Most people who read my entries — be them posted at Mike McGee Town (mikemcgee.net), Facebook (rss fed notes), or LiveJournal — all know that I am a touring poet and a big supporter of spoken word events. I really do try to get out to shows as often as possible. I try to buy as much merch from poets as much as I can afford, and hopefully as much as I want to have those poems in my home.
I hear about shows like Jersey Shore and Cleaning Up After The Kardashitians and any other work of video art pummeled out of our satelites, and it makes me sad. I even watch Law & Order and am so depressed by the end of each episode. They’re feeding on our basest emotions without requiring much thought or self-resolution.
THE most important aspect of my discovery of spoken word culture has surely been the plethora of events to attend, participate and support, and all the bad television and loneliness I get to avoid.
Granted, I enjoy the occassional vegg-out session of bad TV, but it rarely overshadows the joy and inspiration I get out of most spoken word events.
I say all of this because I know so many people who know me and my work, but never go to events. They only support local spoken word when I come through town.
I urge everyone reading this to go to more events. Support more readings! Support local spoken word ORGANIZERS! Support touring poets. Pick one day a week and go to an event, alone or with a friend. Become part of a scene.
I went to the nearby Barnes & Noble this afternoon with Bill MacMillan. I am always compelled to peruse a bookstore’s poetry section, which is actually usually just one shelf. I have a backlog of unread books and am on a budget, but I still policed today’s poetry selection. I do it to see if any more of my friends are being stocked, get an idea of how popular poetry is in the area, and to see what level of poetry they supply. Worcester B&N’s poetry shelf is small, meek and beginner-level.
This made me so sad. To see Maya Angelou flopped over Keats. Bukowski all alone on a barren shelf. Meager. Pathetic.
I’m not saying there needs to be a store of only poetry publications — which would be awesome! — I am just saying that since I’m a hard sell on most things, and was so very drawn to spoken word after a few months, I think others could be too.
Go. See. Hear. Experience others. Express yourself. Do something different. If you don’t know where to begin, ask me and I will help you (everyone reading this will help you) find a venue close to home.
We may even be able to find you a ride.
If you cannot find one in driving distance: Build one.
———
Word to the nerd.
PS… I miss you, Gabs.
This entry was written by , posted on 21 February, 2010 at 8:55 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged performance, Performance Poetry and Spoken Word, poetry events, poetry slams, spoken word, support. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.
Agreed.
When you were out visiting us, we told you about our proposed bookshop/cafe. Well, 8 months later, we finally have the keys and are starting to do the work necessary to open the doors.
Seeing as I will be putting on writing workshops and performance poetry evenings and I will be selling books, Chris Brooks recommended that I stock books by the performers who come to events as well as people that I know. I full intend to do this.
The bookshop I’ve been working at for 5 years has a full bookcase worth of poetry and dramatic books. Aside from the known names, very little else sells, but I do try to stick in things that win prizes and the like.
Saying all this, I will probably be asking you in the not too distant future how to go about getting some Write Bloody books into the shop at a price that benefits me as well as the poets. This might be a little way off, as funds are tight at the moment, but we’re going to be a shop that promotes people’s creativity and hopefully these creative people will support the creativity of others as well. [I know we all know a lot of performers who don't go to gigs that they're not performing at...]
Sadly, at the moment, the only local poetry gigs are the ones that Chris and I are organising. In the next year, we might be doing three a month in three different towns. At least there will be plenty of gigs for my North American friends to perform at.
Bryce