And there are hundreds and thousands of poetry slam and performance videos on YouTube - they are so addictive, I'm surprised I ever get anything else done!
So I figured I'd share just a handful of my favourite diverse slam, spoken-word, and performance poets from YouTube (because my faves happen to diverse in this instance! Woo!)
Oh, and pretty much all of these have swear-words. Poets swear worse than sailors.
Winona Linn
Meskwaki poet Winona Linn is witty, clever, and passionate; her performances are amazing.
Stylish, bold, and unapologetically political, Crystal Valentine's poetry explores being a Black woman in today's America.
Check out: Black Privilege (below,) And the News Reporter Says Jesus Is White and Questions For Fox News Regarding the Race Card.
Dia Davina
A queer and genderqueer feminist, Dia Davina is awesome. They are funny and honest and just amazing.
Elizabeth Acevedo
Afro-Dominicana poet Elizabeth Acevedo writes on race, feminism, and their intersection. She rocks.
Check out: Hair, Afro-Latina, and An Open Letter to the Protesters Outside the Planned Parenthood
[video no longer available]
Benjamin Zephaniah
One of the best modern British poets there is, I will never miss the chance to recommend the wonderful Jamaican-British Benjamin Zephaniah.
Never afraid to speak on politics and race, or to combine poetry with music, Zephaniah is a definite favourite of mine.
So check some of these wonderful poets out, and enjoy!
Like this post? Try these:
Last updated: 9th October 2019