A report from the internationall writers´cruise
WAVES OF THE BLACK SEA |
A report from the internationall writers´cruise
WAVES OF THE BLACK SEA
A meeting between three seas
In November 1994, some 400 writers, translators and journalists from 30 countries went on board the Greek ship "Mt World Renaissance" in Pireaus for a 9-day literary journey in the Black Sea and in the Aegean. Through an intensive programme aboard and ashore, a dialogue across boards began.
POETRY SLAM
A popular event on board was the reading competition "POETRY SLAM", which went on in the disco every night until the grand final on November 20th. This was part of a world wide movement, preparing for "THE POETRY OLYMPICS" in 1996. Erkki Lappalainen, poet born in Finland, living in Sweden, arranged the slams on board. A few years back, after having watched a Pavarotti concert, he had asked himself why other fields of art received so much attention and money and why poets had to live under such difficult circumstances. He was convinced that poets could "give concerts" as well. He also was thinking of ways to make poetry accessible to the public and less difficult, and also entertaining through the form of competition with set rules. He visualises slams/Olympics to be held regularly in music pubs, cafés and places where people like to go, then national championships and finally international Poetry Olympics.
Some were critical to the POETRY SLAMS on board, meaning poetry is too serious and "you can´t compete in poetry" whereas others again felt "this is something new and it is fun!"
Participating countries in the Black Sea POETRY SLAM were Bulgaria, Sweden, Ukraine, Iceland, Latvia, Pan Baltic team and Pan Nordic team. The final duel stood between Latvia and the Pan Nordic team, where Latvia finally scored one more point. The highest individual ratings were shared by Mary-Ann Bäcksbacka from Finland and Knuts Skujenieks from Latvia.
"Meeting other poets breaks up our splendid isolation - in contact with other human beings who understand the work You are doing!" and "Western culture and audiences must learn to pay for the work poets do, also poets must learn to be paid!" are some of Erkki Lappalainen´s messages and he ends by paying tribute to the coming millennium of Poets and Poetry!