Viewing NYC Articles Categorized Under Poetry

[WATCH] "The Commuter's Lament" is the NYC Subway's Most Depressing Piece of Art

2020-06-24T10:00:00-04:00

"The Commuter's Lament" is a poem from late poet Norman B. Colp that is written on the ceiling beams of the connection tunnel between the Port Authority and Times Square subway stations. In this short video from our friends at The Gothamist, listen to the New York City subway's most-depressing piece of art read aloud by actor Justin Kirk.

In 1991, a poem commissioned by the Arts for Transit program was installed in a corridor connecting Port Authority and the IND 8th Ave line to the rest of the Times Square subway station. It is depressing as hell, but also kind of perfect. Maybe you never noticed it because you were too engulfed in your own sweaty rage as the seemingly endless urine-scented tunnel stretched out before you? Next time, look up, and enjoy Norman B. Colp's "A Commuter's Lament, or A Close Shave," which at the very least will make you feel seen.

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[VIDEO] "The Commuter's Lament" is the NYC Subway's Most Depressing Piece of Art

2018-08-11T11:00:00-04:00

In 1991, a poem commissioned by the Arts for Transit program was installed in a corridor connecting Port Authority and the IND 8th Ave line to the rest of the Times Square subway station. It is depressing as hell, but also kind of perfect. Maybe you never noticed it because you were too engulfed in your own sweaty rage as the seemingly endless urine-scented tunnel stretched out before you? Next time, look up, and enjoy Norman B. Colp's "A Commuter's Lament, or A Close Shave," which at the very least will make you feel seen.

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WATCH: Brooklyn's Joey Bada$$ Recites Kanye West's McDonalds Poem for Hot 97

2016-08-24T10:33:22-04:00

You may recognize Brooklyn rapper and actor Joey Bada$$ from his role of Leon in USA's excellent Mr. Robot, or you may know him from his succesful rap career, but did you know he can also recite poetry like a champ?

During a recent appearance on local radio show Hot 97, Bada$$ recited Kanye West's brilliant McDonald's poem.

I always knew them french fries was evil man. Smelling all good and shit. I don't trust no food that smells that good man

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Check Out the Impressive Lyrical Performance of New York City's RAyW

2016-08-09T09:48:03-04:00

Local actor, spoken word performer, private investigator, security liaison, Vietnam veteran, and retired cop RAyW has had quite a few careers in his lifetime. This video from The Street Noise Project depicts Ray tearing into religion and giving the abridged version of the hell of the Vietnam War in a poetry slam style. Between his poetic prowess and deep messages, it's hard not to get lost in Ray's intense delivery.

The anger in his poems shouldn’t be mistaken for bitterness. The fiery delivery comes not from a place of hate, but one of caring. He cares about the people he loves and the people he serves and gets angry about injustice, whether it be people disrespecting the elderly or the police, or people in places of power taking advantage of children.

Be sure to check out RAyW's website for a look at his varied work as well as watch other videos from The Street Noise Project for more of New York City's unique personalities.

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Upcoming: New York City Poetry Festival on Governors Island

2016-07-14T10:23:21-04:00

Save the date! Now in its sixth year, the annual and free New York City Poetry Festival will take place on July 30th-31st, 2016, on Governors Island.

Special site specific features of the festival include The Poetry Brothel, The Typewriter Project, and the NYC Children's Poetry Festival.

From last year's announcement at the New York Times:

…Now in its fifth year, the free weekend-long New York City Poetry Festival on Governors Island continues to grow — organizers are expecting 4,000 people this year — and gathers a book fair, food trucks, around 50 vendors and a children’s festival on Colonels’ Row.

Drawing on the variety of poetry groups from all five boroughs, readings at the event can be academic or high-minded, musical or theatrical…

I'll be reading some of my work as part of the Art Kibbutz residency on Governors Island. See you there!

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This Nomadic Typewriter Documents New York City's Subconscious

2016-07-06T13:45:56-04:00

Want to contribute to the storied history of New York City? Inside a wooden shack in Williamsburg's McCarren Park you can sit at a typewriter and add to the collaborative poem, The Typerwriter Project: The Subconscious of the City. The project, which aims to investigate, document, and preserve the poetic subconscious of the city, has moved from Governor's Island to Tompkins Park to its current location.

“People’s entries have ranged from the guy who comes every day to add to his serialized piece of fiction to a baby or dog banging out what reads as total gibberish. We’ve also seen everything in between: notes to passed loved ones, letters to friends, lines of poetry, short recollections from a person’s day, passing thoughts, jokes, random collections of words that someone thought of, bits of dialogue, promotional text, rants. It’s wonderful to see how differently each person thinks when they can suddenly write whatever they want.”

Whether you want to add your voice to the tapestry or just enjoy the clicking of a vintage typewriter, visit McCarren Park today!

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Beautiful Video About Loneliness Amongst Millions of People in New York City

2016-03-22T16:11:00-04:00

Why We Feel Alone is a touching and beautiful film from 25-year-old local filmmaker Alejandro Hernández which combines some fantastic cinematic slow motion work of New York City, combined with excepts from Alan Watt's famous speech of the same name.

In a city of 8 million people, why can we feel so lonely?

The music in the video is Lowercase Noises — "Silence of Siberia"

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Love, a Touching and Earnest Poetic Short by Performance Artist Matthew Silver

2016-03-04T10:55:02-05:00

Performance artist Matthew Silver, better known as the Man in the White Dress, is often written off as crazy. Silver's performance pieces are a little on the bizarre side, with dances and yelling and usually done in only his underwear or a white dress.

In this short video from New York Film Shop, watch a touching and earnest poetic short from the artist about why he performs the way he does.

A NewYorkFilmShop.com poetic short stitched together using interviews and social media posts from the off-beat street performer Matthew Silver.

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Edgar Allan Poe Lived in The Bronx Before Consolidation Into New York City

2016-01-20T10:15:27-05:00

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most well-known American authors of the 19th century. When his wife became ill with Tuberculosis, Poe moved his family up to the small Village of Fordham in Westchester County, better known today as The Bronx.

Edgar Allan Poe spent the last years of his life, from 1846 to 1849, in The Bronx at Poe Cottage, now located at Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse. A small wooden farmhouse built about 1812, the cottage once commanded unobstructed vistas over the rolling Bronx hills to the shores of Long Island. It was a bucolic setting in which the great writer penned many of his most enduring poetical works, including “Annabel Lee,” “The Bells” and “The Cask of Amontillado.”

Poe's cottage in The Bronx still exists today as a museum. Check it out in person for free Thursday through Sunday.

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Comedic Haikus About the MTA and New York City Subway

2015-11-18T10:24:27-05:00

New York poet and student Sid Ogunsekan recently created this great little haikus describing so much about the MTA and subway in so few words.

For the average New Yorker, riding the MTA Subway is a way of life. Through all of the random delays, "sick passengers", and trains just downright not showing up, we deal with it all. These haiku poems poke fun at the system we so dearly rely on, and remind us of our masochistic relationship with this city.

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