Not all poetry wants to be storytelling. And not all storytelling wants to be poetry. But great storytellers and great poets share something in common: They had something to say, and did.
Interpretation
Poetry and storytelling serve different purposes, but both require a desire to express meaningful ideas.
In her quote, Sarah Kay highlights the distinction between poetry and storytelling while acknowledging their shared essence of creative expression. Both forms of art have unique methods and intentions, yet the greatest creators in either discipline possess a profound drive to communicate their thoughts and feelings, thus reflecting the transformative power of art in conveying human experiences.
In practice
In a workshop on creative writing, to emphasize the importance of unique voice in writing.
When I hear other people's stories, I like to believe that they contribute to my 'Encyclopedia of Human Experience.' The stories I hear help me expand my definition of what love is, what pain feels like, what sacrifice means, what laughter can do.
Spoken word poetry is the art of performance poetry. I tell people it involves creating poetry that doesn't just want to sit on paper, that something about it demands it be heard out loud or witnessed in person.
Life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
But in Hiroshima, some people were wiped clean away, leaving only a wristwatch or a diary page. So no matter that I have inhibitions to fill all my pockets, I keep trying, hoping that one day I'll write a poem I can be proud to let sit in a museum exhibit as the only proof I existed.
If I should have a daughter, instead of "Mom," she's going to call me "Point B," because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me.
To me, having the courage to tell your own story goes hand in hand with having the curiosity and humility to listen to others' stories.
Poetry is a mixture of common sense, which not all have, with an uncommon sense, which very few have.
I have to accept my role. I will never kill myself like Vincent Van Gogh. Nor will I paint beautiful water lilies like Monet. I can't do that. I'm in the idiot role of being a kiddie book person.
Heartbreak can definitely give you a deeper sensibility for writing songs. I drew on a lot of heartbreak when I was writing my first album, I didn't mean to but I just did.
…words have been all my life, all my life--this need is like the Spider's need who carries before her a huge Burden of Silk which she must spin out--the silk is her life, her home, her safety--her food and drink too--and if it is attacked or pulled down, why, what can she do but make more, spin afresh, design anew….
So every creative act strives to attain an absolute status; it longs to create a world of beauty to triumph over chaos and convert it to order.
I paint the way someone bites his fingernails; for me, painting is a bad habit because I don't know nor can I do anything else.
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