When thinking about how I would address the idea of the spoken word in my piece I wanted look into poetry as I felt I could use the style to get the message of the piece across without being too brash. Inviting the audience to actively think about the themes and messages that the performance is displaying. I also think the way poetry sounds when being delivered gives the language more of a stimulating tone compare to a normal script.
I’ve been researching slam poetry on similar topics to mine. A piece that caught my attention in the media recently was written by fourteen year old Kayley Dixon on sexual assault. Her poem has help to fund projects and working with communities to help victims and survivors of sexual violence. A Touch of Sexual Assault is about Dixons experiences as a teenager in today world.
I sectioned part of the poem liked specifically:
“We said no, but that meant yes, so they grabbed us, and unzipped our dress. They threw us down, where our dignity sank lower than the ground” (Kayley Dixon, 2016).
This section stood out because of the pace races symbolising the climax of the action that is being described. There is also the rhyming of yes and dress which are think are really appropriate words to be connected considering the theme of the poem. Lastly it connects the physical act with the devastation left mentally in such a small section. I gives the idea that it only take one small action to change someone life.
“In the morning we will pick out the outfit that is the most discreet, because we want to make sure no other man from the street thinks we look sweet enough to want a taste” (Kayley Dixon, 2016).
This section describes the state of mind in which she has been left which give the poem another dimension as it is about more than give the physical act of sexual assault. The last part of the sentence is a very strong use of language as it compares to herself/body to being something you can consume. That fact the she has chosen the word taste especially next to the word sweet. Given the impression she is comparing her innocence’s and virginity to sweet treats you can pick at a shop. The word taste also symbolises the term of which the incident happened, it was just to try, to get the taste of it. Giving it a different feel, rather than a poem about sexual assault in a marriage or relationship.
Another poem that I found was Hi, I’m a virgin by Izzy Inkpen. Inkpen wrote the poem I a response to a similar piece by a more renowned slam poet Savannah Brown. Her piece is tilted Hi, I’m a slut. They both follow similar structure although Inkpen wrote her with personal themes. Because she is a virgin at twenty year of age so she wanted her poem to reflect her experiences.
“A perfect pre-pubescence with every hair plucked, blow-job eyes whilst a lollipop sucked. As she’s bent over a text-book and learns to be fucked, because it’s not paedophilia if she’s in luck. That virginity is a social construct” (Izzy Inkpen, 2016).
I like how the rhyming brings out aggression in this section is as I feel it helps to get the message across. The rhythm of the words and their structure is also great and fits well with the themes in which the sections is addressing. The idea of a young girl being bent over a text-book is a good play on words as she learns to be fucked. This section demonstrates young females are represented is society as you have the sexy school girl fetish. Which is a form of fetish that encourages paedophilia.
“Hi, I’m a virgin, and no that doesn’t mean I have something that other girls should long for. Hi, I’m a virgin, and no that doesn’t mean I have something more” (Izzy Inkpen, 2016).
This section really demonstrates the belief that write is trying to put across as these are the last two sentences in the poem. It leaves to reader or listener with a lasting thought to carry with them. I feel that it is making such a powerful statement to make and it is complimented with the reiteration of the first part of each sentence.
I will be using some of the ideas taken from these two pieces of work in my own writing. I have learnt I like rhyming in poetry as I think it helps progress idea and it creates pace within the writing. From this I will write my own poetry and see what comes from the ideas I want to write about. Then fill out other themes around the poetry.
Works Cited:
Izzy Inkpen (2016) Hi, I’m a virgin | Slam poem (Savannah Brown response)
. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q_7YljktTE [assessed 8 March 2017].
Kayley Dixon (2016) Teen’s poem about sexual assault is a powerful one
. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ONugTPF6s [assessed 8 March 2017].
Savannah Brown (2015) Hi, I’m a Slut: A Slam Poem | Savannah Brown
. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6CCePrJlaU [assessed 8 March 2017]
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