by Robert “Bob” Bussey
This month, we take a dive back into “Spoken Word” poetry. It is probably the hardest style of poetry to write about since it is meant to be “spoken” not read on some page or in some digital magazine. But that is what I do, I write on paper or in a digital magazine. “Spoken Word” poetry is also the most ancient form of poetry since people were speaking for many,
many, many years before they wrote anything down that even remotely resembled what we now consider the “written word.”
“Spoken Word” is an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer’s aesthetic qualities. That means you really have to see the poem performed to fully understand what it is about since so much of the
poem is conveyed via the emotions, the tone of voice, the body language of the poet who is delivering the poem. Yep, these are performances, they are lessons in acting, they are meant to be seen and heard, not just read. It is a 20th-century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focused on the aesthetics of recitation and word play, such as the performe’s live intonation and voice inflection.
“Spoken Word” is a term that includes multiple types of poetry that is recited aloud, including poetry readings, poetry slams, jazz poetry, pianologues, musical readings, and hip hop music, and can include comedy routines and prose monologues. But it is not like your typical poetry reading that often lacks the deep, evocative emotion that is conveyed during a challenging “Spoken Word” performance.
Unlike written poetry, spoken word poetry takes its quality less from the visual aesthetics on a page, but depends more on phonaesthetics, or the aesthetics of sound. You might think of “Spoken Word” poetry as more of a boxing match with the poet letting go with verbal upper cuts, verbal jabs, or verbal cross punches. The verbal jab might be a regular jab, tapper, space-maker, power jab, double jab, body jab, and counter jab, depending on what the poet is trying to drive home. You can see these and feel these when a “Spoken Word” poet is at his/her best in their performance.
Performance poetry coming out of Africa dates to prehistoric times with the creation of hunting poetry, while elegiac and panegyric poetry were developed in the empires of the Nile, Niger and Volta River valleys. In African culture, performance poetry is a part of theatrics, which was present in all aspects of pre-colonial African life and whose theatrical ceremonies had many different functions: political, educative, spiritual and entertainment.
Some American spoken-word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance,blues, and the Beat Generation of the 1960s. Spoken word in African-American culture drew on literary and musical heritage. Langston Hughes, probably the most famous of the early spoken word poets in the United States, influenced many other “Spoken Word” poets of later generations. Writers of the Harlem Renaissance were inspired by the feelings of the blues, spirituals, and hip-hop. Slam poetry artists were inspired by poets such as Hughes in their word stylings.
The Civil Rights Movement also influenced spoken word. Notable speeches such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”, Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?”, and Booker T. Washington’s “Cast Down Your Buckets” incorporated elements and styles that influenced the spoken-word movement within the African-American community. The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group formed during the 1960s that was born out of the Civil Rights Movement. They helped increase the popularity of spoken word within African-American culture.
In the 1980s, spoken-word poetry competitions emerged and were labelled “poetry slams”. In 1990, the first National Poetry Slam took place in Fort Mason, San Francisco. The Recording Academy later sponsored open forum webcasts to discuss the possibility of including “Spoken Word” poetry as a category within the Grammy Awards. In 2022 Spoken Word Poetry successfully became an official Grammy Award genre with the first award being presented to J. Ivy in 2023. (If you would like to listen to J. Ivy, click on this link: https://youtu.be/VkaGiO7k-rY?si=Mlwf5UWy6cgai3d7 )
Kalvin Hackney is a spoken word poet. He is also a Mixed Martial Arts fighter and the owner of Hackney Fitness and is the moderator on a radio show you can find at Kiss 98.7 FM –Tone Up Tuesday each and every Tuesday @ 8:00AM. You might think that being an MMA fighter simply does not fit with being a poet. Muhammad Ali would most likely disagree since he was both a boxer and a poet, with many of his poems are still in publication.
Kalvin told me that he does not think of himself as a poet. Instead, he is more of a “viewer of the world around him.” He sees others going through various life experiences and wonders why they do certain things. Some of those people are close to him. Others he has met along the way on his own journey through life. He is constantly trying to figure out his world as well as the world that others live in.
