All too often, poetry is subjugated to reside in thick and crusty anthologies. We forget that poetry is not only an art to be read but also an art to be heard and watched and performed. We forget that centuries before books were widely available, poems were appreciated by means of memorization and recital. Poetry is not only an art of paper, but also an art of performance.
On the Monterey Peninsula, listening to and reading poems offer two distinctive experiences, and while on the page a poem is easy to dissect line by line, listening — with all of the personal, emotional expression — is a powerful and enriching experience. Monterey County hosts a few events reviving the art of performance poetry. The Monterey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival has begun its 10th decade, with attendance levels reaching all-time highs. Held in December, in Old Town Monterey, the festival’s mission is to “keep the cowboy lifestyle alive,” says Mick Vernon, the festival’s artistic director. The festival commemorates the cowboy tradition of storytelling through poetry. Nine “lyrical storytelling” shows are interspersed throughout the three-day event, explains Vernon. Coming from all over the West, the poets perform their own works. Cowboy poetry tends to attempt to simply explain the contemporary cowboy values through story.
Big Sur’s Henry Miller Library has been the home of another poetry gathering since 1998. Held during the summer, the West Coast Poetry Slam is a competition featuring teams from across the West Coast. The events are passionate and raw with artists bringing diverse experiences and styles. Every year, poets and spectators settle down on the lush, green lawn surrounded by Big Sur’s redwoods to lap up the sounds, meanings, rhythms, and words of the contestants. At the end of the day, most retreat to pitched tents in the area’s campsites. The festival lasts two days and rewards its contestants with $2,000 worth of prizes. Slam poetry can include choreography, political commentary, and hip-hop influences. The goal of a poetry slam is to make poetry accessible to everyone. This is a progressive and contemporary spoken word forum and perfectly suited to its home at the Henry Miller Library.
Every Wednesday night — from 8 to 10 p.m. — local poets get together to compete for the Rubber Chicken at the East Village Coffee Lounge in downtown Monterey. This weekly poetry slam was started in 2002 by Pacific Grove resident Garland Thompson Jr. The Rubber Chicken Poetry Slam attracts all types — from high school and college students to musicians and professionals. Every week the third place winner receives a rubber chicken, making this a very laidback slam. It is about the expression and the spoken word, rather than the prizes or prestige.
Poetry, as an art form, is varied and has plenty of room for experimentation. In recent years, though, it seems to have fallen down the cracks of the performing arts world. But with the appearance of poetry festivals and slams, people are learning to look beyond the anthology and see poetry as an art of speech.
