A review of Asher and Martin Hoyles’ Moving Voices- Black Performance Poetry ( Hansib Publications, 2002).
Moving Voices – Black Performance Poetry is a collection of oral poems by Black British writers, but it is also much more than a mere anthology. Indeed the book itself is a manifesto for oral or “performance” poetry and is as much a defense of oral art as any academic treatise.
The collection is not arranged thematically, but is poet-centred as it is based on the work of twelve poets now living in Britain. Some of these poets are already household names in the world of Caribbean/Black British poetry ( James Berry, Jean Binta Breeze), while others are either established dub poets ( Levi Tafari, Benjamin Zephaniah) or up -and-coming performance artists ( Patiance Agbabi, Cynthia Hamilton).
The poems are preceded by detailed biographies of the poets with numerous excerpts from interviews and from the poets’ favourite pieces. The biographies are one of the book’s strengths as they give the reader numerous insights into the creative process.
Another of the book’s strengths is its general introduction which sets the poems in their proper cultural and historical context. Indeed due emphasis is laid on the importance of the African, African-American and Afro-Caribbean oral traditions which have contributed to shaping and nurturing today’s dynamic Black British poetry. The various components of “orature” like proverbs, folk tales, riddles, songs, jazz and blues are all related to the poetic creative process and this is clearly emphasized by the authors.
Lastly, and most importantly, the book includes a CD with recordings of the poems anthologized. The importance of this CD cannot be overemphasized as oral poetry is often said to require oral verbalization to achieve its full effect. The accompanying CD gives the reader the opportunity to hear what performance poets like Patience Agbabi or Benjamin Zephaniah sound like in a live setting and consequently to appreciate the power of oral poetry. That said, most of the poems in this anthology work well as written texts as they make ample use of punning and irony.
The importance of the CD also lies in the fact that it makes the book an invaluable teaching aid or tool for teachers in secondary schools and even at college who have trouble getting their students interested in poetry. The recordings should make the poems accessible to students and they could then move to their “printed versions”.
All in all, Moving Voices is a challenging, information-packed and well-illustrated ( there are numerous photos of oral practitioners) celebration of the power of the Word and the authors have succeeded in communicating to the reader their enthusiasm for oral art. The choice of poems (and of poets) is excellent and the CD makes it almost indispensable to poetry lovers. This is an anthology which requires careful reading and attentive listening.