Buddy Wakefield is back. For those of you lucky enough to have witnessed the rousing power of his performance at either of the internationally-acclaimed slam poet's previous shows at Geneseo and have been waiting to hear this news ever since, rejoice! The day is finally here.
And for those of you still walking listlessly around campus, looking for anything that will do a better job of invigorating your mind and soul than yet another lecture on the Peloponnesian War or hydrogen bonds, take heart! Your search is over.
The performance is part of Wakefield's nation-wide tour, "The Gentleman Practice," and will take place in Sturges Auditorium on April 28 at 7 p.m. The best part is that the event is completely free and open to the public, but this also means that it would be a good idea to show up early if you want a seat. The doors will open at 6:45 p.m.
Wakefield has won the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship twice since he left his job at a biomedical firm in Seattle 10 years ago and started traveling around the country, living out of his car and performing at various poetry venues. He soon gained praise for his "warm sense of humor, his biting criticism and his big, big heart," said Steve Marsh, executive director of Poetry Slam International.
Wakefield speaks with a gentle Texas drawl and his poems are full of equal compassion and sarcastic criticism of the imperfections of everyday life.
"If you've never been rocked back by the presence of purpose, it is too soon for you," warned Andrea Gibson, winner of the 2008 Women's Individual World Poetry Slam Competition, on hearing Wakefield perform live.
A workshop will be held on April 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Newton 203 for students who are interested in learning more about spoken word poetry. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask Wakefield questions about life as a slam poet and write poems of their own.