The Wake

It would seem poetry has fallen off the face of pop culture. Modern music, film and television have no time for line breaks and meter. These forms of media have even taken poetry’s place when it comes to entertainment. But maybe we aren’t looking hard enough and poetry still finds its way into modern culture’s consciousness. Recently, I came across the movie Slam, which stars poet and musician Saul Williams. The movie won Dramatic Feature Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Camera at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. After watching the movie, I realized poetry still has a presence in today’s entertainment.

Slam illustrates the redemptive qualities of poetry and, more specifically, spoken word. Through the eyes of Williams’ character, Ray Joshua, the power of words becomes clear. After finding himself in jail on minor drug charges, Ray feels pressure from the other inmates to either join a gang or face violence. Soft-spoken Ray only wishes to write poetry and be himself without the confines of the drug game. Yet the gangs want Ray and in a haunting scene he uses a spoken word piece to advert a physical confrontation. His words shock and appease the other inmates, who see the truth behind what Ray has proclaimed.

This moment also attracts the attention of the jail’s writing instructor, Lauren, played by Sonja Sohn. Seeing Ray’s sincerity and talent, she invites him to join her poetry class. Unfortunately, Ray’s first visit is his last because funding for the writing program has been cut, which exemplifies just another hardship facing African Americans in the judicial system. In a poignant speech by Lauren, she encourages the inmates to rise above their impoverished circumstances and reclaim their lives once they are out of jail. Their freedom is in their hands and it is their choice to get out of crime.

Ray seems to take her speech to heart since it is what he desires—freedom from the socioeconomic adversity he knows all too well. In this scene Ray and Lauren begin to feel a connection that only strengths once Ray has posted his bail and he goes to see her. Once Ray is on the outside he considers not showing up to his trial, where he faces up to five years in prison. He and Lauren get into a heated disagreement about what he should do. She believes he should serve his time and rise above his circumstances, but he cannot bear the thought.

Despite the argument, Ray goes to the spoken word event Lauren invites him to. There he is introduced to the healing and redeeming qualities of spoken word. Through expressing himself, Ray sees the hope that has eluded him as an inner city drug dealer. The violence, poverty and despair of Washington D.C. falls away. Through words, not actions, Ray finds himself.

As for the acting, Williams brings passion to the film, as does Sohn. Both performers bring the social problems confronting those who live in inner city neighborhoods to the forefront. Though the film may seem idealistic, it does present a message for everyone: poetry and art are relevant and have power. Williams’ work certainly takes this into consideration. He has published three works of poetry, in addition to creating music and movies. Williams brings tradition to modern mediums and forms, which can be seen in Slam when hip-hop meets lyrical prose. Overall, the film inspires a contemporary notion of poetry and its relevancy, which also makes for great entertainment.