Yeah nothing like a bit o poets interacting n talkin shiiiii...
Spending the day with amazingly super nice fellah Andrew Galan and humbling, peering-at-you-over-glasses-while-stroking-beard type guy Doubting Thomas has been a reflective thing.
Just the other day I posted about the elitist and pompous view of some poets. I rallied for success and achievement. I wanted to bring out the point that it's okay to search for meaning in your poetry, to see it reflected in an audience through their shared laughter, sadness, anger, pride etc etc
But I'm no good with blogs
and I got all second-guessiveness on it. (Shakespeare made up words too ma faaarkaaaa)
I really can't help but acknowledge that life's not all black n white.
Basically I'm trying to be as good a poet as I can be, while still having fun with it.
And that's the most important thing. You gotta have fun in your art, your life, your soul and mind.
I want to effectively bring things to a stage that I believe showcase me, my home, my heart, my friends and family, my world.
But please oh god please I don't want to be like THEM...
you know the ones?
The Lleyton Hewitts of Slam? The ones who pump the air when they get a 10 and pace the sides of the stage in an embarrassing display of... um... dick head.
But I'm really not up for the whole avant-garde, John Cage kinda I'm-gonna-stand-on-stage-and-be-really-artistic-dont-you-see-how-artistic-I-am thing.
So where does that leave me?
Wherever I am that makes me enjoy my time as an artist to be honest.
And if that means making crowds laugh and cry and cheer than so be it. I don't really enjoy confused stares and sneers. But I do enjoy challenging audiences. Poems that you can hear a pin drop. An uncomfortable silence. And then juxtaposing that with a piece that leaves you roaring.
If you've seen me perform I would hope you would say it's not all fluff and glitter.
Let's face it though:
It can, and has, already been done.
Slam's 30 years old... Poetry's OLDER. Spoken word is ANCIENT.
I'm not anything special. But I'm totally me and unique (he whispers to himself in his pillow at night... sob...)
I'm a broken record that's been playing since oral stories of Jagera elders. Since Greek theatre and colosseum's crumbled.
And I'm also some dude from Brisbane who wants to blow up stages.
Hypocrisy, thy name is Darkwing Dubs. Embrace it.
Dear Dark Wing
ReplyDeleteSome of your friends feel the same as you please dont out us in the 'dont you see how artistic i am' box. It comes out as natural as it does for you just in different forms. At our roots we still want to feel the rain and lick the sun like you. The thing is the gutter has lava too and some of us like small simple eruptions to hold in our hand/kiss/eyes. This doesnt mean that we dont fukin love you for wanting to be the best. you are the best you no matter what.
What is the best? I dig this blog post.
ReplyDeletewoah first commentors ever...
ReplyDeleteumm
thanks?
it's certainly a discussion i've been having in my head ever since i went to melb last year. then canberra was a different experience altogether. so i'm not sure where i'm at. i love seeing people challenge an audience, but i don't know where the fine line is between challenging an audience and distancing yourself from them. unless that's your intention. which might be good. but it's all been done before i guess.
so's entertainment.
I guess out of this little entry I discovered what I like (being engaging) but I don't want to be in it to win it. Art is about taking risks (to me). But then some artists spit on a canvas and call it art.
is it art? is it not art?
who knows? who cares maybe?
i'm just trying to enjoy what i do. and that sense of joy keeps me moving.
True Art is the authentic expression of ones spirit. Those who talk only to make themselves appear superior to others are only lying to themselves in selfish ignorance. But to use our voice to inspire the imagination and ignite the heart flames of the people, this is compassionate wisdom and awareness of the powerful influence of the spoken word.
ReplyDeletefrom- ScottStream for Darkwing Dubs