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LISTEN: Glenn North Performs 'In Your Face' Poetry

Laura Spencer
/
KCUR
Glenn North

Glenn North describes spoken word poetry as "in your face," using word play and slang. And he's gained a reputation as a performance poet, sharing the stage with poets like AmiriBaraka and Nikki Giovanni. 

The community programs and education director at the Black Archives of Mid-America, North has worked with urban youth to develop their open mic skills, and encouraged them to write a style of poetry that's meant to be performed for an audience. 

A Cave Canem fellow and a Callaloo creative writing fellow, in 2009, North received theCharlotte Street Foundation's Generative Performing Artist award. 

North shared three of his own poems about the African-American experience, including one about Blues pianist and singer Julia Lee, who grew up in Kansas City, Missouri:

 
All of our WORD readings, including bonus tracks by some poets, are archived on SoundCloud.

Kansas City is known for its style of jazz, influenced by the blues, as the home of Walt Disney’s first animation studio and the headquarters of Hallmark Cards. As one of KCUR’s arts reporters, I want people here to know a wide range of arts and culture stories from across the metropolitan area. I take listeners behind the scenes and introduce them to emerging artists and organizations, as well as keep up with established institutions. Send me an email at lauras@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @lauraspencer.
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