Postmodernist Spoken Word and Poetry Slams

in Postmod Final Exam Forum

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

PostmodPrincess614

May 18, 2022

PostmodPrincess614 P3

Rudy Fransisco's slam poetry "Complainers", gave me a whole new perspective on my outlook of life. The phrase "it could be worse" is fragmented throughout his passionate presentation which constantly reminds his audience that you are still here, no matter the damage. When Fransisco brought up how 2 million die from dehydration and that it's not a glass half empty or glass half full, it's that there is water in the cup no matter what. This reminds me of when I was younger I would always complain about anything that made me feel as if my world was crashing down on me. My grandma (who I called Gamma) would always reassure me that I should be grateful for where I am and who is a part of my life. I've carried this statement throughout my life, especially in high school because you never know what the person sitting next to you is going through and to never take life for granted. There is light at the end of the tunnel and you can chose how you want to reach it with your mentality.