|
Blue: Poetry
in Motion
By David Chiu
It is a typical Saturday afternoon
on board the downtown D train from 125th Street and Harlem. Inside
one subway car, the passengers are doing the typical things that
commuters always do: reading a newspaper, listening to music
from their headphones, and minding to themselves quietly. For
the most part, the mood is subdued, until a young man wearing
a jacket, slightly baggy jeans, a knapsack, and a baseball cap
walks to the middle of the car. Nobody really pays attention
until he introduces himself in a booming but respectful voice
as "Blue." He holds up several paperback copies of
a poetry book he wrote and hopes that the crowd will listen to
him and buy one.
"Check this poem out!"
he says. "Buckle your seat beats!" And like the professional
boxer he once was, Blue enters the ring and goes in swinging.
He rapidly recites his poetry that mentions his father, Harlem,
fast food chicken restaurants, Macy's, lesbians, and cell phones-all
within a five minute span as the D arrives at 59th and Columbus.
Some people ignore him and continue to read or stare at the floor,
while others listen and crack a smile. At the end of his delivery,
he thanks the riders and says, "Don't beat your children
or they'll turn out like me." When Blue leaves the car
a woman comes up to him and buys a copy of the book. He seals
the deal by personally autographing it and handing it back with
a smile.
His poetry slam in a subway car,
which he has done for two years now, is as unorthodox as his
life story. Derrick "Blue" Wilson was born in Harlem,
but as a military brat, grew up in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
and Germany. A former professional boxer, Blue returned to New
York in the early Nineties cultured shocked. His observations
both at home and abroad would later provide the inspiration for
his writing. After a poem he recited at the Harlem café
The Sugar Shack was well received by the audience, he continued
to write poems. They were later collected into a book he published
himself Corner Stores: In the Middle of the Block.
Soft-spoken, confident, and down
to earth, the 35 year-old African American is concentrating on
finishing his novel and writing more poetry. Currently residing
in Brooklyn, Blue spoke about his poetry and the challenges and
pleasures of working the subway.
Blue, what is your fascination
with words and poetry?
I think the English language
is fascinating, the way we say so many things. There are so many
ways you can say things, and then the tone of your voice can
change it around completely. I just play with the words and this
is how it came about.
Do you have a particular approach
or message when you write your poems?
I just write about everything
I see. I say 'This is it, take it for what you want it.' I just
give people something to look at. There's no limits to what you
can say.
Why the subway as your platform
for reciting and selling your poetry?
The crowd is compact because
there is so many people in the subway. You never know who you
are gonna meet. I've met a lot of interesting people in the subway
who can help me.
Your poetry and self-marketing seems very unconventional.
Being an artist, you can't fit
in with the norm, you always have to try new things and see what's
gonna work. And if it doesn't work, then at least you said I've
tried. I'm not afraid to fail.
Several of your poems, particularly
"Bulletproof Corner Stores" and "Urban Renewal"
paint a very visual and illuminating portrait of the old neighborhoods
in the Bronx and Harlem.
I wrote about living in the Bronx
when it was the worst neighborhood in the country, but [ironically]
it has the best zoo in the country. I don't pull punches when
I write. I think we sometimes look at things but don't really
notice it.
"The Password Is Yes"
is a very erotic poem but it also makes a sort of commentary
about sex.
My boxing trainer used to say,
'Guys say they want the salad, but they're eating a bunch of
salad dressing. You got the right answer for everything wrong.'
Sex never constitute a means.
You have several haikus in
the book, such as "Unlady Like"and "Back Pain"
which are short but clever.
[The former] was about a lesbian.
'The girl I like is very unlady like.' I was just trying to find
a way to be ironic. ["In "Back Pain,"] I used
to work at a barbershop and I noticed a lot of elderly men who
wore shoes with Velcro straps, so I wrote that poem.
You spend 8-hour days on the
subway reciting your poetry and selling you book. What goes into
your daily routine?
I get on the train 8:30 in the
morning. I like the rush hour because they are awake in the car.
People always look at me weird. 'Who is this guy? What's he got?
Another bum with a scheme or something?' When I'm on the train
I ain't trying to be disrespectful.
Every now and then, when I have the crowd's attention, I'll recite
a poem. I know the whole book from verse to verse. Sometimes
I mix them up. They take about 2-3 minutes to finish.
Do you take requests from
the commuters?
If someone asks me to do a love
poem I'll do one. All it takes is one person to change the mood
swing of the whole subway car. If one person is in a bad mood,
then everybody is in a bad mood. But the minute someone asks
me to recite a poem, the mood changes and everybody wants to
hear it. It's funny like that.
What is the typical crowd
reaction to your poetry and salesmanship?
I scare them sometimes (laughs).
I've seen people cover their faces and ears. I can't please everybody.
Sometimes they'll applaud. Once in a while, I have the whole
A train in the palm of my hand. They follow my every word. That's
the main thing I get out of being on the train-to see the response
of what's gonna happen.
You said that poetry is hard
to sell. Is it discouraging sometimes?
I realize if I go outside with
a bad frame of mind I don't make any money. That's why I go out
in a good mood every day. I've been on the 4 train and people
had told me to shut up. One lady yelled, 'Give me a break!' I
don't care because I know what I am saying has valid points.
But there had also been rewarding
moments, whether you sell a book or not. Some will try to give
you money. And when they do buy a book, you personally autograph
it for them.
Once in a while someone will
attempt to and I politely say, 'No thank you.' Or if someone
says, 'Take this, that's all I have. You deserve it.' Then I
give him or her a book because it's the thought that counts.
I really appreciate it when people look at the book and say that
they can't get it right now.
I like signing my books because
I really believe in myself. I think my book is going to be worth
a lot of money someday. I feel that personalizing my book is
important to me.
You have spoken at places
such as high schools, universities and prisons. What do you want
to impart on young people when they hear your words?
All I'm trying to tell people
is that you got to be responsible for your own actions and stop
waiting for things to come to you.
Being here in New York City
unleashes your creative side, doesn't it?
I think in New York you see everything.
It's a lot of different cultures. They call it a melting pot,
and you see it first hand. I like to get out there and meet
everybody because you see so many nationalities. Some
people who live in New York take the city for granted. They just
sit back. You see guys who live in the neighborhood and never
leave. You leave and go to work, and come back and they are still
there. There is so much to see in New York and tourists prove
that everyday.
You have been doing this for
two years now. What still keeps you motivated?
I get out there and give it my
best. It's about the art. What would this world be without art?
What is your ultimate goal?
Winning a Pulitzer Prize one
day.
|
