Poetry falls on ‘Def’ ears
All eyes and ears were glued to Staceyann Chin as she paced around Maxwell Auditorium, performing one of many emotion-filled poems. Chin’s in-your-face attitude was evident in both her poetry and her personality.
Her performance, ‘Falling on Def Ears,’ took place Friday night in a sold-out Maxwell Auditorium. Presented by Multicultural Experience, the Caribbean Students Association and Pride Union, Chin’s performance was the first of many events that took place this weekend as part of Caribfest.
Chin, a Jamaican national and New York City resident, was born to a Chinese father and Jamaican mother. She was raised in Jamaica and later moved to the United States, where she began her poetry career. She has performed nearly everywhere – from small venues in New York City poetry cafs to her own off-Broadway, one-woman shows. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Pittsburgh Daily. She has also been featured on ’60 Minutes’ and HBO’s ‘Def Poetry Jam.’
Chin’s poetry encompassed a broad range of topics. From feminism to war, she expressed her views through her blunt and honest poetry. Chin seemed unafraid to speak her mind – she said what she felt, and she was not going to apologize. Whether she was reciting one of many vivid poems about the female orgasm or expressing the many injustices suffered by the Jamaican people, Chin kept listeners interested – she brought them into her world.
During her performance, Chin danced and spun around the room while adding incredible emotion to her voice. During other poems, she stomped her feet in order to add rhythm to her recitation.
‘It wasn’t just the words,’ said Erin Fitzgerald, a sophomore in The College of Arts and Sciences, ‘but the presentation.’
The main objective of her poetry was to challenge her audience, Chin said. Her poems were intended to force the audience to listen to her views. Though her listeners’ views often contradict her own, she said, the important part was making them consider new ideas and better understand the issues. Her style challenged the individual to to figure out why they hold a certain opinion, she said. She wanted to make her listeners feel uncomfortable.
‘(Chin is an) amazing artist and human being,’ Fitzgerald said. ‘She said what most people are afraid to say.’
Throughout the night, Chin’s vibrant and sometimes controversial poetry seemed to captivate her audience and accomplish her lofty goals. Her courageous presentations commanded respect – whether the listener agreed with her ideas.
‘It was very entertaining,’ said Andrea Skerritt, public relations officer and communications chairperson for CSA. ‘She had important messages and everyone left with something important.’
