Patricia Smith’s “Skinhead”
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I was just reading my “Poet’s Companion” trying to jog the muse and I found this poem “Skinhead”–used as an example for an exercise on tone and perspective. The poem’s speaker is a white supremacist. The author a woman of color.
The notes on Patricia Smith following the poem say she won a National Poetry Slam Contest. I thought “Hmm, maybe she’s got stuff online?” How awesome: I found the poem! Youtube sucks for a variety of reasons but this isn’t one of them. Watch:
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Incredible poem. Incredible woman. Thanks for this link.
Comment by allecto April 29, 2008 @ 12:28 amOh my goddess:
Comment by Lara April 29, 2008 @ 4:57 am“and I was born…and raised…right here.” So powerful! Just shows you how our culture raises and breeds these white people. The poem gave me chills down my spine.
I know allecto and Lara–::shivers::
Reading it in print was pretty powerful too. And gotta love that “I know it’s the wrong goddamned finger but fuck you all anyway.”
Comment by pisaquaririse April 30, 2008 @ 2:49 amAh thank you for the poetry idea. I’ve been feeling decidedly unfunny lately. But not unhappy, so plainly boring.
Comment by m Andrea April 30, 2008 @ 4:34 amWhat poetry idea is that?
Unfunny? Pssshh. We all have slopes and peaks.
Most of the stuff I make fun of for humor’s sake is really for sanity and survival. If I let it fully register I might Sylvia Plath my ass.
(But lo, I am a coward and waaay too self righteous for the seriously dark plans.)
I just got an idea: some kind of online poetry workshop? The kind where we have little exercises and have to work together to finish pieces. Or something?
Comment by pisaquaririse April 30, 2008 @ 4:52 amI just got an idea: some kind of online poetry workshop? The kind where we have little exercises and have to work together to finish pieces. Or something?
Oh, yes please. I used to go to a women’s writing group down in Sydney but now I’m too far away to get to it. And I’ve not been writing lately at all. I feel very slack. Besides Dissenter and I need more stuff for Spinning Spinsters!!
Comment by allecto April 30, 2008 @ 10:23 amHmm. Wouldn’t it be good to set up some sort of live chat thing–for immediacy? Or maybe do some sort of e-mail thing–like send each other unfinished pieces and send them on for a different take.
Comment by pisaquaririse April 30, 2008 @ 1:06 pmKeep this going people!
I’m shooting from the hip here.
I like the idea of live chat thing. I have msn but I’m not sure how to set up a chat room thingie. I’de rather not do emails as I am on too many email lists already.
Comment by allecto April 30, 2008 @ 11:50 pmWe have a chat thing for work that’s pretty cool. I’ll look into the setup for it.
Comment by pisaquaririse May 1, 2008 @ 2:03 pm