On September 13, CBS News Sunday Morning featured a segment on the 2009 Poetry Out Loud National Finals, which took place last April. Host (and poet) Charles Osgood visited Washington, DC, to tape interviews with various participants, including guest judge Garrison Keillor and state champions. CBS Sunday Morning is seen nationally by 4.9 million viewers each week.
Osgood also recorded a related audio segment for the September 11 edition of The Osgood File, a national radio feature that airs on more than 400 stations across the country.
As a NJ poet involved with Poetry Out Loud as a teaching artist, I am completely overjoyed, but not surprised, by the national attention the POL program is receiving. The concept speaks..or has spoken.. for itself…and the children shall inherit the earth!!!
I heard (too late) about the CBS Sunday Morning program featuring Poetry Out Loud. I searched the website, but to no avail. Imagine my delight when I returned to the POL website this evening to find the interview right here. I was able to get a glimpse of ‘my’ contestant, the CO champion, Kaleena Kovach.
I have been checking the website since the competition, hoping that the 12 finalists would be here online reciting their poems. I’m still hoping that will happen. Is it possible that I might find that here in the near future?
It is a wonderful thing that so many young persons are involved in this, and that so many love to read poetry. Thank you for giving them the opportunity to participate.
Mary McGowen
I host a local cable show Poetry Today shown on the North Shore of Chicago. Recently I taped my 12th show featuring Marc Kelly Smith – the originator of poetry slams throughout the world. It is a fantastic show. Marc told stories, performed one of his poems “The Train” and we talked about poetry slams being first, good poetry, then, a performance. It is wonderful that Poetry Out Loud is being recognized nationally and internationally through TV and a film has been produced by Jane Campion on John Keats (and she had those auditioning recite a poem from memory).
Performance poetry makes poetry come alive. The words dance in the air reaching the ear of the listener as the gifts they are intended to be. It is in the speaking of the words that the speaker experiences all the internal meanings of the poetry conveying it to an audience hungry for the comfort and meaning poetry provides in its concise way. Hooray for Marc Kelly Smith and Charles Osgood!
Charles Osgood interviewed my niece, Kim Orellana and her daughter, Emily, who represented the state of Nevada in the contest. I am saddened to say the day the segment aired, Kim lost her battle with brain cancer at 5:05p.m. I was not aware that they were both going to be on my favorite show and was shocked, to say the least. I tried to tell her how proud I was of her for having the courage to be on TV without any wig, but sadly, she was not able to even have a fon next to her ear at that point.
Thanks for showing the country what real courage is.
Love it and is very excited about this event. I am a spoken word artist and poet have participated in alot of local open mic events. I would love to be involved in the next “Poetry Out Loud”
I love the fact that this video showcases both young men and young women. That’s a big plus for us English teachers in the Midwest, trying to build enthusiasm among our students.
It’s a great site and I’ll be performing my poem to my school ! wish me luck (:
- Lensa a.k.a Linsey
yyyeeeeeaaaaahhhhh.!
i really dont get why students have to do this…i mean i get it if it was for a fundraiser or charity or something but why?
I love these shows!