Poetry and Me

Poetry was something I happened upon by accident. It was a beautiful surprise that helped me through some of my darkest moments. Poetry – specifically spoken word – provides an outlet and means of self-reflection; it provides a safe space for me to think freely and process the world around me.

Throughout this process, I hope to identify what makes spoken such an effective delivery technique. In the past my spoken word poems have won speech competitions; while I’d like to believe the awards won were strictly due to my “amazing writing skills,” I strongly believe the delivery of spoken word played a large part. Spoken word for me is about timing – cadence. Something about a fast tempo coming to a distinct…slow…pause works wonders when you intend to emphasize. I thoroughly enjoy getting to play with words in this fashion. Spoken word allows me to bend meanings and draw connections that no one saw before; the rhythmic delivery can make words which were otherwise dull, magical and captivating.

Shane Koyczan – a personal inspiration – grew up in the same town I did, attended the same schools, even had a few of the same teachers. His ability to create magic and art out of the same simple words we each use every day was what drew me into the art form. In school poetry never resonated with me the same way his spoken word did. Although, I could never quite put my finger on why exactly his poetry struck a chord within me – that curiosity is what has driven me to this inquiry.