Eric Hopes

This is from the live show on 6/16/24 recorded at Yellow Cab Tavern in Dayton, Oh.
I hope that you're enjoying these videos, like, share, and make a comment and let the poets know they're appreciated!
1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at Yellow Cab Tavern in Downtown Dayton, Oh.

[@benjamingardner3314]

Hey there! Well done, sounds like you really meant what you read and the theme of blue throughout the poem was lovely. For reading out loud, I'd like to make a few suggestions: first, slow down. I know there's a rhythm to it, but the rhythm can be expressed in a slower tempo. I'd recommend finding a metronome or music that you can time yourself against. I'm asking you to slow down bc it is hard for me to make out some of your schemes when you run words together, and I think they're worth hearing. Second, talk your poem out conversationally and record it. What ideas would be important if it didn't have to rhyme? How much can you convince your audience that you do have this hope? There is an element of stage performance with slam poetry. Watch videos of actors reading letters or books excerpts. Finally, if you want to really evolve your delivery, memorize the poem. It will get your eyes up and mouth on the mic. You can play with it more when you know what's coming. Set ups can have punchlines in a sense, funny/dramatic/sad/ironic. You've written your words, but finding your true voice will take time. Good luck to you, I hope you continue doing this.