Kalvin was born in Houston, Texas then moved to Lufkin until he was around 13 years old. Then he moved to Georgia, then finally to Pineville, Louisiana. He worked for Martco for a period of time, worked as a fireman, got into MMA fighting in 2008 and opened Hackney Fitness in 2018. You can find Hackney Fitness at 22 Bolton Ave., Alexandria, Louisiana 71301.
The first poem we discussed is called “Dope Dealer.” You need to remember that this is meant to be a “spoken word” poem. It loses so much just to read it. You really need to watch Kalvin create the poem in his words and actions during one of his live performances. But, before you read the poem, here is a little background. Kalvin has a male cousin. They are the same age, they like the same food, they walk the same, they even talk the same. Kalvin was close to his cousin, and still is. But they had totally different lives growing up. Kalvin had a close, loving family, with a father who provided his children with guidance and advice. His cousin was shifted from family to family as a youngster, never had a real dad, and had a mom who was a drug addict. His cousin ended up in jail at the age of 18 for beating up someone who owed him money. That person died. His cousin is still in jail some 20+ years later. His cousin was also a user and a dope dealer. The poem was written after Kalvin had many conversations with his cousin about his life and why he resorted to selling dope. So here is the poem. It starts out with Kalvin asking the dope dealer, his cousin, a question.
OCCUPATION: DOPE DEALER
“Dope dealer, Dope dealer, Dope dealer, Dope dealer, why do you sell
Dope?”
Citizen, why you Figa!
Dope Dealer, Dope Dealer, Dope Dealer, Dope Dealer, You got a choice.
My hand was born on the trigger!
Now…dope dealer why you selling dope all on the block.
I Got Kids, Bills, food, I gotta shop
I’m a 2 time felon, on probation!
This American right here
Gets no love from his nation!
And, yea, I need gas.
And, yea, I pay bills.’
But I’m running low on cash.
It’s about to get real.
Got my … back on the wall.
And the … ground by my feet.
Still paid my Bill for Probation.
But now my kids gotta eat.
So … feet gotta move.
The drugs gotta move.
And Police … they move.
So Every…body lose.
But I’m Off to the Trap House.
We know what that’s about.
My Momma, my Daddy, my baby, my Kids.
Yea…
Gotta feed them moths.
So, what can you say to me?!
No solutions you provide.
No scratch that, no sleep, gotta eat.
We gotta survive.
Now … I can be your friendly neighbor?
I can be your set Cap Peeler.
But until this world it change
I’m a be a Dopedealer.
So … what does a man tell a man about more.
Oh, No, Not Fair.
My life is different cause I’m poor.
And I don’t get no more!
Man, I wanna eat!
You want me to do Right!
But we starving on these streets.
Got Born on the streets.
Got hurt on these streets.
For the rest of your life they keep you on these streets.
Cause once you commit a crime
There’s not way to increase your flow.
Why all these Jobs don’t want him.. “No MO.”
My bad, I mean more.
But still, I have to score.
One option left … Dope.
Open that door.
Yea.
Come get S’more.
Bitch get rich.
But that’s just it.
I don’t ever get Rich.
There’s always a Snitch.
There’s Always a Jacker.
Why I keep 2 clips.
Why I got that Placka!
Also, those people don’t care nothing about my voice…
And after all that how can you say “I Have a Choice.”
Cause Once you go to jail, you can never ever Thrive.
Thrive homeboy…
I’m just trying to stay alive. ‘
Live past 25, when you know I’m neglected.
I wanted to prosper in my life…
But a Felons rejected!
Some people born rich.
Most Presidents elected …
So how can you look down at my life and say “I’m not affected?”
So Basically, what I’m saying is there’s no chance for me.
And, if you have a better plan
Please … lemme see.
So … ima get this paper.
Ima push this Dope.
Flying high to the sky.
Climbing mountains.
No Rope.
Plus, I got that good Dope.
Pressing hard on my Peers.
Cash Yo … money flow.
Still living in Fear.
Watch yo Back.
Watch they Back.
Get Back to Back on them Hoes.
In this game can’t let up.
You better stay on ya Toes.
Believe the life I’m living,
Not Happy,
Not Glad.
But that Rock and that Hard Place makes a whole lotta Mad.
