I don’t know how I’ve missed him; he’s just never popped up on my radar screen–until just a couple of days ago when my wife showed me this YouTube video.
Taylor Mali is not just a poet, he’s a full-time, WORKING poet, which I had thought was a bit of an oxymoron, to say the least. More important, he’s a major force in the poetry slam movement (a movement that’s generated some controversy–as any interesting one does), and a past-president of PSI.
Even more important, he’s an outspoken advocate for educators, which, as readers of this blog know, is an increasingly fervent focus for me.
While the message in this video is crucial for all of us, you may want to watch it with your local boundary-defying teenager.
Because, “it’s not enough, these days, to simply question authority. You gotta speak with it, too.”
Thanks for pointing to the video of this poet and your reflection on it.
We can do important things with words. But not with “weasel words” that stop short of expressing conviction.
Keep creating…words worth speaking,
Mike
I love the poetry slam movement. Years ago my mom was tutoring in a grade school helping a young girl who had been ‘written off’ as incapable of reading or writing well. She introduced her to reading plays out loud and to the idea of writing her own play. For the first time she connected with the material for some reason. She wrote and took pride in her writing for the first time. So often we’re so focused on what kids ‘should’ learn that there is not the time to find what inspires kids to learn. I think poetry slam falls into that category.
Farber fans: If you have not heard of Taylor Mali before, then you need to check him out. I stumbled across him on the Def Poetry show a few years ago and he is amazing. “What Teachers Make” will make you sit up and take notice of what a talent this guy really has for writing. Take a spin through the website, you wont be disappointed in what you will discover about him, and maybe a little about yourself. Good call as usual Mr. Farber.
I did not know much about the poetry slam movement other than hearing it mentioned briefly as one of many topics others had heard about but did not know much about. Very interesting video and I’m grateful that you put it on your site. Otherwise I would have continued to live on not knowing much about it let alone having witnessed it. I’ll be frank and honest in my own naivety on the topic. Glad to have been exposed to it now. All the more reason to keep reading your site and point your site to others as well. Thank you Mr. Farber!
I like this guy:-) and I can see what you mean by watching with your teenagers:-)
X C
This guy perfectly articulates what I’ve been feeling, every time I overhear conversations in public. I wish every 20 something could watch it. I’m glad the audience appreciated his message.