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Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
Four rules you need to keep in mind if you're going to skip memorizing your poetry for performances.
I was at the National Poetry Slam in St. Paul a couple of weeks ago (awesome time) and I noticed something right away: there were a lot more competitors reciting poetry from paper than usual. I mean, to the point of comment.
On one hand, this delighted me a great deal. In any given year I’m usually one of about three paper poets (a poet that performs a poem from paper or a journal or some other vehicle of codification) out of about nearly four hundred poets who show up to compete. Most people who consider themselves performance poets memorize, and in slam competitions particularly so. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve heard from poets or audience members or judges that poems that are memorized are somehow better than ones that aren’t. There is the notion that a poet who bothers to commit their work to memory is somehow more dedicated to their craft than the poet who does not. I ask you, which poet is more dedicated: the poet who memorizes ten poems that they recite at every featured reading they have over the course of a few years, or the poet who performs ten times that number in the same amount of time, but from paper?
I have made a conscious decision not to memorize any of my poetry. It is, quite literally, a mission with me. I’ve memorized poetry in the past to see if I could do it, and when I did the results were pretty impressive. But in the end I have dedicated myself to not memorizing poems because I want poets to know that memorizing a poem doesn’t have to be the entry fee to performance poetry. You can still win slams – even the big ones - from paper. You can still give incredible features and do tours from paper. You can still make an audience lose its complete and utter mind from paper. It all comes down to the poem and how deeply you’re willing to commit to giving a performance of that poem.
I lay no claim whatsoever that my platform of performing from paper only had anything to do with the amount of paper I saw in slam competition this year. I think a case could be made, and I’ve certainly heard things over the years from coaches that imply my mission has had some effect. Whatever the reason is for more paper performances this year I don’t care...I’m just glad the day of acknowledging the power of papyrus has returned.
Not that it wasn’t here along, mind you: any random poetry reading that isn’t swamped with people trying to show their performance chops in equal measure to their writing chops will be a reading filled with paper. There are more poets reading from paper than there are poets who aren’t on the whole, so in the grand scheme of things it’s not that big a deal. It only really matters in those circles that place a premium on performance over writing ability.
Anyhow, while I ultimately do not care about who’s doing what for what reason, I do care about The Big Four. A while back I drafted four rules about performing poetry from paper. Application of these rules is sorely lacking in performances I see everywhere I go:
1. Commit.
2. Voice compensates for body.
3. You aren’t allowed to fuck up.
4. It always comes down to the poem.
1) Commit.
Knowing is not memorizing. I can recite back parts of my poems, but at some point I need my line fed to me because while I know my poems pretty well, I do not have them memorized.
Also, reading is not performing. Sounding like you’re reading makes me feel like I’m in school. I hated school, especially the poetry units. We can all try a little harder in this area.
2) Voice compensates for body.
If you’re performing from paper, you’re already down a hand or two, or blocked by a music stand. The audience will have a hard time not noticing these things. Adopt the principle that if you lose one thing you should compensate for it by amplifying another. After your poem, your voice is your most powerful tool, not your ability to memorize or move around on stage. The poem starts to live in the performance world when you open your mouth, so use it: play with the texture of your voice, the tone, the rhythm, the breadth of its range of meanings.
Also note that I have been saying “perform”, not “read”. Most problems with poets and paper stem from not making this distinction. Conversely they do two things that make me wish they’d just stop writing poetry altogether: a) they don’t bother to commit to a performance since they’re going to be seen reading from paper anyway, and b) they perform with those annoying gaps every other line (you know: EXCITED SHOUTING! Look for my line. EXCITED SHOUTING! Look for my line…). Neither of these is an excuse for a poor performance from paper. If you can memorize, there is no reason why your reading from paper should suck. In fact it should be easier.
3) You aren’t allowed to fuck up.
This one is pretty unforgiveable to me. If you lose your place in a poem that’s sitting in front of you, then you’re an idiot. People who do this tend to do it because they thought they had more of the poem memorized than they actually do, or they get so caught up in the performance they forget that a part is coming up that they don’t actually remember. Idiots. Look, it’s very simple math:
You – memory of poem = no poem in your head
…so quit pretending you know your poem and invest in some fucking focus.
4) It always comes down to the poem.
This is my answer to everything about poetry, but it really means something here. A great poem will forgive a lot of things, will clear the way for a lot of risks you might take as a performer. Don’t worry about your performance more than your poem. In the end, you want audiences to remember your poem, not that you were really passionate about whatever it was you were up there talking about that they can’t somehow recall under questioning. Everything in life is easier if you start off by doing things correctly right out of the gate.
That's it.
I love performing poetry, and performing it from paper doesn’t diminish that for me or my audiences. I love pulling out that thick ragged folder – “Goldie” – and embracing the challenge of riffling through it for the perfect poem at the perfect moment. And I won’t let a little thing like memorization stop me from doing this. It may stop me from being asked to do certain gigs, but that’s the booker’s loss. I will fuck your audience up from paper, just as easily as someone who’s flailing about and giving you jazz hands for twenty minutes. I don’t apologize for not memorizing. No one should, if they believe that the work they will present is just as good read as it is memorized AND that they will deliver it with the extra mile required to make that belief true.
