Spoken poetry is a form of poetry performed orally, with a confessional or stream-of-consciousness style, and a de-emphasis on publication. It rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s in America, with roots in oral storytelling traditions and ties to the Beat Generation. Spoken poetry aims to provide an outlet for personal expression beyond institutional influence and is often visceral, recounting raw emotion, political and social commentary, and personal experiences. The movement embraces diversity and aims to promote tolerance. Although it reached its peak in the 1990s, it remains vibrant in specific communities and forums.
In general terms, spoken poetry is a poetic work read aloud or performed orally with the poet interpreter speaking naturally. Defining and classifying spoken poetry can be challenging given the potential overlap with written poetry read aloud, rap and hip hop performance, and storytelling. Characteristics of the spoken word movement include a disregard for the academic community, a confessional or stream-of-consciousness style, and a de-emphasis on publication. Spoken poetry rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s in America, but had roots in oral storytelling traditions and ties to the Beat Generation of the 1950s and 1960s.
The primary goal of spoken poetry is to provide an outlet for personal expression that is beyond academic or other institutional influence. Rather than relying on publication for distribution, the spoken word poet expresses his or her opinions and communicates the information directly to the audience via oral performance. The style is often visceral, recounting raw emotion, political and social commentary, and personal experiences. Common venues for the spoken word include public spaces, open mics in coffee shops and bookstores, and other performance venues.
The cable channel Music Television (MTV) gave spoken poetry a national forum by airing a series of spoken word editions of the MTV Unplugged program starting in the 1990s. The series included artists such as Maggie Estep, Reg E. Gaines and John S. Hall. Hall had one of his poems top the college radio charts in 1994, the only spoken word piece to do so, and MTV sponsored his spoken word tour. Other artists such as Estep and Gaines continued to be featured on MTV in sound bites between programs known as the Fightin’ Wurdz. However, MTV’s commitment to the movement proved fleeting and words failed to maintain its national prominence.
The spoken word movement has roots in the oral storytelling and call-and-response traditions of African and Native American cultures. In the mid-20th century, the Beat poets made a conscious effort to return poetry to these roots. Like the poets of the Beat Generation, spoken word poets typically share a detachment from academic circles, an emphasis on performance, and a confessional style. Unlike rap and hip hop performances, spoken poetry does not usually incorporate melody or coherent rhythm.
Few speaking poets record or publish their work, because they are primarily interested in being heard and fear the institutionalization of their movement. Despite this suspicion of academia and influence, some universities have begun offering vocal performance programs and courses. This de-emphasis on publication is a feature that distinguishes the spoken word movement from the poets of the Beat Generation. It should be noted that some spoken word performers publish novels and more conventional types of poetry, and there are anthologies of spoken word poetry.
Racial, gender and ethnic diversity is another difference between the Beats and the movement of speech. The Beat poets were generally a community of white men, while the spoken word movement is seen as more populist. The spoken word embraces diversity, involving women and people of color. One goal of the movement is to promote tolerance among people by dissolving social, political and cultural boundaries.
Although the spoken word movement reached its most recent peak in the 1990s, the genre remains vibrant in specific communities and forums. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe on New York City’s Lower East Side continues to be an important platform for spoken word poetry. Universities with speaking programs like the University of Wisconsin’s First Wave community help nurture new generations of speaking interpreters. Ultimately, a spoken poem is akin to a living, ephemeral work of art rather than a permanent published work.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
