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Poets Use Spoken Word To Entertain Troops
(June 23, 2011) | 
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Robert Bob, a circuit action specialist with Five Rivers Company and
Lee Phillips, a systems integrator with Intecon, perform one of
their spokenword poems during a "Poetry Lounge" session on Camp
Liberty, Iraq on March 26, 2011. Sessions such as these were created
to help build morale of ser vice members on Victory Base Complex
while deployed. |
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BAGHDAD (6/20/2011) - Spoken word has been a popular form of oral
art today since its inception in the 1990s; it is used as an outlet
for people to share their views inspired by life experiences,
religion, politics and emotions.
Typically spoken as a
rhythm of ‘food for thought,' incorporated with rhyme, but still
making sense to the audience is a strategy used by most spoken word
artists.
Service members and civilians on Victory Base
Complex had the opportunity to share their artistic talent on stage
during the Writer's Block and Poetry Lounge sessions.
As a
member of the 3rd Eye Alumni, a group of poets founded by service
members, Robert Bob, also known as Scott Free, a circuit action
specialist with Five Rivers Company, said he started hosting the
shows on VBC back in January 2010. |
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Continuing the heritage left behind by the group since 2005, Bob said
the purpose is to help the troops pass the time while on deployment.
Designed as an escape from reality while boosting morale for the
troops, Lee Phillips, also known as Verse Lee, a spoken-word artist and
a systems integrator with Intecon said, “It is also an avenue for people
out here to express themselves through poetry, song and music.”
“Our poetry shows are different out here,” said Phillips who is also a
show co-host.
Slam poetry, as it is also known, is more akin to a
conversational dialogue and generally performed in a storytelling
manner.
The topics of the poetry in this environment encompass a
multitude of deployment experience including family, love and hate
relationships, which allows the audience to feel the artists and their
poetry.
“The very first show I attended out here was absolutely
entertaining,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kelly Bonds, material
readiness officer with Material Readiness Division, J4 Forward, United
States Forces – Iraq. “It was certainly refreshing to sit back, relax
and put all things aside for a few good laughs.”
Bonds described
the show to be the single event on VBC that takes the level of
entertainment from very serious to extreme laughter in minutes.
“We interact with the audience to get them involved and feel
comfortable,” Phillips said.
As a host, Bob works to keep the
viewers entertained throughout the show. “The energy you give is the
energy you get,” he says during each event. “When I feel the liveliness
from the crowd, it makes me feel good.”
Like most of the talented
artists on VBC, Sylvester Hurt also known as Sleezy, started out as a
spectator in the audience. The spoken-word artist and help desk
administrator with Diagnostic Retrieval Systems Technologies said he was
first introduced to the show by word-of-mouth through friends, and since
then has been an active member.
“I enjoy writing and getting up
on stage to share my talent with others,” Hurt said. “Because we are in
an environment like this, I want everyone to have fun and enjoy the show
like I did.”
“Poetry night is a communication outlet for me,”
said Spc. Le'Stevion Harris, a new spoken-word artist and a cable
systems installer with the 151st Signal Battalion. “It allows me to be
honest with myself as being able to share my experiences.”
A
spoken word piece can be powerful and meaningful with the right emotion
behind it. Prior to the shows, artists gather for peer-to-peer critique,
delivery and stage presentation, Bob said. “We have sessions like this
so we can help each other out, especially for the newcomers interested
in getting on stage.”
Poetry is free and stepping up to be the
voice for people who don't have one can be an ever-changing experience,
he said.
Whether it's performing on stage or listening to the
artists, it would be quite an experience for anyone to attend the event
for the first time.
The amount of energy throughout each event
and the vibrancy of the crowd keeps the shows alive for the troops and
civilians to enjoy. | |
Article and Photo by Army Spc. Charlene Apatang Mendiola
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
Copyright 2011
Provided
through DVIDS
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