Submitted by ScottWoods on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (13:02:28) (2198 reads)
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by dav.smith on Sunday, September 26, 2010 (01:02:07) |
Scott, you throw light on a touch topic. I use the paper system, If you have read any of my poems , I put a bit of emotion into them. By using paper I can make my power points of the poem being read. I would love to be able to read from memory, but lack the ability to fine tune recall. I think your highlight points are spot on too. I will surely use them at my next read. Thanks for the lesson. Cheers from down under. dAVE
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by silent_lotus on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (09:34:39) |
dear Scott
and i was in Minneapolis for a family wedding
so sorry to have missed you in the Twin Cities
great article....thank you for your insights
miles of smiles
silent lotus
www.silentlotus.net
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (10:38:29) |
I'm one of them people that doesn't like hearing people "READ" from paper but for just that reason that they never commit to performing the piece if you can rock the show and give them what they came for then it shouldn't matter if it was read or memorized. good blog piece keep them coming.. enjoy them and let me know when you can rock the RIP in Pawtucket, R.I. 401 2306408, this goes for all poets that rock the stage. not just the mic. and your content has to be on point we are saving lives one poem at a time.
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by BrokenWordsPoet on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 (21:13:01) |
Scott, I enjoyed you blog very much, memorizing is very hard for me. When it comes to memorizing I usually do so only with short poems and they seem to leave the building in time. I like the way you explained the difference in reading a work and a vocal performance of a work.
I don't believe that losing ones place makes them an idiot, but more of a screw up which is unforgivable when it comes to winning, losing and being judged on not screwing up. Take it from someone who lost their place on stage. Lighting on some stages makes it real easy to lose ones place when wearing reading glasses with light glaring in the eyes and a white sheet of paper. I also use a number 14 font and find it much easier to keep my place. Winning is fun, but it is not the most important thing about poetry readings. The most important thing to me is to be in the company of ones peers and sharing ones craft. BWP... James...
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by Tony on Thursday, September 02, 2010 (12:29:56) |
As someone who is a firm member of the Paper Club, I agree across the board. I do have some things memorized from my old slam days, but I don't bother anymore...I write too many poems to keep up with that.
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
by Anonymous on Friday, September 03, 2010 (13:50:31) |
Eh. Just write a good poem and do a good job performing it. Being busy is no excuse for not being able to memorize something. If you dont like memorizing.....than don't. Reading off a piece of paper does not make you more of a poet, or a better poet, or a real poet, or even a bad poet. This is sort of a non-issue.
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
by Anonymous on Thursday, September 02, 2010 (04:42:02) |
I agree with you, Poetry is in a very sad state , in fact the name of poetry has been ruined with very mediocre poetry over the years.The poets were messengers of god and poetry was considered as the highest and most condensed form of philosophy , the message being the crux.
I rarely come across modern pets with a message, its doesn't have to be enlightened poetry, it could be poetry such as Benjamin Zephaniah writes, a social message.
I recall the lines of most of my poems but forget some poems at times.
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by max on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (22:48:26) |
Apparently its a world of immediate and visceral gratification if your point is quality is connection.
What quality is your poetry if delivered by Pony Express, or if your audience is blind?
Is poetry skewed by rap where the rooster strut is part of the deal?
If poetry skill is physical acting then Arnold and Sylvester should win awards.
Don't sell yourself short, and don't shortsell your audience.
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by Pujakins on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (17:06:15) |
And I was thinking I could never enter a slam because I can't memorize my poetry, and I would love to be able to do moe than just get up and read at the open mikes. Now I feel more confident. Thanks for this. I am psyched! Warm Wishes, Tasha
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by jesster on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (16:35:02) |
I would add that you should either write legibly or print in a font size that doesn't require the paper is poised inches from your face. A larger font size and organizing the piece with well placed white space can also help you find your place easier if you do end up looking up for any length of time.
When I do read, I make sure that the paper is not between myself and the audience. The paper should be a tool, not a refuge or a barrier.
Great article, Scott. I really enjoyed your rules for reading off paper and your take in general. Well done!
-Jesse
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 , Interesting )
by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (16:19:50) |
Thank you for this post; it was a good and welcomed read since this has always been one that I have preached for sometime now to poets I come in contact with via radio or at live venues. From what I've seen, our animosity between readers and speakers in poetry has gotten to the point that it has begun to stifle progression and some beautiful poetry. Personally, there is too much for me to do and accomplish to be consumed in memorizing that which I just exercised out of my mind and spirit; however, when I can I do memorize, but it is not a priority for me in poetry. Good food of reinforcement here.
Tshombe Sekou
www.tshombeism.com
Tokyo Japan
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Re: Poetry Is Doomed #29: If you're going to perform from paper...
(Score: 1 )
by Kaz47 on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 (11:24:21) |
i put my heart and soul into poetry....to the point that I carry with me or have with me, a pen and notebook. when i start thinking I write, before i forget..my memory is bad due to an accident, does that make me less dedicated or talented? I would have to read my poems.
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