Spoken Word Poetry: An Origin Story - Sarah Kay and Phill Kaye

I discovered Sarah Kay last year, when my friend, Marcus, Handed me a folder with loads of spoken word pieces. At that time, I had been desperately craving well delivered poetry and was acting like a junkie, looking online for stuff I might like and talking about the the days of GAP in Abuja with Audu Maikori, Elnathan John, Matilda Shola and a bunch of others.

That folder Marcus gave me changed my life...but that's story for another day.

I fell in love with Sarah Kay and have gone on to download several of her videos and speeches, not just for the beauty of her poetry but also for the ease of her delivery, the realness in her words and expressions, the inspiration I get and I could go on and on.

This piece, an Origin Story, is one that I think anyone, who has ever had a real friend, will connect with. And if it turns out that you have never had a real friend, well, I hope this piece helps you understand how to be one.

In this video,  Sarah Kay & Phil Kaye, Project VOICE, perform "an orgin story", the story of how they began. Project V.O.I.C.E. (Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression) is a national movement that celebrates and inspires youth self-expression through Spoken Word Poetry. Conceived in 2004, Project V.O.I.C.E. encourages young people to engage with the world around them and use Spoken Word Poetry as an instrument through which they can explore and better understand their culture, their society, and ultimately themselves. Project V.O.I.C.E. brings together performance, writing, and a supportive environment to inspire youth to recognise that their views are significant, valid, and necessary.