazz, and soul blended for the ultimate listening experience. These mixtapes are free to download and are designed to promote the artists who make it possible to provide positive music in a less positive industry. So please support the featured artists by purchasing their work and stopping by their pages and showing some love.
click image to download
also available on
Interviews
Let's Talk Spoken Word | Abiodun Oyewole (The Last Poets)
Komplex | MahogonyDiva | Sekou (Tha Misfit)
Taalam Acey | Maximus Parthas | Queen Sheba
Autum Ashante | Kamal Imani | Abyss One Truth
S. Pearl Sharp | Future | Ngoma | Chenyelu Bomani
...and many others here
What is Spoken Word?
Spoken Word poetry is a very newly revived form of poetry that has been around since the 90’s. Spoken word is a transformation from an art that began deep in the heart of what was known as the beat poet era of the ‘40s and ‘60s. These were poets who challenged mainstream politics and culture to incite mental revolutions against what I would dub as “idle conformity or assimilation” by government rule; speaking out against oppression, racism, and war. In most cases this was the only form of thought expression albeit a dangerous one regardless of the first amendment that is designed to protect all of our citizens. Spoken word as a genre has always been seen as non-musical selections like famous speeches and orations, but never as a poetic art deserving of it's on section. Even today this still is the case when you walk into a record shop or shop on iTunes you won’t find a legitimate genre for this beautiful and ageless art form. Poets today are working diligently and hard to change this mindset.
Today, Spoken Word poetry is a very general category of poetry that is meant to be both performed and to make a powerful statement. Unlike some of the Beat poets who focused mostly on the corruption of government, economic and social status, and world awareness, Spoken Word has taken a major turn which some like myself observe with a watchful eye. Spoken word has gone from just being a revolting art, but has become more interested in voicing the thoughts of love, life and still that resounding need for revolutionary thought.
All Spoken Word poetry is meant to be read aloud, but not all poetry that is read aloud is Spoken Word. Spoken word has a select few elements that are best known for identifying its class of poetry. I like to call this technique “R3” for Rhythm, Repetition, and Rhyme; these are key element that the artist generally focuses on when performing this style of poetry also called performance poetry.
This is an important part about spoken word poetry, as I often see this as a common mistake amongst new poets who don’t study the art or its history and are elated to lay their vocals down on a nice melodic track and will dub it “Spoken Word”; spoken word poetry is sometimes performed with music, and sometimes without music. If a poet uses background music, it is only to enhance or compliment the poetry and to add a rhythm. The poetry itself is center stage and not the music, this is the case in any good piece of work.
host and producer of Freedom Verse Cafe
Tshombe (the Poet)
Today, Spoken Word poetry is a very general category of poetry that is meant to be both performed and to make a powerful statement. Unlike some of the Beat poets who focused mostly on the corruption of government, economic and social status, and world awareness, Spoken Word has taken a major turn which some like myself observe with a watchful eye. Spoken word has gone from just being a revolting art, but has become more interested in voicing the thoughts of love, life and still that resounding need for revolutionary thought.
All Spoken Word poetry is meant to be read aloud, but not all poetry that is read aloud is Spoken Word. Spoken word has a select few elements that are best known for identifying its class of poetry. I like to call this technique “R3” for Rhythm, Repetition, and Rhyme; these are key element that the artist generally focuses on when performing this style of poetry also called performance poetry.
This is an important part about spoken word poetry, as I often see this as a common mistake amongst new poets who don’t study the art or its history and are elated to lay their vocals down on a nice melodic track and will dub it “Spoken Word”; spoken word poetry is sometimes performed with music, and sometimes without music. If a poet uses background music, it is only to enhance or compliment the poetry and to add a rhythm. The poetry itself is center stage and not the music, this is the case in any good piece of work.
host and producer of Freedom Verse Cafe
Tshombe (the Poet)
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2 comments
Comment by nabraska on October 10, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Good article, but I don't think that we are letting all the good ones slip away. I believe that there still are cyphers going on, in different cites after different venues, and that the creative process is happening through the family circle...
Comment by Tshombe on October 11, 2009 at 6:49 AM
Blessings good brother, I would have to agree with you with regards to the "letting the good ones go"; however, in my opinion far to many "poets" are not taking the time to cipher with others for the fear of stolen lines, ideas, and creativity. Poets have become more competitive than ever before. Just a thought/opinion