I spent half an hour watching HBO's original show Def Poetry. I highly recommend this easily assimilated bit of modern culture.
Many poets come to the stage offering recitations of their work. Some are funny. Some are serious. Most are both and touch the soul as poetry should.
Had I been paying more attention when the poets were announced, I would be able to spill the name of the poet who performed an excellent piece about a father and his relationship with his daughter in a broken home. His name was Black Ice, apparently a Philly native, and the poem's name was Lone Soldier. Very good.
Also of interest was Rives who signed much of his poem (as in, sign language) about kids in a deaf school and their experience with poetry. It's intriguing how the poems deal with being deaf but not in a way that one might expect. For example, greeting each other in the halls by asking the familiar Verizon question, "Can you hear me now?"
Another poem I enjoyed was by Mutabaruka. (Why do all of these people have single or odd names?) It was called "dis poem". I believe it's actually the lyrics to a reggae song. The words are quite stirring when read. You can find them here.
That's about all for now. It's pretty late.
