Marching the traditional academy road and teaching creative writing at a private university can begin to reduce poetry to the canon. Mix in a little Baptist history, and things can spiral toward family-friendly. This month, one of my creative nonfiction students invited me to the Soapboxing Poetry Slam at the Artist’s Quarter in St. Paul.
So now, a little counterpoint from some local poets:
Toussaint Morrison – “Jenny”
Michael Lee – “Anvils (Dear America)”
Paul Dosh – “Quality Education”
Dylan Garity – “Live”
April Vinding 
Thanks for posting this…a few months ago. I discovered your blog today thanks to a mutual friend, Kiara, and the discovery couldn’t have come at a more apt time. My 9 year old son has been fearfully and dreadfully practicing a poem that he must memorize and perform (after bribes and threats), but we sat down to watch these tonight…and other than the quick fast-forward through the sex bit in the first one… I think he was inspired. Thanks:)
Glad to hear it, Kim– and nice to “meet” you. I still remember my trepidation at reciting a poem in British Lit I as a college freshmen. Let your son know that we’re rooting for him–