You’re invited to be part of The Yorkshire Poem. We’ve commissioned rap-poet Otis Mensah who has a contemporary take on alternative hip-hop music and spoken word poetry, to create this new work. The Yorkshire Poem will premiere on Yorkshire Day 2020 at Yorkshire Festival of Story. But, he can’t do it without you. How this poem turns out is down to you.
Brass bands, flat caps, whippet racing, wrinkled stockings, beef dripping with bread, Yorkshire puddings. The clichés associated with “God’s own country” are endless. And yet, what does Yorkshire look like today?
We want to hear from you!
All you have to do is fill in the blanks below either on Facebook using #YorkshirePoem
I ____ Yorkshire because _____ and _______.
Now in the final few weeks until we give these to the artists whose going to create the Yorkshire Poem, we catch up with him to find out more.
Q: Who were your poetic inspirations growing up? (Or a Specific poem that gave you that light bulb moment and inspired you to write poetry?)
Most, if not all of my poetic inspirations growing up came from Hip-Hop music; poets like Common, Del the Funky Homosapien and Black Thought are my heroes. I owe so much to Hip-Hop culture, it ushered me in to deeper study of history, politics and philosophy, it sparked my love and curiosity for language.
First hearing ‘Things Fall Apart’ by The Roots was a key moment in my journey of writing and desperately wanting to understand, and spoken word artists that I discovered through Hip-Hop, like Ursula Rucker and J. Ivy, taught me that poetry didn’t always have to be sweet and conventional but must always be honest, vulnerable and expose truth.
Q: What drives you to write poetry/what political/social themes does your work comment on?
I’m most inspired by the practice of bending words and their meanings to build worlds, reshaping them to fit the reality and aesthetic I’m trying to paint. I call my practice, being an introspective documentarian, delving inward to pull truthful depictions of self to the surface, even when uncomfortable or gruesome. I write about how I internalise the world and its societies, touching on my experiences with mental health, race, identify, faith and existential angst.
Q: Why are you excited about creating a Yorkshire Poem?
I’m excited to pay homage to a place that has given me home, friends, space to breathe, to philosophise and enjoy trees.
Q: What advice can you give to budding poets?
Never give in to the pressures of being a ‘productive creative’, give your ideas, stories and words the time and life they need to grow. Feel no obligation to force a particular structure, form or ‘poetry voice’ that doesn’t feel authentic to you, find your own creative peculiarities.
Seek platforms and networks of people to share your ideas with; watch them manifest through the emotions of others, I feel this exchange and communication is one of the most transformative experiences for a poet.
Strive to be as vulnerable and honest as you can, the process of sharing work that has been cathartic or therapeutic to you when writing, could instigate a world of change in somebody else.
Q: If you didn’t become a hip-hop and spoken word artist, what would you be doing now?
Trying to champion other artists, musicians and poets that I love, whether through mediums of journalism, management or creating events.
Q: What 3 things does Yorkshire mean to you?
The sanctuary of family and home.
Finding my feet as an artist and love for a community of creatives.
The luxury of always being 10 minutes from a gathering of trees.
Q: Can you tell us about your role as Poet Laureate of Sheffield?
Our former Lord Mayor and MEP, Magid Magid, contacted me about the role in 2018, and I was pleasantly surprised. I found it interesting that an aspiring experimental Hip-Hop artist could be considered for such a formal position. I feel that Hip-Hop, although as prevalent and present in our culture and society as it is, rarely receives spoken recognition for the impact it has.
Magid Magid appointing me as Poet Laureate, displays an appreciation for Hip-Hop culture and the art form of rap as poetry. The role of Poet Laureate is all about breaking down barriers, changing the mould and perception of what it means to be a poet, continuing to share art that harnesses the power in vulnerability and encouraging expression of emotion through art in others.
Q: How have you celebrated Yorkshire Day before?
I can’t say I have ever formally celebrated Yorkshire Day, but implicitly yes, every day.
Be part of the Yorkshire Poem. Fill in the blanks below
I ____ Yorkshire because _____ and _______
post your response on your social media favourite. Feeling really adventurous? Why not film your response?
Written by Jane Corbett