Customer Reviews

Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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There are few poetry anthologies that one will turn to time and time again for a poetic take on reality. Bum Rush the Page is that sort of anthology and more. It is filled with poetry that will make you cry, laugh out loud, say "Amen," say "Well alright," and make you nod your head in solidarity. It's the kind of book you can read on the train, subway, bus, plane, the kind of book you can read in bed, alone or not, on the couch, alone or not. The poems tell it like it is, they dance, they sway and they groove. They are tough, funny, inspirational, and blunt. In some cases, they are..., sensual and revolutionary. In the end, they are works of some of the best poets with fresh voices and fresh styles, saying it loud.

As a performing artist, I have used this anthology for myself and for my students to learn and be able to perform a variety of poetry. many subjects are discussed and the students can relate to the many voices. many of them have used them as monologues for auditions. Of all the books on the shelf, this was has the most worn pages... :-)

this book is probably the new testament of slam/spoken/performance poetry (Aloud being the old testament). the works here are very fresh and urban; urban to hip hop and the slam community. def poetry jams are the sickest and illest form of poetry. the works within can bring the fun and funk at the same time. there is a myriad of emotion and issues at hands, each poem is strong and in your face with the arts. this is fine arts at its finest. poetry is not dead, it was never in a state of rest, society was just too ignorant to notice it. Bum Rush the Page throws poetry back into everyday society and culture, forcing people to open their minds. it is loud, it is fresh, it is slam!

bum rush the page will be hailed as a classic in the years to come. Combining established poets like Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez with up and coming poets like Shaggy Flores, Mariposa and Thien Bao Phi. The subject matter is broad and the chapter titles read like a poem itself. From the foward by Sonia Sanchez
you know the ride will be better, every openign poem of each chapter will draw you in, asking for more, wanting you to write a poem, making you love the poem and understanding that poetry isn't only shakespeare and his sonnets. Bum Rush the Page will live in cirriculums for years to come. From Beau Sia's "Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry" to Bonafide Rojas"s "The Creed of a Graffiti Writer", these poems reflect poetry in the 21st century. Tony Medina and Louis Reyes Rivera have done justice to opening people's eyes on what poetry will always be, the voice of the people.

This book brilliantly brings poetry to a higher level, but still relatable to the hip hop audience. Real issues, eloquently or blunt are put on the page to provocate critical thinking. At the same time it still has a fun side to it without taking away its edge. "Lonely Woman", "Thoughts From a Bar Stool", and "Bad Times" continue the different themes presented in the anthology.

This was okay, but take a look at Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets' Cafe. I read that book a few years ago, and still hold it one of my favorite books. I was hoping that this would be more of the same, but not quite.

Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam is by far one of the best poetry book anthologies I have purchased. The book features a variety of works from known poets as well as other local talented poets. Bum Rush the Page is an anthology that covers issues like racism, poverty and inequality. It also covers subjects like love, sex and relationships in everyday life. I love the bluntness of the poems featured in the book. When I read them I feel as though I am there looking at what they are describing and at the same time relating to what they are talking about. The poems in this book flow great from one another but you won't be disappointed if you just pick up the book and flip to a random page.

Written with style and immense passion, Bum Rush the Page is a poetic protest to the many issues Blacks face in society. Above and beyond that, poems are marked with stories of struggle, triumph, lust and relationships, and so on. One of the most powerful pieces discussed the heart of a woman and her "cheerleading" for Hip-Hop although it tends to degrade her. Another emphasizes a dislike for fake Mc's. Being a fan of Def Poetry Jam itself, I found it easy to flip through each page, acting out words as if I were being spoken to at that very performance. This book is truly a lyrical masterpiece!

Some poetry is hard to read on the page because it needs to be recited out loud. But poems like "A Poet is not a jukebox" by Dudley Randall are so tight they could be read out loud or on a page and still be flawless. Some of the poems were great! Others could've stayed in the poets head ("It's called Kings" by by Susana Cabanas). Overall, I thought the book was cool but the show is better by a long shot.

Very good book on the spoken word, really enjoyed 'Dare to be different'.