Jun 082006
The Twin Cities is a rather literary community. We’re so literary, in fact, that we invite poets to give spoken word performances on our public transit. Michael Schaub over at Bookslut is not quite convinced that this is a good idea. I’m kind of sorry that I missed out on this civic art experiment, but then again, I’m kind of not. In my experience, when poetry is good, it’s usually quite good. When it’s bad, it’s usually excruciating.
I do remember some guy reciting a poem on the S-Bahn in Berlin. I have no idea if it was any good, but other riders gave him money. I suppose one measure of a society’s civility is whether its public transit riders welcome a little art during their commute or whether they beat the crap out of the offending artist.
Hip-hop artist are alwys entertaining, even when they are bad, but chances of them being asked to give impromptu performances are probably nil. Pity.