Postmodernist Spoken Word and Poetry Slams

Extra Credit

Be warned. Some of these poems have spicy language in them. But hey, slam poetry & spoken word is kind of a Postmodernist thing!

This is Taylor Mali. He's one of the most famous slam poets in America. I bet you can't figure out why I love this poem so much! This is full of irony and a dash of paranoia.

Here is Rudy Francisco's spoken word performance of "Complainers." Consider his use of maximalism and fragmentation here when you watch his inspiring, energizing presentation!

Oh, come on. You knew there would be some Epic Rap Battles of History in here. I love the pastiche and historiographic metafiction elements of this one, combining historical events with Marvel comics. Perfect.

[Content Note in description below.]

This is spoken word called "Dear Anxiety" by Clayton Jennings. It is a powerful account of his overcoming anxiety, and it uses Postmodern elements of metafiction and intertextuality/pastiche. I tear up when I watch him. This one is heavier, so [CN - it addresses mental health issues, religion] skip this one if you think it's inappropriate for you.

83 comments

83 Comments

Insertfunnyname

May 18, 2022

insertfunnyname pd.2

I automatically chose Dear Anxiety by Clayton Jennings, this instantly stood out to me as someone who often struggles with anxiety. I don't struggle severally with anxiety, but it still has a part in my everyday life and that's why I chose this one. Watching him speak shows me that a lot of people you would never expect to have anxiety, do. This makes me understand that people can be struggling with so many mental problems and not know how to get through them, which makes me upset that I don't know how to help. As Jennings speaks he uses intertextuality and metafiction that really helps bring everything together.