Lecture 6: Spoken Word

I wasn't sure what Kip meant by "next week will be fun day!" but I was pleasantly surprised by today's spoken word performances. Not only was I impressed with the guest speaker Beau Sia, but the student performances leading up to his poems were incredible. They spoke with so much passion and power, and their narratives were all so unique. Each student had a specific style and method to their performance, and while their words were spoken effortlessly, the audience could tell that those confessions came from deep within and took some wrestling to get onto paper before memorizing.

One of my favorites was the first girl who spoke about always being called "nice" and not living up to the standards set by her older sister. When she walked on stage her presence was not loud or aggressive or angry. "Nice" seemed to be a nice way to describe her. Until a string of cuss words came out of her mouth and her true feelings about the people around her were exposed. Sure, she may not actually reprimand a line cutter at Starbucks or back talk an adult, but her inner desire to do so is relatable and captivating. We like to watch people break out of character and go a little crazy. The audience knows about the jerks and the losers in this world that sometimes deserve a face slap, but the only way she can actually find relief is through her spoken word work. I thought her performance was funny and endearing, and her delivery was excellent.

I also enjoyed the girl who spoke about her immense love for a boy, and Beau Sia's poem dedicated to his talented yet unmotivated student. Overall the performances were very well done and I now have an even greater appreciation for those who can deliver such messages so eloquently.