A Closer Look at Atlanta's Underground Spoken Word Scene

Several months ago, I wrote a piece on the condition of the Spoken Word scene in Atlanta. I received tons of feedback from artists, including comments from some who felt that my "research" was too inadequate to submit an "informed" opinion on an art form which has been extremely popular as part of Atlanta's thriving arts scene.

The article highlighted some of the reasons why many feel that the art of spoken word has been slightly "watered" down in the metro Atlanta community. Concepts such as the Over-worked Topic and The Copycat Poet made the list of things that some say have contributed to the art form's "decline." Many people debate over spoken word as a cultural expression, claiming that in a lot of ways this art form has opened doors for political and social change. Some argue that the art form is important because it provides an alternate medium of expression for those who feel oppressed by their own emotional turmoil. I learned from writing the article, "Five Reasons Why The Spoken Word Scene in Atlanta is Dead", that regardless of the genre's official purpose, there is a definite agreement that some spoken word pieces are hailed masterpieces, while others are characterized with much less enthusiasm. I started thinking about the kinds of spoken word pieces that I've admired the most. And I've come up with a few ideas...

The Delivery

This may sound strange, but I have noticed that in the poetry scene, many people deliver their pieces on stage with the same staccatoed-inflection as the three poets prior. For some reason, it became trendy to...be heard......while......pausing for------dramatic effect. ~sigh~ Those who have graced the dozens of poetry venues in metro Atlanta will understand how this inflection sounds when uttered.