My latest YouTube adventures found me stumbling upon videos of people, young and old, standing in front of microphones and speaking. But these speeches are not motivational or inspirational. These are poets, speaking about themselves and their life experiences in a spoken format. Sometimes the words rhyme, but more often than not the poetry is free verse. This is Button Poetry.
I fell in love immediately after watching the first video. I was hooked – my face continuously moved slowly closer to the screen as I listened to every word the poets said. I became entranced with their method of story-telling, which combines raw emotion and gestures to bring their poetry to life.
Below I have included a couple of my favorite videos I have watched so far. I have not even scratched the surface of Button Poetry yet, but here are my favorites so far.
1. Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye - "When Love Arrives"
“And when love finally reappeared, I barely recognized her. Love smelled different now, had darker eyes, a broader back. Love came with freckles I didn’t recognize, new birth marks, a softer voice. Now there were new sleeping patterns, new favorite books. Love had songs that reminded him of… someone else. Songs love didn’t like to listen to. So did I."
2. Kevin Kantor - "A Letter from Cancer"
“You will meet me there in nine months, or six months, or three, don’t try to time stamp our love, expiration-date us. But take your time. I’ll wait for you. Quiet, and patient. Until you wake one night with a stitch in your side or a wasp in your brain. And you will know… I’ve come back for you. I will always come back for you.”
3. Rudy Francisco - "My Honest Poem"
“I have this odd fascination with things like sand castles and ice sculptures – I assume it’s because I usually find myself dedicating time to things that will only last a few moments. That’s also why I tend to fall in love with women who will never love me back.”
4. Doc Luben - "14 Lines from Love Letters or Suicide Notes"
“8: I came home on Tuesday, and found all of the chairs that I own stacked in a tower in the center of my kitchen. I don’t know how long they have been like that, but it can only be me that did it. It’s the kind of thing a ghost might do to prove to the living that he is still there. I am haunting my own apartment.”
5. Jamie Mortara - “Some Things You Need To Know Before Dating Me”
“16: I’m not sure how much longer I can do this. 17: Despite my best efforts, I am real. 18: Don’t you dare try and figure me out. Too many people have claimed they can read me like a book, and then they went and put me on a shelf.”
