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 Canadian poet SHANE KOYCZAN shot to prominence when he became the first international winner of the Individual Championship title at the National Poetry Slam 2000 (USA). His career since has been filled with lavish critical praise and competition victories. Before he heads out to Brisbane for the QUEENSLAND POETRY FESTIVAL, WILLIAM MCBRIDE fires off a few questions.
Can you describe your performance style for the uninitiated? Most folks have been calling it “Talk Rock”. As for describing it, that’s kind of like asking a friend to describe how a food you’ve never tried before tastes…there’d just be a lot of fumbled and inaccurate comparisons. Luckily we live in the age of the internet so if people are really curious they can just do a search online. Slam poetry is a diverse art form, with a lot of cross over between music and performance art. The performances at the Queensland Poetry Festival are described by Artistic Director Graham Nunn as ‘concerts’. What is your impression of this seemingly unusual word choice for ‘poetry readings’? I don’t think it’s unusual at all. A concert implies that you will be entertained… why should music be the only art form to hold that title? There’s no rule that says you can’t laugh or cry while you are being enlightened. Poetry has been seen as a dead art form in modern times, with 20th Century modernism and the Romantic poets persisting as the predominant reference points for casual observers. How do you counter this attitude? I guess poetry is dead to the people who saw no use in keeping it alive…for them to hear the word “poetry” is kind of like sighting Elvis in a grocery store. But there is a large and vibrant culture that still enjoys the sense of passion that words can stir within them. There’s no use in countering any attitudes towards poetry… it is not poetry’s job to force itself on anyone… but it will be there should anyone feel the need to turn to it. In your poem ‘Atlantis’ there is a strong sense of fatalism, and a rejection of science as an ultimate destination of human knowledge (or at least an understanding that scientific knowledge is ultimately limited). And there seems to be a melancholic joy in the unknowable. Would you agree that these are particularly poetic sentiments? Why? I don’t think they’re particularly poetic sentiments… they’re just my opinions and I’ll always be the first to admit that I could be wrong… I’ve changed my mind more often than politicians have tried to spin scandals. People are drawn to the voices of poets – often commenting on the ills and hypocrisies in society – yet people live with and perpetuate these ills and hypocrisies. Why do you think this contradiction exists? The only reason I can find for this is comfort. It’s easy to say these things and have others agree because, believe it or not, we are still very moral creatures… but it’s hard to believe that anything you do as an individual can make any difference… so it just feels more comfortable to resign yourself to fate and pray that others who are more committed will pick up the slack. People just don’t realize that repeating even the smallest positive action will yield large positive results. What have been inspirations for you and your craft – names and formative experiences? The first time I ever kissed a girl I was surprised because she tasted like tomatoes. It wasn’t unpleasant and I indeed now have a true fondness for tomatoes but it wasn’t what I was expecting which surprised me even further because what was I honestly expecting? The next girl I kissed had a peppery taste and it surprised me because I was expecting tomatoes… and I have gone on and on expecting things throughout my life but I find myself most joyful in the surprises… in a world where misery and tragedy are so commonplace…the surprises remain a rare and special gift… I find my inspiration in the same place I find hope. Do you still work in the video store? Hell no. Shane Koyczan will be performing at the opening night event of the Queensland Poetry Festival, Judith Wright Centre, September 7, www.queenslandpoetryfestival.com Listen to Shane’s poetry online: www.myspace.com/shanekoyczanandtheshortstorylong
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