In 2022, the Recording Academy added a Spoken Word Album category, trailblazing a new path for poets. This ignited the fire of many artists to finally put their words on record, and greenlit poets already doing this. That is why it came no surprise to many people in the poetry community when J.Ivy won the first award in 2023.
Before all of this, I had wanted to record a poetry mixtape. I was encouraged to pursue this idea in 2020 by Chris Margolin Host of TPQ20 Podcast and Co-Founder of the decade plus olde literary behemoth,The Poetry Question.
In the past, I have talked about how I see the micro-chapbook as an EP, a chapbook as a mixtape, and a full length collection is like an album in the literary world. I knew if I wanted to make a mixtape or even an album, I would need to record some singles first.
That’s why this year, I have begun to release a recorded poem (as a single) ideally each week, but for sure no less than three a month.
At first, I began to record some poems from my micro-chapbook BLERD: ‘80s BABY, ‘90s KID. I think its important to record poems I’ve already written, performed, and have deemed favorites of my own.
Why put all this pressure on myself to write something especially for recording? For some the answer may be obvious.For me however, I approach all my poems with page, stage, and performance in mind.
To me they are not different types of poems. They are equally important parts. I can always write poems for recording later.
After recording my poems “Notorious” and “Mint Condition,” I decided to resurrect my poem “Lenapehoking Potholes,” originally published by HAD in 2021. It seems to be a poem that has resonated well with audiences while performing it, and when it came out online.
I chose to spice it up a bit, and revised the recorded version of the poem’s name to simply “Lenapehoking.” It’s important we let our poems live full lives. It’s important we allow them to breathe and let them grow. I also decided to add some music that I produced/audio engineered myself.
Enough talking about it. You can listen here if this all sounds up your alley.
Side note: Lenapehoking is the indigenous lands that we know today as Manhattan, New Jersey, Delaware, and Southeastern Pennsylvania. In many ways this is an artistic land acknowledgment.
An act of solidarity.
I hope you enjoy.
-Peace & Blessings