Because it was hard to think of an advertisement for queer poetry, let alone a political one, I created an advertisement for a queer slam poetry night. It’s an open mic that invites everyone from the LGBT and heteronormative community to come celebrate queer poetry.
All in all, my blog isn’t very political. The most political thing it demands is proper queer representation in poetry. Perhaps the most politically open figure in queer poetry is who I wrote about for my first archive piece, Richard Blanco. He’s an openly gay man that recently became the United States’s fifth inaugural poet. He serves as a good representative figure, more open to political scrutiny than other poets. His even being the inaugural poet helps show that poets are not determined or discriminated against by their sexual orientation.
I think it’s important that the LGBT community is involved in politics. As shown in this week’s lesson, it helps determine pro-LGBT legislation and creates a more inclusive environment. In the case of queer poetry, queer poets like Blanco create more exposure and more access for other non-heterosexual writers so they can expand on the topic and document LGBT history. If we expand LGBT inclusivity to all of our media, especially our writers and poets, than they become ingrained in our culture. They gain a voice and can help influence our culture and history.
I take your point regarding politics, but I think I am with Amaris on this one. A lot of queer poets writing today see their work as explicitly political, but their stance stems from the feminist principle that the personal is political.
Have you seen this connection between the personal and the political in any of your archive items? If Blanco doesn’t (I think he is much more interested in lyric and epic, or like personal and national scales) then maybe somebody like Eileen Myles?
First of all, I want to say thanks for the comment on my Shay Mitchell/Ingrid Nilsen post! I have in fact seen other coming out videos like Shane Dawson, Connor Franta, Joey Graceffa, etc. Each one also had me on the verge of tears.
Secondly, this is a great post. I like the idea of the slam poetry poster. I think that poetry is very powerful and that it can have an incredible impact depending on how it is used and who it is targeted at. I have seen slam poetry videos that has made my jaw drop and truly think about what is wrong with the world.
I believe that poetry can very much be political, as words speak to the masses – it it just a matter of how you are going to get that message out to people.
I think with a visual representation of a person reading aloud a particular poem, you can really effect a lot of people and send the right message.
Again, great post! I look forward to reading more.
(I am in love with poetry!)