Quillstress

I put up a Youtube video by an artist named Taylor Mali a few posts ago.  I enjoy his spoken word performances immensely, but I think Rives is now my favorite.  There are quite a few of his Youtube and TEDTalk videos I would highly recommend but I’m going to post “The Boy Who Could Levitate” here for your consideration.  In an interview for the Sundance Channel he once said “I’m up there for a lot of reasons, soul bearing being one of them, but I’m a performer, I’ll lie to you.”   I’ve found that one difficult to get young poets to think about, but it’s easier for them to understand when I’ve used his “Op-talk” performance to start them thinking.  How do you tell the truth by creating fiction?  He also talks about it being “that collision of Homer and Homer Simpson that turns me on.”    Mmm, an English Teacher’s fantasy.   lol   A great statement to discuss with students as well.  Anyway, hope you not only enjoy this link but go and find the others I’ve noted at the bottom of this post.  He’s truly amazing, but I will warn you to screen anything for use with students as he does work venues where he uses language not appropriate to school.

Op-Talk

Is 4am the New Midnight

If I Controlled the Internet

Sign Language

Emoticons

Gorgeous