Breyonna Morgan
Spoken Word is a Great Way to Release Negative Emotions
7/15/12
Statement of Central Idea: Spoken word is the most rewarding and
fortifying way of releasing pent up emotions rather than fighting and
doing drugs.
I.
Introduction
A.
Attention material: Share with the audience a poem.
B.
Orienting material: Spoken word is an outlet for people to release
their emotions, views on certain topics, information, and life
experiences to their audience.
II.
Central Idea
A.
Since its beginnings during the Harlem Renaissance and the blues
error, spoken word has been an outlet of release for people who feel
that they had something to say.
B.
So, let me convince you why spoken word is the best form of
releasing emotion by first telling you what spoken word is, then giving
you the history of the art, and informing you of the benefits of
performing spoken word.
III.
Body
A.
Spoken word is type of poetry.
1.
It usually contains references to current events and issues that are
relevant to the audience.
a)
Politics and national/international tragedies are commonly
spoken of.
b)
Racism and prejudice is also a common topic.
2.
It is often associated to hip-hop, but it also has strong relations to
storytelling, modern poetry, post-modern performance, and Monologue
Theater, as well as jazz, blues, and folk music.
Breyonna Morgan
Spoken Word is a Great Way to Release Negative Emotions
7/15/12
3.
It is intended for on stage performance rather than just being written
on paper.
a)
“At its best, spoken word is a powerful, high-energy form of
expression that attracts artists and audiences of all ages from a wide
range of disciplines and socio-cultural backgrounds.”
b)
“It is performed enthusiastically be it vibrant or emotional,
rather than just read plainly.”
Now that we have established what spoken word is, let us probe into the history of the art.
B.
Spoken word was derived from the poetry of the Harlem
Renaissance and blues music.
1.
Modern day spoken word poetry became popular in the underground
African-American community in the 1960s with The Last Poets.
a)
The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group that was
born out of the African-American Civil Rights movement.
b)
So, there focus was on politics and prejudices against AfricanAmericans.
2.
“Spoken word was adopted by college circles in the early 1980s to
describe a new wave of performing arts that was birthed during Postmodern
Art Movement.”
3.
Slam poetry is the most popular offshoot of spoken word poetry.
a)
It is personally my favorite.
b)
It is popular with the younger crowd of poets.
c)
It is a present day soap-box for people to express their views,
emotions, life experiences or information to audiences.
4.
“The views of spoken word artists encompass frank commentary on
religion, politics, sex and gender, often taboo subjects in the world of
contemporary academics poetry.”
Knowing the history of an art form, allows a deeper understanding of how to perform that particular art.
Now, that you know the history of spoken word poetry, let us examine at the benefits of using the art of
spoken word to release emotions.
Breyonna Morgan
Spoken Word is a Great Way to Release Negative Emotions
7/15/12
C.
Using spoken word as an outlet for releasing negative emotions is
very rewarding and fortifying.
1.
Feedback received from the audience can be uplifting.
a)
When an audience praises you just because you let them get a
glimpse at how you feel, the feeling that washes over you is amazingly
positive.
b)
When the audience gives you a standing ovation because the
emotions that you let show were raw and realistic, you become addicted
to the rush you feel while sharing your emotions.
2.
If you put everything into your performance, you feel a relief from the
emotions that you have just shared with the audience.
3.
If your negative emotions are released in a positive way, then you are
less likely to end up dead or in trouble.
a)
Anger that is released on a poetry slam stage stays on the stage.
b)
The pain from heartbreak can be relieved with a “let it all out”
poem on stage.
Establishing an outlet for your negative emotions is very important, but you will have to make sure that
your outlet doesn’t have a negative effect on yourself or the people around you. Spoken word is a
positive way to release negative emotions. You share how you feel with others, and you let yourself
release negative energy.
Breyonna Morgan
IV.
Spoken Word is a Great Way to Release Negative Emotions
7/15/12
Conclusion
A.
Summary
1.
Spoken word is poetry that is performed dramatically in front of an
audience.
2.
It originated as a way for people to express their opinions and how
they felt even when their opinions and feelings didn’t matter in society.
3.
The use of spoken word is spectacular outlet for negative emotions
because it lets others know how you feel and it allows you to release the
negative emotions within you.
B.
Spoken word is an art form that allows your emotions to be
expressed positively and without any negative effects to anyone. It
allows the performer to let out all of what he/she feels through words.