"Is Poetry Dead" ... A Poem written by Big Virge 9/3/2006

Is Poetry ... DEAD ... !?!
 
Well ...  
NOT According To CERTAIN Heads ... !!!
 
Now Let's Get This Straight ...
If That's The Case ... ?
Why On Earth Would The BBC ...
Do A ... " Two Minute Piece " ...
To ... INVESTIGATE ...
If Poetry's Dead In Todays' New Age ... ?!?!?  
 
I Think In Truth ...
It's Fair To Say ...
Poetry's On The Wane ...  
Cos' Controversial Names ...
Are .... Swept AWAY ..........................
And NOT ALLOWED To State Their Case  ... !!!
 
Those Who UPSET And Are DIRECT .... !!!
And Choose To REJECT ...
... CONFORMIST Sects ... !!!
 
Are ........ Ostracised ........
For Words They Write ....
And Then Recite .... !?!
 
Hosts of Shows Now FLAUNT EGOS ... !!!
And CLAIM To KNOW What's GOOD TO GO ... !!!
 
But Use Tactics And Subtle Tricks ....
To Keep Poetry That's Contemporary ...
AWAY From Those It NEEDS TO Reach ... !!!!!
 
Places Like ... " The BBC " ...
Universities And ... SKY TV ...
 
They Choose To Feed ...
Prose That's ... " FUNNY " ...  
And Does NOT Fuel CONTROVERSY ...
 
Or Of Course Some OLD WRINKLY ...
To Recite Words REPEATEDLY Heard ... !!!!!
They Seem To Be The Bourgeoisie ... ???
 
They LOVE Their ... " CLASSIC Poetry ... !!!
And Follow The .... " CONTEMPORARY " ....
 
But ONLY When The Words SUIT THEM ... !!!
And DO NOT Question THEM or Their FRIENDS ... !!!
 
...... " Is Poetry Dead ? " ......
 
Well ... Book Sales Are DOWN ...
SPOKEN WORD Is Now The TREND ... !!!
 
But Once Again ...
The Words You Say ...
Should ... " ENTERTAIN " ... !!!
 
... NOT FEED Young brains ... !!!
 
If You Choose To Speak of PAIN ...
You're Treated Like You Are INSANE ... !!!!!
 
Poets Past And Present YES ... !!!!!
Have Always Had To STAND AGAINST ...
 
Poetry Sects And Governments ... !!! ...
Who CLAIM To PROTECT ...
The ... " Right To EXPRESS " ...
 
But RARELY Accept Poets Who Stress ...
Political Views Or Their OWN Concepts ... !!!!!
 
... " Freedom to Express !!! " ...
 
....... " Is Poetry Dead ? " ........
 
I Hate To UPSET ...
But My Answer Is YES ... !!!
 
It's EGO Lead And FULL of PRETENCE ... !!!
Controlled By INSECTS ...
Who PICK And CHOOSE And YES SELECT ...
Their ... " SELECT Few "...
Those Who'd NEVER Step On Shoes ... !!!
 
If They OPEN Doors To Rooms ...
Where Words They Use ...
Could Be Consumed ...
By Those Likely To Share THEIR Views ...
 
..... " Is Poetry Dead ? " ......
 
I'm A Bit Confused ... ?!?
Rap Is SELLING In VOLUMES ... !!!!!
 
... Isn't Poetry RAP ... ?!?
 
"Not quite old chap !  
The words they rhyme,
can't be defined, as poetry !
Are you out of your mind !"
 
I Guess That's Why They Reject Mine ... ?
Those Who Run These Poetry Nights ...
That CLAIM To Have Contemporary Styles ...
Like Spoken Word ... "Okay, that's fine !" ...
 
... SPOKEN WORD ...  ?!?
 
But, isn't that rap,
without music, or a backing track ?  
Surely sir, you must concur,
or is your vision slightly blurred ?
You choose to see your poetry,
as something fit for society ?
But music and it's industry,
promote Rap Rhymes, about lives of crime,  
while emcees who are more inclined,
to use their rhymes and use their minds,
for Spoken Words of this here kind,
are suitably kept amongst poetry's dead !
 
Those Who Organise ...
These Poetry Nights ...  
Have SELECTIVE Sight ... !!!
Both Black And White ...
CHOOSE To Act Blind ... !?!
 
Well Times Ahead May Well Affect ...
What The Young And Old ...
... Choose To Collect ...
For Words That Nurse ...
Their ACHING Heads ... !!!!!
 
Publishers ....  
Will Change Their Tune ...
And Start To Move With Those Who Use ...
This Thing Called Prose ...
When It's Message SWEETLY Flows ... !!!
 
And Reflects On ...
Life's HIGHS And Lows ...  
And Shows People ...
How They Can GROW ... !!!
 
Well That's MY Hope ...
We'll See How It Goes ...
Because CENSORSHIP ...
Is A ... Growing FOE ... !!!!
 
As Are Those Who CLAIM To KNOW ...
Where Poetry's At But KEEP Doors CLOSED.  
 
TRUST Me Folks ...
That Is ... NO JOKE ... !!!
The Record's Playing ...
But The Needle Is BROKE ... !!!
 
We NEED A Fix of BETTER Scripts ... !!!!!!
From Rappers And Todays' Poets ... !!!  
 
It's Time To FEED Those Now MISLED ...
And Put This Question ... Back To Bed .....
 
The Question Is THIS ...
 
... " Is Poetry DEAD ? " ...