At the risk of infuriating tons of my fellow independent artists in the Atlanta area, let me first preface this article with some obligatory “damage control.” Those local spoken word artists, poets, and enthusiasts whose products I have praised or purchased are immediately exempt from the criticisms herein.
Atlanta has been practically synonymous with “entertainment” for many years now. One of the main genres in the ATL’s leisure industry has been Spoken Word. In the 1990’s, the Yin Yang Café off Spring Street, was a prime spot to gather ’round a warm microphone and listen to some heartfelt (and extremely creative) poetry, either written or spoken. The vibe in Yin Yang (now called the Apache Café) used to be lovely; folks of every shade came sauntering in from their respective lives and shared a few pages of their innermost thoughts. Patrons would sit stock-still, sipping tea or wine, while artist after artist graced the stage and shared their wiles.
But in the years following, something interesting began to happen. More and more spoken word events started to spring up all over town. It seemed that bars and restaurants previously catering to diners only commenced to creating event nights featuring spoken word and poetry crowds. It would seem that the popularity of these affairs would speak volumes to the integrity of an art form which has been celebrated for hundreds of years. But in the happening city of Atlanta, nothing could be farther from the truth. Poetry and spoken word events have lost their luster, and here’s why…
1- THE NOVELTY HAS WORN OFF. Simply put, because so many venues have held spoken word open mic shows, there is nothing really fresh about these events anymore. Furthermore, it appears that all of the really good poets have already been seen and/or heard by now. Having more than four spoken word poetry venues in the city only guarantees that you’ll see the same poets at least three times more during any given week.
2- THE TOPICS HAVE DWIDDLED DOWN TO TWO: “REVOLUTION” and “EROTICISM”. There was a time in the city, where poetry itself was a captivating art form. This is because the local “pioneers” in the genre (like the popular “QSwan”) have already covered the really interesting stuff.
In being frank, it’s obvious that the majority of this scene is comprised of people of color. Artists of color have traditionally turned to the subject of social revolution as a way to effect some audible reaction(s) from audiences. Spoken word artists have over the years, spoken avidly and passionately about the injustices done to black people throughout history.
One would also get the impression that spoken word artists don’t do ANYTHING but write all day long. For they are often heard at these venues speaking on the evils of Corporate America. The female artists spew diatribes about the “kings” and “queens” they’re struggling to raise. And the male artists speak at length about the inequalities they face in attempting to live as black men in America.
Once these topics have been exhausted, the subject of sex is usually up next on the list. This is where things really get interesting. The most daring poets have taken this topic as far as they can possibly go in terms of raunchiness. While some of the more sexually explicit poetry contains a good measure of artistic merit, some of the poems recited on stages around Atlanta have seemed gratuitous at best. Local poets like “Indigo” and “Bo Ellis” have made names for themselves in the underground scene with their erotic brand of braggadocio. But the truth is that this age-old topic has been worked and reworked more ways than are described in their explicit accounts.
3- THE “POETS” AREN’T REALLY POETS. When the art of spoken word grew heavily on the underground scene in Atlanta, there was a specific number of poets who routinely stole the show with their cunning displays of wordplay. Shortly after that, the copycats emerged. It seems that over time, the profound words uttered from the mouths of the ATL’s most “famous” poets began emerging from the lips of imitators. To that effect, the art form itself became watered down. These new artists to grace open mics were no more than poetry enthusiasts who decided to jump on the bandwagon.
4- OPEN MIC POETRY VENUES HAVE BECOME FLEA MARKETS. Something that many people have complained about with regard to open mic poetry venues, is the proliferation of vendors frequenting the spots. Over the years, these poetry gatherings have encouraged the visual artists, jewelry-makers, and other novelty salespersonnel to fill up the empty spaces in nightclubs and coffeehouses. In addition to that, artists also use this opportunity to peddle the homemade spoken word CDs they’ve recorded. While some of them are legitimate, it’s impossible to consider each and every poet a rising star.
This has been an extremely clever way to market the wares of starving artists. But the problem is that these vendors have become nothing more than bohemian window dressing. Many venues feature artists with prominent talent and beautiful visual works of art. But the majority of the vendors now inhabiting spoken word venues are simply peddling the same oils and incense that can be purchased at any of Five Points Flea Markets’ dozens of booths.
5- SPOKEN WORD/POETRY IS THE “LEFTOVER” GENRE FOR THOSE WHO DON’T PLAY INSTRUMENTS OR SING. Now this is where I’m certain I’ll catch the most flack. As a poet, singer, and musician myself, I can honestly speak to the biases that the general public has with regard to music and poetry. The bottom line is that most people in Atlanta would prefer to dance or listen to music, as opposed to listening to someone talk for five minutes about “Revolution.” It appears that unless you’re doing hip-hop, singing with a band, or playing in one, you’re pretty much overlooked as a true artist.
While poetry certainly holds plenty of merit in the artistic world, it can be said that on the underground scene, a poetry CD is simply not as hot a seller as a musical one. Open mic venues celebrating spoken word are often seen as the events to sign up for if you don’t do “anything else.”
It may seem harsh to criticize a scene that continues to support other genres. But any one who has lived in Atlanta for more than 5 years will be able to tell you that the poetry scene has changed significantly since the early to mid 1990’s. I suppose this change has occurred in other parts of the world, as I hear similar criticisms in message boards and forums from other states in the country. Poetry is by no means a dead art form. To this day, it remains one of the most powerful, most underrated art forms of all time; for without it, there would be no music. The problem is that similar to music, the artistry of the spoken word has been diluted by the masses who do not know how to truly appreciate it.
