Throughout my career, I've had the honor of interviewing a wide range of interesting and compelling people. But every once in a while, I stumble across someone who leaves me speechless.
Such was the case with Canadian spoken word poet Moe Clark. Though she lives in Montreal, Moe made a trip to Edmonton this past weekend to offer inspiration to 40 young writers at WordsWorth 2010. The kids, all talented writers in their own right, had spent an entire day learning tricks of the trade from authors Margaret Macpherson and Katherine Holubisky. But from the moment Moe breezed through the door, they were swept up in her whirlwind of beauty, inspiration and mesmerizing talent.
They weren't the only ones.
Until this weekend, I was a spoken word virgin. The technology alone - have you ever seen a looping pedal? - amazed me, but more than that was the energy Moe brought to the stage. With a smile that electrified the room, Moe explained the tools of her trade, her rise to recording artist status, the source of her inspiration, and perhaps most importantly, what it really means to be an artist.
Doing what she loves means a considerable amount to Moe. She's toured the globe with her beautiful voice and ethereal beauty, and recently released her first album. This CD has now replaced Adam Lambert in my vehicle. This year, a book of her poems will be published and I have no question I'll be one of the first in line to snag it. Her voice - both written and oral - has given me another reason to reflect on the beauty of literacy.
I could, I suspect, go on at nauseam, about her talent but without actually witnessing her energy, I can't possibly string together the words to convey how her performance, no, her very presence left me utterly speechless.
The Book In My Bag Today: Heart Sick, Chelsea Cain
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