one of the surprising things i found myself doing at the big chill was sitting in an afternoon of 2 hours of poetry. i don't really know why - i just fancied it. it was an afternoon celebrating 25 years of apples and snakes, an amazing organisation who encourage emerging poets and wordsmiths in education, prisons and the like. the afternoon was a showcase of their work. they have a cd out which i bought for harry, an emerging poet. i so wished he was there...
the power of words was amazing, perhaps most stunningly demonstrated in the dub poet jean binta breeze who stood up and lamented, railed against injustice, whipped the powers that be with her tongue, celebrated the poor and women in tender and humourous ways. i was moved to tears and inspired. i felt i had encountered something like an old testament prophet - it really was unbelievable. the other stuff was excellent too - ty was performing his wonderful hip hop that knocks the stuffing out of bling and gansta to reclaim the tradition, jamie woon and zena edwards track in other words was angelic (it's on the cd and is on her myspace page as is the other beautiful track she did solo - healing pool). it turns out the guardian have a podcast from the big chill on the words in motion stuff hosted by ty and jean binta breeze is on it from that afternoon performing third world blues which will give you the flavour. i can't believe that random connection!
it made me want to go and write some songs or poems...
I had a fantastic time at the Big Chill this year, probably my best yet, but I was gutted to miss all the spoken word stuff...
Posted by: Katherine | August 07, 2008 at 11:04 AM