Even when I was in school, I was doing papers and writing poems; I always had an edge to my delivery. It was never conscious, but it was more so my organic way of thinking about things.
I like it when people have good flow, but I also like it when people actually say stuff. Because sometimes that's a very good distraction, like, to have impeccable flow, but you're saying a lot without saying anything.
A British actor will savour every syllable of a Shakespearean line, while a French actor will drive to the end of a sentence or a speech with a propulsive rhythm: the thing you never say to a French actor is, 'Take your time.'
I'm really articulate when I do my thing - when I speak on the mic, when I do interviews. I'm a colorful personality.
You can try and read my lyrics off of this paper before I lay 'em But you won't take the sting out these words before I say 'em
When I talk of hearing a poet's voice speaking, I always think of it as in the presence of the man.
And some poets are far better read off the page because they're very bad speakers. I'm thinking of one in particular whom I won't name, a good poet, and he reads in such a dry, boring way, your eyes start drooping.
What is the point of narrating poetry when the listener can't appreciate and enjoy the meaning?
I think there is a great difference, in that when the poet is reading you get the whole personality of the person, especially if he's a good reader. Whereas a person just sitting gets what he puts into it.
Many performance poets seem to believe that yelling a poem makes it comprehensible. They are wrong.
This career essentially chased me down while I was on the spoken-word scene in New York. I kept hearing that my delivery of my poetry - which was very personal and cathartic at the time- was very moving to folks. People thought that I was an actress because of my delivery, when I was just dropping into the work and really pouring out my soul.
Especially with the live, just the way I curve words, it's about expression. It's so emotive, to be able to release these words into a mike. It really emphasizes this insane tingle down my spine whenever I play.
When I started reciting my own poems in public, I worried that it would seem too theatrical, but now I find recitation very natural, because it allows me to address audiences directly.