In the deep end of the pool.
So, I take my dive.
Selling my dope in my hood.
Only way to survive.
We starving out here and y’all don’t even care.
Calls us names, makes us the Enemy.
Or be unaware.
So … Come get ya Boos.
Can you … Walk my shoes?
And if you really think you Really Ready
Then .. Pay ya dues.
But keeping it real Citizen.
You ain’t heard a word I said
And, if I break a law or 2
“I Got My Kids Fed!”
If you can sense the feeling of helplessness from reading this poem, just try to imagine it in a true spoken word presentation! The poem directly confronts some of the most pressing issues of our society… poverty, broken families, drugs, the prison system, and felon rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Kalvin packed all of that into one poem while scholars have written books, upon books, upon books about each of those issues. You really need to see Kalvin perform Dope Dealer!
The next poem is also Kalvin writing from the point of view of another person. This time a law enforcement officer… a cop. Again, this is Kalvin viewing and trying to figure out his world and the world of others.
Protect And Serve
(Siren) Gunshots Officer Down
Weighing hard on my nerves.
But God put it in my heart.
Protect and Serve.
Risk my life, to save lives.
That’s the life I chose.
I Always stood up for what’s right.
Goona be some heroes.
Saving lives … well that’s God and my Bond.
And it’s like become Superman
Every time I have my Badge on!
And on and on and on and on.
It’s who I am at this point
Cause I have my Badge on.
Cause HE had his Badge on, and She has her Badge on.
I’ll cover their back No Matter What!
Cause “WE” have our Badge on.
Loyal to the cause, any risk that it takes
Always on the edge
So, Yea, I’ve made mistakes
Didn’t mean to make mistakes
My heart was beating true.
Thought I was gonna die.
I mean … what would you do?
What did I do?
Had to survive
It’s rough out here …
Do my job but stay alive.
So, my kids and family Thrive.
The American team.
Tough job, decent pay.
But I’m still living the dream.
And that’s what I mean.
Feels like a Dream.
For the sacrifices I make
Things aren’t as they seem.
It’s tough out here, I’m stressed.
Today I was shot at …
Always fighting with the enemy.
Mortal Combat.
I see the Perp, he’s Armed to Test.
I see the Perp.
His Gun is trying to test my Vest.
But you know I’m strong.
I’ll do my best to endure
Life risking situations.
But I’ll stick to procedure.
I’m a good man, good cop.
At least I like to think so …
Judged by so many
They have no clue, don’t know.
But I know.
Most act like they have no clue.
Where there’s poverty
There’s problems
There’s issues.
I saw Johnson the other day.
Hit a guy way too many times.
Trying to reason to myself…
He deserved it
But still it weighing on my mind …
Should I report it? No way!
Goes against the code.
And how my fellow officers see me??
Gotta stick to the code.
Feels a lil wrong, but that guy probably deserved it.
He look like he’s done a crime or 2,
Got away with.
Didn’t deserve it.
So today he got served,
Well, I guess so
His wrong caused Johnson’s wrong
So …
Even Blow!
I’d like to think so.
No, I Have to admit what Johson did was wrong
But What should I do? Report?
No! Just another sad song.
Plus, That process way too long.
And I know I’d lose.
Gotta look out for my family.
Made my choice.
I choose.
I choose to remain quiet.
I choose to stay neglect.
Brothers and Sisters at the department
I choose to keep their respect.
Father God forgive me, I know it’s not nice
But my deed for what’s right
Causes my sacrifice.
And … that’s not right.
Where’s the justice in that.
That’s baby girl by the way.
Remember feeding her similar
That was some years back.
But let’s get right back.
There is none, so I won’t.
This world will attack
My opinion …
Or may be just a known fact.
Either way I’m looking at it …
I gotta get it back.
Back to the World.
Back to the Job.
Back to the Law and the Word.
God put it in my Heart.
“Protect and Serve.”
Kalvin has not published any of his poetry before. Like I said, it is really, really hard to put “spoken word” poetry into written form. It simply loses something. So, I guess he is now published with this article. But you need to watch for Kalvin at some of the open mike events around town, or go to one of his MMA matches, or go to his gym to lose a few pounds.
