The Rocket

Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Opinion

I really need to applaud the university and the University Program Board for their choice of entertainment this week. Having a slam poet come to campus was a wise idea. In addition to being entertaining, slam poetry teaches students that it's OK to like poetry and that it's not as awful as it seems.

There is nothing I hate more than sitting in a class where poetry is an assigned reading. Apparently, this is the case for everyone else as well. The groans, whines, and complaints, on top of a silent classroom "discussion" seem to outweigh any potential good to come from it.

Granted, dead, white, male poets, such as Robert Frost, can be less than exciting. How many times have you been forced to read or recite "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening"? Probably so many times that you could vomit couplets, rhymes and nature poems for a week. Frost may have had a talent for words, but he doesn't exactly make everyone excited to read more poetry.

There's a reason a lot of people hate "poetry," or at least the kind that is accepted by critics and textbooks, and it all comes down to this: it can be boring.

But poetry doesn't have to be that way. We don't have to groan every time a copy of "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot graces our presence. That poem has to be one of the most elitist things ever written.

Because it consists of so many allusions to other things, it was almost as if Elliot was just trying to prove his poetical superiority. Still, it's an influential poem, but it doesn't mean it's the only kind of poetry out there.

Poetry slams are becoming more and more popular around the country. However, poetry that is meant to be performed, such as the works of Saul Williams, Lamont Carey and Mayda Del Valle, are not widely recognized as "true literature." It's time for everyone else to know that poetry doesn't have to be bland, boring odes in textbooks. Only when it is spoken aloud does it truly come to life, in a way that is captivating and moving.

It's the same way with Shakespearian plays: some of the comedies aren't even vaguely amusing on paper, but on stage, they are engaging and hilarious.

The show "Def Poetry Jam" on HBO showcases these "slam poets," and many of the beat-filled poetry performances can be found on YouTube. The poetry consists largely of topics relative to today's society. Politics are a hot topic, and poetry is an effective medium to communicate these ideas. If the news is too difficult or boring to grasp, slam poetry can be an excellent way to at least get an idea of what is going on in the world around you!

The poets don't always write in a style that is considered to be traditionally poetic, but strong rhymes and strong central themes carry the poems, and many of the popular slam poets of the day have published books of their work. It is not just simply a rant delivered on stage; definite thought goes into the way the poems are written, worded, and spoken.

For students who rarely attend university-sponsored or UPB-sponsored events, it is nice to find something on the calendar to look forward to. I certainly marked off the date that slam poet Carlos G was coming, far in advance.

It's great to see an interest in spoken-word poetry on campus, and I truly hope it carries on for more than just one semester.

Lisbeth Wells-Pratt is a freshman creative writing major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

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