What is performance poetry?
Ray: Performance poetry combines acting, singing, dance and stand-up comedy in a lively mix that takes poetry from the page to the stage. The poem becomes a mini-play really, with all the dynamics and nuances of theatre. It’s more than the slam — which has become a three-minute form, much in the same way the sonnet evolved. Though not as rigid structurally, slam poems have become formulaic. Performance poetry has more room to stretch and explore. Q: Where do you see Poetry going in the 21st Century? Ray: Everywhere. It’s having a resurgence of late and will continue popping up on the mass culture radar as long as it’s perceived to be hip. Teaching it as something that had a lot of rules and had a hidden meaning did it a great disservice. Now it is more popular, what with the Def poetry Jam and beer commercial haikus which will water it down some. But poetry is at the heart of who we are, so advertising can’t do it too much harm.
