“I was sorry…to be sorry” (This was indeed engrossing. The anxiety-riddled stream of consciousness. And I appreciated the captioning on behalf of the hearing impaired. RU-vid does provide a CC option, but it never compares to custom captions done with intention.)
“Waiting for the full moon to candle the sky” (“I will always choose the bear.” Powerful is too a weak a word. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I thought of the rapper Mystikal who is a convicted bear and a viral freestyle in which he says if you see him fighting a bear, “help the bear.” I juxtaposed that with the “bear fighting” this poem speaks of and how questions are received instead of help: What were you wearing? How could you be so stupid?)
Masterful! Amazing how you kept the P-T-S-D scheme going throughout entire poem and each word had substance and relevance. Never once felt like you forced a word just for the sake of the scheme.
“Perhaps their hands are not strong enough to hold you” … “you must learn to hold yourself” … “I carry a whole thunderstorm in my chest” … “powerful things can never be contained, can they?” ❤❤❤
At the intersection of BARD avenue & (red)RUMc… great poem great video… “every time I write i poem I go right for my mother’s mental health”… ghosts, forms, misdiagnosis “we’ve been dance partners so long floating floating floating” Powerful gut wrenching Pennywisesque ending
Short, sweet & very effective! Love how it was shot on location. And the tapping notepad on escalator handrail was a wonderful subtle way to non verbally communicate exactly what the character was thinking.
I love how each poem felt autonomous yet connected as a whole through water (and I spilled water on myself while typing this comment which is quite fitting)
“My stomach a sunset” / “all I can see is purple” (this line gave me goosebumps because before watching this I watched a video of a song by Goapele called “Purple” / I FEEL YOUR POEM (love & appreciate the experimental approach!) / “being woke is not the same as waking up” / “feel the change, be the change” 🙌🏽
Wow! There are no words son! You have not even reached your heightness, and yet you continue to rise! Respect to you and your fellow poets! I must not resist and continue to follow the spoken word. It is FIRE🔥☄️! AAA Men!!
I, Poetry Poetry, am I I am caged bird Singing Cry Freedom Releasing energy Flick of the wrist… Nuthin but swish! I am thunderous slam Unbottled black lightning Striking twice: jab, jab Poetry with a mean left hook Look at my poem dance like David around the ring Alvin Ailey footwork I am a progress in work a newborn's cry a medicinal laugh I am Poetry that will get up in your Mind, Body, Soul I am Janet Jackson "Control" I am reckless abandon Flowing fluidly a prisoner, being fed water and The Autobiography of Malcolm X I am muted breath of Underground Railroad passengers Silently singing “Who Let the Dogs Out?” I am extroverted introvert a poetic panhandler Can anybody spare a penny? Nickel? Quarter? Dime? I am Poetry seeking change I am Poetry changing its name to Spoken Word because of an outstanding warrant Arrested Development Livin’ just enough for the city Pigeon-holed; a dove's cry Trapped in a bar of soap Don't drop me I am the quicker picker upper the Coming to America Dream of immigrants from Zamunda I am Dr. Martin Luther Prince, Purple-clad The Color of struggle Easy like Sunday Digital Underground on Wednesday Doin' the Humpty Hump (Day) I am the chance to do your dance Boogie Woogie to the rhythm Naysayers, How dare you say different! If I ain't Poetry, a Wookiee ain't hairy If I ain't Poetry, a Catholic's favorite football play ain’t the Hail Mary I married Poetry and became one flesh ‘til death do us Life is a poet's gift If the dinosaurs had Poetry, they would still exist I am existential I am concrete; a rose, grew from me I Am Poetry.
Transparency: I’m a hugger on the inside but it’s hard to get that side on the outside… I say that to say, Figgz moved me so much that I had to give him AND the videographer a hug after seeing this
Seeing this at the premiere made it even more enjoyable because it was such a great change of pace. I believe this was the only poem with just music/no vocals. It felt like Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings, music wise, and paired really well with the art & words.
Great poem. Heard it several times & it still hits each time. And the video gives it a new life. Excellent. And Shani never ceases to amaze me, always delivering amazing videography whether a porch play, a podcast taping, or poetry in motion.
I love the vibe. Very film noire. Proof that flashy isn’t needed to deliver very effective visuals. And that last line! “A poem that explains nothing”…
This is one of my fave E Dotts poems. And to see the time stamp (well under 2 min) proves how rich it is because it feels like SO MUCH conveyed in so little time. And the visuals felt like a Mary J Blige or neo soul music video.
