Karma

August 22, 2015 1:07 PM

"If I could write this shit in fire, I would write this shit in fire." Dominique Christina delivers the fiercest poem you'll ever hear.
posted by billiebee (23 comments total)

Holy shit!
posted by SageLeVoid at 1:37 PM on August 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

That was just...wow.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 1:54 PM on August 22, 2015

I've never read any of her stuff before, but went to her website immediately after seeing this and purchased both of her books of poetry. Amazing stuff.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:19 PM on August 22, 2015 [2 favorites]

That is amazing. Just... there are no words.
posted by Deoridhe at 2:44 PM on August 22, 2015

I am always happy to see new young voices in slam poetry, but the fierceness is not unique to the poet but rather to the National Poetry Slam itself.

Her poetry has a lot of passion, I look forward to the day when she has the technical chops to blend experiences from her own life in as she speaks about the oppression she sees. It will make her work tighter and more powerful.
posted by corb at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2015 [3 favorites]

Also from Dominique Christina (trigger warning): The Topography of Rape Culture in the National Poetry Slam Community (Storify)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2015 [5 favorites]

I would comment but I'm busy putting out little flames all over the office. Also I think smoke is coming from the computer...
posted by Bringer Tom at 2:56 PM on August 22, 2015 [3 favorites]

Reminds me of Baraka's Black Art.

Poems that wrestle cops into alleys
and take their weapons leaving them dead
with tongues pulled out and sent to Ireland.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:02 PM on August 22, 2015

Fantastic.

Reminded me of Ray Scott doing Redd Foxx's The Prayer.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 4:34 PM on August 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

I loved this. So much more than a lot of spoken word I listen to, the fire and the rage.
posted by geek anachronism at 6:00 PM on August 22, 2015

.
posted by Oyéah at 6:06 PM on August 22, 2015

That is an impressive amount of energy..
posted by HuronBob at 8:10 PM on August 22, 2015

> new young voices in slam poetry

...young?
posted by desuetude at 9:17 PM on August 22, 2015

National Poetry Slam Championship 2011
Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion 2012
Women of the World Poetry Slam Runner Up 2013
Southern Fried Championship 2013
NUPIC (National Underground Poetry Slam) Championship 2013

Can't wait until she has some technical chops!
posted by shakespeherian at 10:25 PM on August 22, 2015 [26 favorites]

I have no words.
posted by clavdivs at 5:53 AM on August 23, 2015

Weird poem and poet to choose to condescend to. Probably worth reconsidering.
posted by maxsparber at 6:55 AM on August 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Very effective shadow boxing.
posted by spock at 7:20 AM on August 23, 2015

Yeah, I'm white, so all those years teaching students of color poetry are irrelevant, to say nothing of my own failed works. But yeah, some wonderful language, a captivating energy, and a complete failure of technical control. I'm for anything that gets people buying and reading poetry, though. Give her time. Poets develop very slowly.
posted by mrdaneri at 8:03 AM on August 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

It's not because your white. It's because you think just saying "lack of technical control" equals valuable or meaningful criticism.

I would point out that an argument from authority is just further condescension.
posted by maxsparber at 8:25 AM on August 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

'-my own failed works' is an explicit hint that I am neither an authority, a good poet, or a person to be trusted, in general.
posted by mrdaneri at 8:29 AM on August 23, 2015

Fair enough.
posted by maxsparber at 8:34 AM on August 23, 2015

This person is a human comet bright in our nation's night, a beauty, seething fire, channeling their inimitable elements, pushed forward by the millions taken too soon from their joys but not necessarily, their lives, and then outright from lives, excised from the mesh of family and twinings of love. Spit out by this nation's lassitude, cowardice, automated hatreds, spirit rises and promises a fire borne by the brave, the patient, the living bearers of battered but indomitible hope.

This one is brave, true, talented and posessed of greatness; blessed by all that were before...
posted by Oyéah at 9:09 AM on August 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I'm white, so all those years teaching students of color poetry are irrelevant,

Whatever your experiences are, this is a particularly tone deaf way defend yourself against potential charges of being a condescending white guy.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 10:26 AM on August 24, 2015 [3 favorites]