Def Poetry

My senior year of high school I took a poetry class, and it was one of the best classes I've ever taken in my life. It was a rare moment in my high school academic career, where the teacher and the students were equally engaged and smart. The whole dynamic of the class worked and we had the opportunity to see, hear and appreciate some amazing poetry. I've been writing on my own for as long as I can remember and it has now become crucial to my process. Writing is always a place where I start, and a place I go to if I get stuck.
The first four videos are of Def Poetry Jam, a show started by Mos Def. Famous rappers, singers, and poets perform original slam poetry. The third clip, of poet Taylor Mali, came to perform at my high school and is totally amazing. The last clip is from a competition called Nicks Poetry Slam, which is a national competition for high school slam poets. The girl performing is one of the most amazing people I've ever seen and continues to inspire me every time I hear it.