Performance Poetry; Practice & Recital; Sudden Fiction

Returning to the tradition of performance--all poetry was meant to be sung or performed, let's take a look at some contemporary examples that sort of cross the genres a bit. As you watch/listen to the performance, note in your journal what you noticed about the performance and how the poet grabbed your attention. How, for example, was the performance effective in your opinion?

Derrick Brown

• "A Finger, Two Dots, Then Me"
• "Meat Loaf"
• "Cotton in the Air"

What's your reaction? Let's discuss.

Now it's your turn to perform. Take a look at all the poem drafts you've written this past week. Hopefully, you have a few options. If you only wrote 1 poem, you're stuck with it. Otherwise, pick a poem you wrote that you would like to "perform" for the class. Go next door to print out a copy of your selected poem to use as a "script" for your rehearsal and performance.

Additionally, please submit your Google file with your poem drafts (as many as you have from the last two weeks) into Google Classroom (see assignment instructions there...)

1. Read and rehearse your poem with a partner. Every student should work with another person/peer.
2. Give suggestions and help each other perform better. Consider the tips we talked about with our speeches. Give each other some feedback:

• Are you pleasing your audience? Can we hear you? Can we understand you? Are you holding our attention? Are you too unfocused and confusing? Have you put energy into your performance or delivery? Are you boring? Are you making occasional eye-contact with your audience?
• Are you matching your TONE of voice to the TONE of your poem?
• Are you sincerely trying? [Avoid just going through the motions--an audience can tell that a performer just doesn't care or would rather be doing anything other than speaking...why should we listen to a person like this?]
• Are you reaching the goals you set out for yourself? 

When time is called, please deliver your poem to the whole class.

Remember: Good speakers...

• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly and loudly
• Use gestures
• Have energy
• Change tone
• Perform with sincerity

At the end of class, please pick up the short story collection: Sudden Fiction (see homework).

HOMEWORK: Please read the short stories on pages: 3-32. Type up and submit to me any poem drafts you did not submit in class today.

Come join us for the closing night of the Creative Writing Department's production of Love, Loss, and What I Wore tonight, Friday at 7:00 in the Ensemble Theater. Creative writing students attend free, but we'd like to challenge you to bring a friend or family member. Tickets are $5 and available at the door. This is a fundraiser for the department. Extra credit for those who attend.