Project “Headphones” is underway! Last weekend I teamed up with some of Chicago’s greatest talent -Legenderi Films, The Sassy Peach and poet Malakh El, to make it happen.
What is Headphones?
A poetry video project. Something that I’ve long dreamed of that has finally come to fruition.
I used to have these light bulb moments, where something would inspire me to write, and with my mind racing full of ideas, I’d begin putting pencil to paper only to be disappointed that my expression would end up being maybe 10-lines or less…hardly filling up a page in my notebook! I wanted to write poems that would trail off a page onto another, and the back of that one – poems so long and “deep” that I had to write in circles and take notes on my hand if I ran out of paper. But it seemed like I couldn’t….and feeling like less than a writer, I would seriously question myself: What am I doing? Is this even poetry? It’s so doggone short! (Lol)
It wasn’t until I bought and read Toni Blackman’s Inner-course, that I realized I was trippin’.
Poetry is a carved expression of language...period. It can be accomplished in 20 stanzas, or 20 words – doesn’t matter – For at the end of the day, a short poem is still poetry! And hell, Ms. Blackman had published a whole book of ‘em!
I hold that book (it’s one of my FAVORITES; I’ve even mentioned it before) accountable for all the short poems that I’ve written today. For reminding me that it’s not the length, but substance of the words and how you shape them that makes a poem relevant.
Then the creative bug bit me – what else can I do with these short poems? To breathe life into them? To express the things that the blank lines say?
Thus, the video project was born: A visual narration of short poetry set to music.
I will be bringing you “Headphones” soon. I’m even thinking about having a video premiere party! In the meantime, peep these behind-the-scene pics from the making of “Headphones”:
What is Headphones?
A poetry video project. Something that I’ve long dreamed of that has finally come to fruition.
I used to have these light bulb moments, where something would inspire me to write, and with my mind racing full of ideas, I’d begin putting pencil to paper only to be disappointed that my expression would end up being maybe 10-lines or less…hardly filling up a page in my notebook! I wanted to write poems that would trail off a page onto another, and the back of that one – poems so long and “deep” that I had to write in circles and take notes on my hand if I ran out of paper. But it seemed like I couldn’t….and feeling like less than a writer, I would seriously question myself: What am I doing? Is this even poetry? It’s so doggone short! (Lol)
It wasn’t until I bought and read Toni Blackman’s Inner-course, that I realized I was trippin’.
Poetry is a carved expression of language...period. It can be accomplished in 20 stanzas, or 20 words – doesn’t matter – For at the end of the day, a short poem is still poetry! And hell, Ms. Blackman had published a whole book of ‘em!
I hold that book (it’s one of my FAVORITES; I’ve even mentioned it before) accountable for all the short poems that I’ve written today. For reminding me that it’s not the length, but substance of the words and how you shape them that makes a poem relevant.
Then the creative bug bit me – what else can I do with these short poems? To breathe life into them? To express the things that the blank lines say?
Thus, the video project was born: A visual narration of short poetry set to music.
I will be bringing you “Headphones” soon. I’m even thinking about having a video premiere party! In the meantime, peep these behind-the-scene pics from the making of “Headphones”:
Location: Brown Sugar Bakery, South Side Chicago...if you ever have a taste for some pound cake, this is the place to go. They are also known for their caramel cake.
Makeup and Style by my good friend Aramide of The Sassy Peach. Check her out!
Legenderi Films capturing great shots even in the snow!
2 comments:
Wow! You're doing videos now. Shoot, I was the rapper...lol. I am sooooooo proud of you.
niiiiice, keep it coming! and thanks for the "Twit" advice about writers inspiration~
DraZ!
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