Clinton School Slams on the Poetry

"You're amazing, just the way you are," sang fourth grader Gregory, as his classmates clapped along to his rendition of the Bruno Mars hit, Just the Way You Are.

"Amazing" was the operative word, as Clinton Elementary School fourth graders recited, performed, rapped, tapped, slapped, drummed and sang their way through mostly original poetry at the Clinton School Poetry Slam. The slam was the culmination of a 6-week artist-in-residency program with Lamont Dixon. 

The residency was possible thanks to a generous grant from the Artists-in-Education Consortium, which includes the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Arts Horizons, and Young Audiences New Jersey — according to Cecelia Cancellaro of the Clinton School PTA.

"Clinton fourth graders have had the wonderful opportunity to explore poetry with Mr. Dixon, aka Napalm Da Bomb, a Philadelphian who has been a prominent presence on the jazz-poetry scene for many years." Dixon's poetry has been published in numerous magazines including Essence and African Voices, and the recently published a book of poetry called Come Ride My Poems.

The residency also funded a guest artist, percussionist Josh Robinson, who has taught students how to use “found objects” for percussive effect. On Friday, Feb. 18, Dixon and Robinson brought along The Vibe Poetics to perform for and with the students.

Big hits of the afternoon were a new rhythmic interpretation of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham," as well as one fourth grader's poem, "If Walt Whitman Wrote Humpty Dumpty."

Students worked with percussion instruments and incorporated movement in some pieces. Besides learning about poetic "feet" and rhythm, the students also studied devices such as onomonpia, explained teacher Marian Power — "the representation of a sound by an imitation thereof." You know — words like "smash," "crash,"  and "pop."

All in all, the event was an amazing smash.